Fill activity for fruit farm proposal near Beeton concerns residents

NEW TECUMSETH – A rural New Tecumseth landowner’s proposal to truck thousands of loads of fill to rehabilitate a property for a fruit farm is raising red flags with his neighbours.

A planning consultant representing Stan Sneig, owner of the property located at the 20th Sideroad and 7th Line just outside Beeton, made a deputation to council Monday seeking an exemption from the site alteration and fill bylaw to move ahead with a plan to regrade the property to make it suitable for a fruit orchard.

Sneig’s consultant Lucy Shaw told council the 45-acre agricultural property would require about 6,000 loads of soil over several months.

She said anywhere between 0.6 to 0.9 metres of clean fill is needed to regrade the property, along with 0.1 metre of top soil.

New Tecumseth’s fill prevents residents from bringing in fill for agricultural operations.

When Coun. Shira Harrison McIntyre questioned Shaw if the application was really for a fill operation, she assured council it was to fix drainage problems and improve the clay soil conditions.

Shaw said any soil brought to the property must be suitable for agricultural use.

“If (the quality of the soil) is not specified then it’s not coming to the site,” she said.

Anne Evans, one of three neighbours who spoke to council against the proposal, asked council “to consider the proposal carefully” because she doesn’t believe the landowner’s claim that the land cannot be farmed as is.

“It’s been used productively in the past in its current condition,” she said.

Andy Symons said his father-law farmed the property years ago and reported “it was good land.”

Symons also pointed out that some site preparation work at the property has already started. This was confirmed by the town’s chief building official, who said the bylaw enforcement department will follow up with the owner to ensure all work is stopped.

Fill activity has been taking place at the property on and off over the past six years.

The landowner was granted a fill permit in 2008. It was reissued in 2010, but the town’s chief building official noted this was in error.

Residents said the previous work resulted in heavy truck traffic, which impacted their quality of life. The residents are also worried about the affect more fill activity may have on their properties and the environment.

Deputy Mayor Jamie Smith said the landowner hasn’t done enough to justify the need for the site work.

“We have absolutely no evidence that this is necessary for any agricultural purpose,” he said.

The land is bisected by Penneville Creek, making a portion of the property protected under flood regulations. However, all work at the property would take place outside the regulated area.

The proposal will remain on hold to allow town staff to get more information and to consult with agricultural experts to verify the landowner’s claims about the property.