Lakeshore has extended a interim control bylaw halting greenhouse development in the municipality.
A study on the effects of greenhouses on the community is underway with a goal of getting a nuisance bylaw in place to address issues like light pollution, noise, odours employee housing.
But to give the study more time, council has agreed to keep the control bylaw in effect until March 2023.
Councillor Kirk Walstedt says a clear set of rules will help keep greenhouse operators in line.
[CLIP]
"Certainly want to see us avoid the issues that have come up with Kingsville and Leamington. I know lighting is a huge one and another one is odour because you simply just need to drive through Leamington or Kingsville and it's overpowering in some of the areas. I think this is well laid out and it's going to address a lot of the concerns I have."
Councillor Len Janisse says greenhouses can be very beneficial to the community if done right.
[CLIP]
"I know that there's negative effects. At the same time, if this is planned correctly and we have to end up with these in a certain area, maybe this could be to our benefit too where they're upgrading lines and they're running lines and contributing big cash flow."
Councillor Steven Wilder would like to see a plan in place sooner than later.
[CLIP]
"My concern is we're looking, essentially, at another year that this is going to be delayed. I just think we're saying no to creating jobs and, at the end of the day, feeding families. I agree it has to be properly controlled, I agree we've got to go about this the right way, but it behoves me that it's taken this long to get there."
TAG: The municipality plans to host a public consultation meeting on greenhouses in the near future.
A final report is expected to come before council in the summer for further discussion.