GUELPH/ERAMOSA ‒ A Rockwood farm has been permitted to run events despite previous concerns from neighbouring property owners.
Approved during a council meeting Monday afternoon, the farm's owner, Sabine Viet, was seeking a variance to allow seasonal events including rural education, professional gatherings and weddings on a 78.5-hectare property with an existing agriculture operation and decommissioned barn, to serve as the event space.
Located at 5028 Wellington Road 44, the barn would host up to 75 people three times per week between May 1 and Oct. 31 with the report detailing plans for 25 parking spaces and servicing to be provided by a new septic system and existing well.
"I think you've covered the concerns there's a lot of stuff still to come with the site plan to make sure that the rest of the pins fall in place," said Mayor Chris White during the meeting. "In terms of the barn and the zoning, you seem to have covered all the issues."
Among the amendments presented within the report, the applicant is now proposing a new driveway entrance down the road from the previous proposal to improve sight lines after residents living in the area previously expressed concerns about increased traffic on the winding 'S' shaped stretch of road running behind the Rockwood Conservation Area of Highway 7 that turns into Guelph Line.
"Going forward we can only deal with what's today but (it's not like) they're opening up a restaurant," said Coun. Corey Woods, during the meeting. "I understand it's a change but I think it's a change that could be supported on the township level."
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
