Tie vote blocks dream of farm experiences
Council defeats plan for short-term rental cabins in wooded setting
Amy Jeninga’s dream of creating a place where cityfolk can experience country living turned into a nightmare on Tuesday morning when Trent Hills council backed its way into rejecting her proposal with a 3-3 tie vote.
The issue before council was a plan to rezone a 93-acre property to permit construction of several small cabins in a wooded area of the land on County Road 35 across from Focal Brewing.
Jeninga first proposed her dream more than two years ago before three of the current councillors were elected and has spent the period since hiring consultants to answer questions that were raised then and produce hundreds of pages of reports. Both factors came back to haunt the proposal.
Council was voting on a report from Jim Peters, Director of Planning and Development, that included those reports as well as comments from neighbours. Peters said the plan was for what is officially called an on-farm-diversified-use, designation developed to allow farmers to earn extra income while retaining farmland. He noted that Focal Brewing was permitted under a similar designation.
Councillor Rob Pope kicked thing off by saying he hadn’t had a chance to read and digest all the information since the meeting agenda had been prepared on Friday, so he couldn’t vote to support the plan. “It’s on me, I haven’t been able to get up to speed on it.”
A testy Mike Metcalf, deputy mayor, pointed out that all the information was available online for anyone. Metcalf was familiar with the project since he was on the previous council and chaired the 2022 public Zoom meeting to discuss the plan and said he had visited the land.
Councillor Gene Brahaney suggested the issue should be deferred since Councillor Rick English, who represents the area, was not present. Brahaney also noted the opposition from some neighbours and all the concerns expressed about short-term rentals in general.
Councillor Dennis Savery said he was concerned about rezoning farmland. He also objected to permitting short-term rentals before a new bylaw is developed.
Peters pointed out that the existing zoning allowed industrial uses because the property had been used for a furniture factory many years ago. He said the rezoning application would actually increase the agricultural protection.
“The site-specific zoning will permit the additional units beyond the two permitted, along with the permission to rent the units out on a short-term basis,” Peters’ report says.
The revised plan called for: a 600 square-foot tuck shop; an 800 square-foot Lakeview Cabin; four x 275 square foot Forest View Cabins; five x 275 square-foot Star Gaze Cabins; a 2,000 square-foot single detached dwelling; and an 800 square-foot horse shelter.
During the public meeting in April 2022, Jeninga said she grew up on a farm in Trent Hills and wanted to develop a modern retreat that would expose people to life in the country and give them a chance to relax.
Peters said the specific site plan would include a requirement that someone be on site to handle any issues with the short-term rentals, something that is being considered as part of a general bylaw that is being prepared.
In the end, Councillor Daniel Giddings, Mayor Bob Crate, and Metcalf voted in favour, while Savery, Pope, and Brahaney voted no, so it was defeated by a 3-3 tie vote.
There will be reconsideration. I believe that Jeninga will prevail. Makes zero sense to have this beautiful piece of farmland left zoned for factory use, when it can be used as a tourist attraction that will enhance commerce and visibility to our community.
I think that Brahaney was right to have this deferred, and that Metcalf was wrong to bully it through. English, who represents the area should be present.
Communist Canada.