GUELPH/ERAMOSA – Rural residents will soon be able to run "small-scale" businesses from within the comfort of their homes.
The township of Guelph/Eramosa approved "small-scale" commercial and industrial uses on small agriculturally-zoned lots during a council meeting Monday afternoon.
During a May public meeting, three people spoke about the application asking if a portion of a building can be used for the proposed use and whether it can occur on properties larger than an acre.
In response, staff recommended permitting a minimum lot size of one acres to mitigate compatibility concerns with adjacent residential uses. Sideyard setbacks are proposed to be three or 7.5 metres where the use abuts a residential zone to mitigate conflicts with neighbouring properties.
Lots of one acre or greater represent over 90 per cent of agriculturally zoned lots in the township.
With permitted uses including woodworking, small engine repair and building trades, staff said the bylaw requires the property's main purpose to be residential and occupied by the business operator.
Two employees are permitted in addition to the permanent resident and no open storage of goods is allowed.
Staff will return with an official bylaw at the next meeting.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
