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The Citizen, 2015-05-07, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015. Despite MDS concerns, Windmill Lake approved Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending May 1 were 1,772 cattle and 528 lambs and goats. On Tuesday fed steers and heifers sold on a good active trade at steady prices. Choice steers and heifers sold $193 to $198 with sales to $204. Second cut sold $189 to $193. Cows sold on a good trade at steady prices. On Thursday veal sold on a steady market. Lambs and sheep sold steady, while goats sold on an active trade. On Friday grass- types calves sold steady. Fleshier calves sold under pressure. Yearlings sold fully steady. David Bowles of Brussels, consigned five cattle that averaged 1,292 lbs. and sold for an average price of $199.41. Two black steers averaged 1,410 lbs. and sold to Norwich Packers for $199.50. Greg Higgins of Brussels, consigned eight steers that averaged 1,464 lbs. and sold for an average price of $196.44. Five blue steers averaged 1,414 lbs. and sold to Cargill Meat Solutions for $196.75. Owen Chaffe of Mitchell, consigned one heifer that weighed 1,640 lbs. and sold to Cargill Meat Solutions for $204. Ron Smith of Denfield, consigned nine cattle that averaged 1,468 lbs. lbs. and sold for an average price of $201. Three red heifers averaged 1,468 lbs. and sold to Norwich Packers for $203.25. There were 136 cows on offer. Export types sold $115 to $125; beef, $135 to $145 with sales to $152; D1 and D2, $120 to $130; D3, $105 to $120; D4, $85 to $105. Andreas Vongutten of Williamsburg, consigned one charolais cow that weighed 1,540 lbs. and sold for $152. There were 10 bulls selling $134 to $157. Todd Konecny of Walkerton, consigned one black bull that weighed 1,705 lbs. and sold for $157. Richard Glen Clarke of Fullarton, consigned one simmental bull that weighed 1,460 lbs. and sold for $157. There were 153 head of veal on offer. Beef sold $200 to $240 with sales to $243; good holsteins, $140 to $160 with sales to $170; medium holsteins, $130 to $140; heavy holsteins, $140 to $150. Lamar Frey of Listowel, consigned eight calves that averaged 855 lbs. and sold for an average price of $210.70. One limousin heifer weighed 820 lbs. and sold for $248. Mosie J. Shetler of Lucknow, consigned three calves that averaged 915 lbs. and sold for an average price of $214.30. One heifer weighed 760 lbs. and sold for $246. Mervin K. Martin of Harriston, consigned five calves that averaged 723 lbs. and sold for an average price of $199.87. One charolais steer weighed 725 lbs. and sold for $244. Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $304 to $330; 65 - 79 lbs., $292 to $317; 80 - 94 lbs., $280 to $295; 95 - 109 lbs., $284 to $292/lb. Sheep sold $75 to $120/lb. Goats: kids sold $200 to $340; nannies, $70 to $110; billies, $150 to $300/lb. Top quality stocker steers under 400 lbs. sold $305 to $327; 400 - 499 lbs., $305 to $335; 500 - 599 lbs., $292 to $332; 600 - 699 lbs., $288 to $307; 700 - 799 lbs., $268 to $295; 800 - 899 lbs., $237 to $256; 900 - 999 lbs., $224 to $244; 1,000 lbs. and over, $205 to $229. Top quality stocker heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $314 to $322; 400 - 499 lbs., $278 to $307; 500 - 599 lbs., $257 to $295; 600 - 699 lbs., $253 to $320; 700 - 799 lbs., $236 to $252; 800 - 899 lbs., $230 to $254; 900 lbs. and over, $211 to $225. Central Huron Council has granted Windmill Lake Wake and Eco Park a one-year extension of its temporary use bylaw, effectively allowing it to continue operation while various zoning issues are worked out. Council made the final decision at Monday night’s meeting after councillors deferred the issue on April 20. In a recorded vote, Mayor Jim Ginn, Deputy-Mayor Dave Jewitt and Councillors Alison Lobb, Genny Smith and Burkhard Metzger all voted in favour of the extension, while Councillors Alex Westerhout, Marg Anderson and Dan Colquhoun all argued against it. At the April 20 meeting, the business was applying for a one-year extension of its temporary use bylaw, during which time the intent, according to the operators of the business, Jennifer Pate and Andrew Oke, is to apply for a permanent amendment to the municipality’s official plan, allowing the business to remain operational for the forseeable future. Huron County Planner Monica Walker-Bolton expressed her admiration for the business and those involved with it, but told council that she has to approach every application from a strictly professional standpoint. As a result, Walker-Bolton said she was recommending that the bylaw extension be denied. First and foremost, Walker-Bolton said it is difficult to think that the intent of the extension is temporary in nature. She said that with the investment in infrastructure at the wakeboarding/stand-up paddle- boarding facility, her conclusion is that the investment is not temporary. The real challenge for the application, she said is a number of infringements of minimum distance separation (MDS) with neighbouring farms. As a recreational facility, MDS areas are doubled, putting the park in violation of MDS with two farms. However, it wasn’t necessarily current barns that concerned Walker- Bolton, she said. If some sort of agreement was to be reached between the municipality and the park, it would restrict as many as three neighbouring farms from expanding in the future. Several of those farmers were at the meeting, saying that while they have had nothing but pleasant exchanges with Pate and Oke, and they wanted to see a local business do well, they didn’t want it to happen at the cost of their farming operations and potential future expansion. Walker-Bolton said that one of Central Huron’s options could be to extend the park’s permit with a condition dictating that it is not allowed to expand until a full official plan amendment is reached. One farmer who was in attendance cited a letter that neighbours received late last year stating that Pate and Oke would like to erect yurts on the property, allowing guests to stay overnight – although the expansion had yet to be implemented. He said that he and other area farmers felt that the park was “just the beginning” and that expansion was imminent. Oke said that he was under the impression that the property was zoned commercially, so there would be no issues with things like MDS. It was only after the business opened in spring, 2014 that some of the issues began to surface. He said that he and Pate have done their best to be co-operative since the issues were revealed and that they have been nothing but open and transparent with their neighbours, as well as the various levels of government and the Huron County Planning Department. He told council that his business has had a successful first year, catering to over 1,500 paid customers and countless spectators. Customers, he said, have ranged in age from four to 74, coming from all over Canada and the U.S. Oke said that he and Pate have attempted to create an environmentally-sustainable business that helps the entire community. Through various local partnerships, he said, the park has resulted in increased business for local hotels, restaurants and shops. Rob Panzer, a consultant and retired London planner working on behalf of Pate and Oke, suggested that perhaps an agreement could be struck between Oke and Pate and neighbouring farmers that allows for some adjustments on both sides of the MDS. If the farmers would be willing to allow MDS infringement to go ahead, he said, Pate and Oke would then be similarly understanding if one of the farms wanted to expand. Walker-Bolton, however, reminded Panzer and council that MDS represents far more than circles on an aerial photograph. The concept behind MDS, Walker- Bolton said, is to minimize the potential for land use problems. There are numerous examples in the past of neighbouring farms and recreation areas not getting along, and MDS is a way for those properties to do two very different things in close proximity to one another, but not too close. The closer those two businesses get to one another, the more potential for land use conflict, she said. Walker-Bolton also said that even if neighbouring farmers were open to an agreement that would accept a certain degree of MDS infringement, it doesn’t mean that every future owner of that property will be open to it as well. She said that planning policies like MDS aim to see a problem before it’s there. Several councillors said they were legitimately torn, saying that on one hand, they would hate to restrict farmers from the ability to expand, but on the other, they would hate to shut down a business started by two young entrepreneurs, thus flying in the face of economic development, a major priority across Huron County. Councillor Alex Westerhout said that while he didn’t want to effectively shut a business down, he felt that allowing it to continue would be setting a dangerous precedent and he said he would be voting against the allowance. Councillor Genny Smith, however, said that young entrepreneurs starting an out-of-the-box business is exactly what Central Huron is striving for and that she would be TUESDAYS 9:00 a.m. Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows THURSDAYS 8:00 a.m.Drop Calves 10:00 a.m.Veal 11:30 a.m. Lambs, Goats & Sheep FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stockers Call us 519-887-6461 Visit our webpage at: www.brusselslivestock.ca email us at: info@brusselslivestock.ca BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd. UPCOMING SALES Agriculture Brussels Livestock report Fed steers, heifers sell on active trade BLYTH 519-523-4244 www.hurontractor.comHensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | www.hdc.on.ca Multiple Locations across Southwestern Ontario · GRAIN ELEVATORS · CROP PRODUCTS · PETROLEUM & PROPANE · FEEDProud to be farmer-owned. wouthoss Srrotions accraoccaMultiple L ensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | wH V· GRAIN ELE d.wneo farmer-o bee ud tPro · FEED · PETROLEUM & PROP · CROP PRODUC arioern Onttaesttewwe a.on.c.hdcwwensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | w ORSTAATV ANEM&PROPPA ST· CROP PRODUC By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Great on the ice Several local hockey players were honoured late last month as the Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey Association held its annual year-end awards banquet. Jeremy Wilts, left, was one half of the pair that won the Bokhout/Hesselwood Dynamic Duo Award – Colton Rodger was absent – and Ethan Scrimgeour, right, won the Jeremy Austin Memorial Award as the Bantam Rep team’s most dedicated player. (Vicky Bremner photo) Continued on page 28