HORSE SHIT I SAY

The horse shit started flying when "someone" made a complaint about horses in Melancthon. 

The CAO report on the July 19, 2012 minutes determined the horses were in fact on agricultural land.  Report in full here: http://melancthontownship.ca/12council/correspondenceb.july19th.pdf

Someone bought a large farm and was advised when he bought that if he severed the house and barn and kept the ag holdings, that animals would not be permitted on the severed lot and the barn would have to come down due to minimum distance separation rules (MDS). 

Well apparently the township planner didn't know about MDS, but I digress.

Rather than demolish the house to make his life easier, the new owner severed the land, took down the barn and sold the house, which helps retain the tax base and housing stock in Melancthon.

THEN this guy, at the request of the owners of the horses, rented out a small parcel of his agricultural land for the horses.

So, unlike Highlands, who contravened tree bylaws, and demolished over 30 homes and Council apparently could do nothing about them, Council starts harrasing taking an inordinate interest in someone who purchased a large farm with the intent of NOT demolishing the house but rather severing it and selling AND who bought with the intention of actually adding the property to their extensive agricultural holdings with the actual intent of FARMING it, not mining it.

The harrasment  increased interest is summarized:

• on June 13 with an "anon" complaint about the horses
• a letter was sent to the agricultural land owner by the township
• Council dealt with information at the June 21 meeting
• July 3 the ag owner attended at the office and met with the Mayor (and of course had to provide the usual apology to Hill, the one Hill always demands about anything that pisses him off, with all due respect)
• a legal opinion was obtained on July 12 (which stated it was a planning issue and naturally our esteemed planner should be the one dealing with it) 
• finally a report written by the CAO on the July 19 agenda.

Are you freaking kidding me?

All this time and money spent on a couple of horses on agricultural land.  AND they are being "harboured" on the agricultural lot at the request of the owner on the severed lot. 

AND at the July 5 meeting the owner of the Ag land and the severed lots were mentioned by name, as the subject of a complaint.  I know that because their names appear in the minutes.  This should mean any and all further complaints are deal with in open session and the subject of the complaints be identified.

In my opinion I feel the increased attention to this "issue" is because two of our elected officials can crane their necks out their own front door and if they lean our far enough they can actually see these horses.

Since that time, the ag owner has had some difficulty in obtaining an entrance permit AND two senior staff from Melancthon were instructed to attend the property due to another "anon" complaint about a tractor driving in a ditch.

Honest to God.

Take a drive up the 5th line north of 20 sideroad and there is a property there, CLEARLY in contravention of the property standards bylaw, a property which has been the subject of many, many, many complaints by a neighbour and to date, Council has done piss all.  NOR was this individual ever mentioned by name in minutes.

I guess you only get enforcement if you happen to live near these two elected officials?

Maybe they should try something like this: