This week’s regular council meeting for Tay Township will include two public meetings regarding accessory dwelling units and a request to host weddings by a resident.

Tay council will meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday for the first public meeting which will explore proposed amendments to the township’s official plan and zoning bylaw, specifically to revise the sections regarding accessory dwelling units so that they align with provincial policy.

For the official plan, “The general intent is to permit the development of additional residential units in a detached building throughout the township by removing barriers that residents may currently face when creating alternate housing options” as stated in the notification.

The proposed zoning bylaw amendment would “permit the use of additional residential units in a detached building within properties that are designated and zoned to permit a single detached, semi-detached and townhouse dwellings as well as permitting the use of detached residential units on a single property,” according to the notice.

Following the initial public meeting, a second public meeting will consider a zoning bylaw amendment on a proposed temporary use bylaw for 5544 Elliot Side Road, requesting a three-year permit to hold wedding events on the property.

Prior to the public meeting, neighbours at 5592 Elliott Side Road submitted a letter to council “adamantly opposed” to the request. The correspondence cited previous issues of noise and disruption, questions about septic and sewage, and as both members were archaeologists it also challenged the township on potential archaeological assessments due to the nature of the location of a nearby prehistoric Huron village site.

Important to note is that council will hear from citizens in regards to the public meetings, but urge that they have not taken a position on any matter and will accept public and agency input to form part of the record for staff consideration and a later recommendation report to council.

Any person may make a submission in support or in opposition of the matters, either written through the planning and development services division of the township, or orally at the public meeting. Those not submitting before amendments are passed may not be added as a party to an appeal hearing of the Ontario Land Tribunal unless there are reasonable grounds as decided by the Tribunal.

Written submissions regarding the proposals can be sent to the Township Planning at planning@tay.ca, or by mail at Township of Tay 450 Park Street, PO Box 100 Victoria Harbour, ON L0K 2A0, and by facsimile at 705-534-4493.

The regular meeting of Tay Township council will be held at 7 p.m. following the public meetings.

Further information on the public meetings, including the opposition correspondence regarding the temporary use bylaw to permit weddings at 5592 Elliot Side Road, can be found on the public meeting agenda on the Tay Township website.

Tay council meets for regular council meetings every fourth Wednesday of the month. Archives and livestreams of council meetings are available through the Tay Township YouTube channel.

Further information including council’s regular meeting agenda can be found on the Tay Township website.

Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, MidlandToday.ca