New council should list MPS review as top priority

In light of recent controversies at Kings County council surrounding planning applications involving agricultural land, it’s time for council to do something proactive. Or it can decide to go status quo and take months or even years to publicly debate the minutia of every individual application. Is this an effective use of public resources?

If action isn’t taken, applications will continue to pour in and essentially the same issue will be debated time and time again. A new council should be prepared to make a stand across the board when it comes to agricultural land protection: either reject applications to the contrary or weigh the merits of individual applications on a case-by-case basis and perhaps be willing to make certain exceptions.

The Municipal Planning Strategy, established in 1979, seems to endorse the expansion of growth centres, even where agricultural land is involved, while at the same time calling on council to protect agricultural land from development. There has been unprecedented outcry from the public in recent months to protect agricultural land.

A recommendation has been made for a secondary planning strategy process in Greenwich and such a process is currently underway in Port Williams. This will perhaps give clearer indication of what’s deemed acceptable by a majority of residents in these communities, but what about the rest of the county?

There have been two reviews of the Agricultural District in Kings County conducted over the last decade, but it could be argued that these processes have accomplished little in terms of alleviating pressure to develop farmland. Secondary planning processes could be beneficial in addressing the issue in communities deemed by the county as growth centres, but they fail to address the larger picture.

It has probably been suggested before, but we recommend a complete review of the county’s Municipal Planning Strategy. We see this as a possible way to address public concerns over the protection of agricultural land while acknowledging development pressures. The outcome could be a planning strategy much different than the one established 30 years ago that’s more palatable to the general public and takes global concerns into consideration. Perhaps this would be a way to close the loopholes that allow for single residential construction on large parcels of farmland.

Yes, this would be an incredible undertaking that would involve great expense to the municipality, and it could drag on for years. However, it could be a vehicle for collaboration that meets the concerns of all and could result in some resolution.

What better time to consider such action than now, with an election around the corner and a new incarnation of council only a few months away? Council has an obligation to consider applications based on the rules of the day when the application is made, so we believe the sooner the better to undertake such a review.

Some councillors have stated they’re tired of being beaten up over the farmland issue, so why not apply more pressure to the province to take action on the issue? A provincial mandate to protect farmland from development, or even placing a temporary moratorium, would help address the issue province-wide and potentially alleviate local political pressure that would enable ultimately the MPS review we recommend.