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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-01-15, Page 202004 PHONE BOOK The Citizen The Citizen's New 2004 Telephone Directory Will Be Available Soon° Serving Auburn Blyth Brussels Clinton Goderich Gorrie Listowel Wingham It will have the newest listings in a convenient large type format. In one book you have the listings that you would need three Bell Canada books to find. Here is your chance to advertise in a product that stays around 365 days. Reserve your space today call Alicia-or Jamie at 523-4792 or fax us at 523-9140. Deadline: January 30, 2004 If you have a new phone number, or if you have just moved into this area, and your phone number is not included in the new Bell phone book, please call 523-4792 or 887-9114 and we'll be sure to include your listing. hearing complaints in spring and fall from users of the Wingham course when nearby farmers spread manure, there were bound to be complaints In the end council voted 9-7 to with livestock farms so close to the uphold the committee's decision to Woodlands course. turn down the expansion. With thanks Brussels Public School principal Heather Beattie, left, and music teacher Heather Laurie accept a $1,000 cheque from Brussels Lions Club president Paul Mutter. The money is to be used to support the instrumental music program at the school. (Photo submitted) PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2004. County council split over golfcourse expansion By Keith Roulston Citizen publisher A proposal to expand a Central Huron golfcourse was turned down by Huron County councillors Jan. 8 after a lengthy debate. The debate erupted after the health and planning committee rejected a recommendation of county planners to approve a -zoning change to allow Woodland Links Golf Course, west of Clinton. to expand from 18 to 27 holes. The debate was led by Huron East councillor. Bernie MacLellan, chair of the health and planning committee, who said he hadn't voted on the issue but if he -had he would have supported the amendment that would have allowed the expansion. Only one farm would be currently be affected by the expansion, he said, and that farm had already applied for a building permit for a new weaner pig barn which would predate the golf course expansion. But other councillors worried about restrictions on the future expanSion of area farms. Scott Tousaw, director of planning and development, explained that a golfcourse must meet provincial minimum distance standards (MDS) from the nearest farm. At present the golf course has about 10 per cent less than the minimum requirement but planners felt the discrepancy was not too large to approve the change. If the nearby farm expands, the golfcourse would be 36 per cent shy of MDS requirements. Provincial recommendations are that farms must meet double the MDS requirements from recreational property but the county has been using the same distance standards for farms from recreational property as it does for recreational properties from farm. The expansion of the Huron County councillors got new jobs as the new term of county council began last month. Dorothy Kelly of Morris- Turnberry, Neil Rintoul of Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh and Murray Scott of North Huron will serve on the agriculture, public works and seniors committee under chair Rob Morley of South Huron. Other members include Ellen Connelly of Goderich, Jim Fergusson of Bluewater and warden Bill Dowson. Scott will represent the county on the Maitland Watershed Partnerships Terrestrial Team and Dowson will serve on the Maitland Watershed Partnerships Water Action Team. Connelly will be the county's representative on the Huron-Perth Children's Aid Society. Central Huron's Bert Dykstra, North Huron's Doug Layton, and Ben Van Diepenbeek of Ashfield- Colborne-Wawanosh will serve on the health and planning committee under chair Bernie MacLellan of Huron East. Other committee members include Ken Oke of South farm complies under this requirement but would need a minor variance to the zoning bylaw to allow expansion if the provincial recommendations were followed. Tousaw said there was some concern that farms could be caught if the province ever took over enforcing MDS standards. Ben Van Diepenbeek, Asfifield- Colborne-Wawanosh councillor said several farm families in the area were worried about their future if the golfcourse was allowed to expand. Even if the farmers could meet the current requirements what would happen if they needed to expand in three or four years, he wondered. "If history repeats itself, the farmers are the first ones who will be shut down if there are complaints from off the farm," he said. Warden Bill Dowson said agriculture and tourism are important in every municipality and if there could be protection for nearby farmers he wouldn't have a concern about the expansion. "But no matter what you say he (the nearby farmer) doesn't have the same right to build as before," he said. But Central Huron councillor John Bezaire argued that just as farms have had to expand from their original 80 or 100-acre parcels to stay viable, so golfcourses needed to expand. MacLellan argued that Huron County promotes tourism and -a 27- hole golf course in the heart of the county would do just that. The course is built on farmland that would not have been productive, he said. But Doug Layton of North Huron worried that smaller golf courses in Wingham and Bayfield which were already straggling could be hurt by this expansion. As well, he said, after Huron and Paul Klopp of Bluewater. Van Diepenbeek, along with Dowson, will sit on the Huron Environmental Mediation Committee and Van Diepenbeek is on Healthy Futures Technical Review Committee. Rosemary ROgnvaldson of Howick and Joe Seili of Huron East will serve on the social and cultural service committee under chair John Bezaire of Central Huron. Others on the committee include Dave Urlin of Bluewater and Deb Shewfelt of Goderich. Seili will be county representative on the board of directors for the Huron Business Development Corporation. Shewfelt will the county representative on the Bruce Grey Huron Perth District Health council. This committee also includes the library board which has several non- councillor appointments including Carol McDonnell of Blyth, Paul Elgie of Goderich, Norm Fairies of Howick, Ron Anderson of Exeter and Cheryl Heath of Clinton. County names committees e,ostning v Sean vet The Citizen's Bachelor Contest v