HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1974-10-31, Page 14THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1974
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
' PAGE 15
County plan protects farm land
Unlike many areas of Ontario
where the surge of urbanization
eats up prime farmland, Huron
County continues to remain
mostly rural.
Farmland is protected here
by the direction of the County
Official Plan. Now, about 90
percent of the county is cultiv-
ated, nine percent is still in a
natural state --swamp, woodlots,
rivers, ponds, and one percent
is urban. It will probably rem-
ain that way, especially since
the county is one of the most
important frarming areas in
Canada.
There is one danger to the
harmony farmers now enjoy,
however, that comes not from
expanding towns and subdivis-
ions but from non -farmers who
occupy small lots of one acre
or two, according to county
planners Gary Davidson and Nicl
Hill.
These small scattered lots
slowly fracture farmlands. Like
small clumps of weeds, these
lots are easy to miss but when
it comes time to reap the land
of its bounty, they are a nuis-
ance.
The county planners say
people who build residences in
the middle of productive farm
areas aften have little or no
sympathy with farmers and
complain about smell, dust,
and noise farmers create during
the course of earning a living.
But the biggest danger, they
stress, is the fracturing of land.
The agriculture code of pract-
ice dictates that a 1, 000 to
2, 000 foot radius must be left
around a residence where no
intensive farming may occur.
For example, a farmer would
not be able to open a pasture
as a feedlot just across the road
from his non -farming neighbour.
But through the official plan
which is enforced by the County
Lands Division Committee, thesa
disruptive lots are not spreading
as fast as they once did. There
are exceptions made for retir-
ing farmers and persons actively
in agriculture.
Mr. Davidson and Mr. Hill
say however, that there are
many houses uninhabited. They
find it difficult at tunes to see
the need for further severances
and buildings.
By keeping large areas of
land free from fracturing by
non -rural uses, the planners
are helping farmers protect
huge investments they put into
their operations. A man with
over $200, 000 invested deserves
some protection.
The planners advise the lands
division committee on decisions
to achieve this end.
The services are not just
economic, such as banking and
shopping facilities, but social
as well. The Villages and ham-
lets give farmers places to meet
go to church and generally get
together.
These communities have to
support this function and the
county plan gives them the tool
to do it. To make planning
take the proper direction, Mr.
Davidson and Mr. Hill try to
meet people in public meetings
and individually to find out
what they have to say about
problems. Often, it is the
people in a certain area who
have answers to planning prob-
lems.
This type of planning, espec-
ially in the 52 hamlets within
the county becomes important
as only a few areas can accept
growth, notably Goderich and
Exeter.
Planning to keep natural
resources plentiful also come
into play to keep agriculture
sound in the county. The plan-
ners point to woodlots, which
prevent erosion, and birds,
which are the best means of
insect control at a farmer's
disposal, as playing decisive
roles in farming.
Stephen Rodd, a professor at
the University of Guelph, says
that future agriculture will
need space which is not clutter-
ed with non -farming areas.
Careful planning must be main-
tained, he says, to guarantee
farmers secure feelings about
agriculture and the future.
(Goderich Signal Star)
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