Discussions on the On-Farm Special Events Licensing By-law
The General Government Committee met on May 10, 2021, to discuss the On-Farm Special Events Licensing By-law, as outlined in Report LGS-018-21. Mary Ann Muizelaar addressed the committee, emphasizing the need for the by-law to align with directives from the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). She proposed several amendments, including the inclusion of definitions for Seasonal, Special, and Accessory events, and suggested that applications be reviewed by a designated staff panel to ensure impartiality. Muizelaar also recommended capping the number of events per season and retaining records for seven years.
Raivo Uukkivi, representing Bloomfield Gardens, requested exemptions from the by-law for his client, arguing that the issues addressed by the by-law were already covered through zoning processes. He proposed amendments to limit the maximum number of attendees based on applicable law and suggested modifications to the licensing provisions.
The committee received the report for information and carried several amendments to the by-law, including changes to Section 2.6, which now replaces 'On-farm Special Event License' with 'Zoning Permission'. Additionally, Section 3.6 was amended to clarify the Director's authority regarding license issuance. The committee also voted to delete Section 3.7 from the by-law.
The discussions highlighted the ongoing efforts to balance the interests of local farms with regulatory requirements for hosting events.