Plan to adjust boundaries of Minto urban centres moving forward

MINTO – A plan to readjust the urban boundaries of Palmerston, Harriston and Clifford to maximize potential for residential development is moving forward.

A public meeting was held Dec. 7 on a zoning amendment designed to bring Minto’s zoning bylaw into conformity with a recent County of Wellington official plan amendment (OPA 117) created to facilitate the urban boundary adjustments.

The county adopted OPA 117 in March, adjusting the boundaries of the three urban centres. The amendment was initiated by the Town of Minto to redirect growth to serviced locations that can be developed more efficiently and cost effectively.

The amendment removed from the urban boundary approximately 38 acres of vacant industrial land owned by the Town of Minto in Harriston and about 169 acres from various areas in Clifford to facilitate an urban boundary expansion in Palmerston.

A report from planning technician Ashley Sawyer explains the impacted property in Harriston was determined to be surplus industrial land based on the current and future growth requirements set out by the province and could not be feasibly or efficiently developed and serviced.

Similarly, the land removed from Clifford’s urban boundary was selected due to lack of development and servicing potential.

The zoning amendment is required to ensure the new parcels are in compliance with the new official plan designations.

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As part of the process, 163.1 acres of land in Palmerston will be rezoned from agricultural site-specific to various designations, including medium-density residential and future development.

County of Wellington senior planner Jessica Rahim said changes to site-specific zoning in the proposal won’t negatively impact existing operations.

“We're not taking anything away from those property owners,” said Rahim, adding agricultural uses on those properties can continue despite the zone change, “because they did go through a recent zoning amendment.

“So, I just want to make (clear) that everything that they've asked for is still able to apply to these properties."

Resident Jessica Boland expressed concern about potential impact of the rezoning on the property taxes for her 10-acre farm off Brunswick Street in Palmerston.

“I've talked to MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) about our taxes and they told me that we would be reassessed upon rezoning. So that's a concern to us,” said Boland.

“From my understanding your tax rate is not based on your zoning and designation, it's based on the actual use of the property,” explained Sawyer.

Minto treasurer Gordon Duff agreed that “in theory” zoning has no impact on a property’s tax rate.

“If the property is still being used for what it was … after the by law, I'm not really seeing why there should be a change,” said Duff.

However, he added, “it is up to MPAC, unfortunately, and we don't have a lot of local control over that.”

Another resident asked about the town’s plans for a closed landfill site east of the area to be rezoned.

“There is an identified buffer around the landfill site, so we have no plans to develop any of that,” stated Minto CAO Derrick Thomson.

A bylaw to approve the rezoning will likely be presented to council at the next regular meeting.