The Rural Voice, 1988-07, Page 39NEWS
WAT-CHA HEARING
DELAYED TILL FALL
The Ontario Municipal Board hear-
ing set up to consider Charles Watson's
proposed industrial park on 300 acres of
farm land north of Mount Forest is going
to take a great deal more time than the
one week originally scheduled.
Following county planner Dave
Slade's third straight day of testimony at
the hearing in June, the OMB chairman
announced that an adjournment would
be called the following week. The hear-
ing will resume on October 24, 1988 for
an additional four weeks.
One reason for the more lengthy
hearing is an indication that Charles
Watson's lawyer intends to challenge
the admissibility of the Ontario Food -
land Guidelines.
Although proponents of the devel-
opment declare the subject lands to be
only marginal farm land, and indeed the
land has been referred to as a "gravel
pit," the class 3 and 4 soil fit criteria
outlined in the guidelines as farm land to
be preserved.
OMAF lawyer Tom Lederer was
allowed to continue using the govern-
ment policy statement in his cross-ex-
amination of Slade with the understand-
ing that its admissibility will be decided
at a later point.
Lederer drew agreement from Slade
that the county planning department
does not have the documentation re-
quired by the guidelines that would jus-
tify the use of the Wat-Cha Farms land.
Although surrounding municipali-
ties and towns have been unanimous in
their support of this proposal, Lederer
pointed out that there are about 700
acres of vacant land in the area already
available for industrial use.
Slade countered that the scattered
parcels are either too small or too close
to urban areas for the types of industry
that may be attracted.
Elbert Van Donkersgoed, represent-
ing Citizens for the Protection of Envi-
ronment and Foodland, asked Slade
what type of industry the proposal is
really trying to attract.
New Life Mills has declared its in-
terest, but as an agricultural industry
does not need the disputed amendment
(cont'd)
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JULY 1988 37