500-foot set-back approved

The issue has been a contentious one for several months, with many people concerned that mink farms upstream are causing polluted lakes in the Carleton river system.

Those who voted against the increase – Warden Leland Anthony and Councillor Rick Churchill were not so warmly received.

Several in the audience pushed their way out through the crowd, muttering their disgust at Warden Anthony’s reasoning, who took particular offense at the selected distance.

“Five hundred feet. That was a number that came from PAC (Planning Advisory Committee). It had no substance. That committee grasped at numbers. They chose that because it sounded good and it was acceptable,” said Anthony.

Councillor Churchill, who has beef and dairy farmers in the family, said he chose to vote against the bylaw amendment because he had a feeling that “somewhere down the road, this is going to come back to haunt me”.

Councillor Ken Crosby said he was going to take his cue from the public hearing held previously.

“I didn’t hear one person against the set-back increase,” he said.

Councillor John Cunningham said, “it is up to us to protect our watercourses. Well, tonight I am going to make that stand.”

Now that the set-back increase has been approved, a sub-committee of the PAC will further examine the section pertaining to mink, fox, hog and fowl operations. The bylaw amendment will be advertised and another public meeting will be held after the section has been reviewed, for possibly more amendments.