MAPLETON — Neighbours are supportive of a proposed wellness retreat on Jones Baseline so long as it doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of their properties.
Delegating a public meeting in Mapleton Tuesday afternoon, two neighbours shared their concerns about a proposal to rezone 23.4 acres at 7090 Jones Baseline Rd. to permit a wellness retreat business for agritourism including five tiny homes for overnight accommodation.
According to the property owner and applicant, Shelly Frank, the retreat is intended to operate nine to 10 months out of the year and can house up to 10 adult guests.
Currently occupied by a residence, detached garage, and additional residential unit, the proposed business would retain an existing hobby barn with two horses and three sheep and include a healing arts barn with naturopathic medicine, hydrotherapy, pilates/yoga, sound healing, tea ceremonies and workshops.
A recommendation report will come back to council at a future meeting.
"I want to create an upscale wellness retreat where guests can spend time in nature, engaging in traditional healing practices in a peaceful and rural environment," said Frank, at the meeting. "I want to really stress that we live on the property so having a peaceful, very safe, very quiet wellness retreat is not only a priority for our neighbours but for ourselves."
One resident whose farm backs onto the property, Jim Snow, said he's sitting on the fence and needs assurance that people won't go on his property uninvited before he can support the proposal.
"I don't know how you keep people from wandering because when they come up from the city, they just wander," said Snow.
Another, Chris Walton, said his main concerns were about the tiny homes and the potential impact of overnight accommodations if a group like a wedding party were to rent the site.
"I just wonder if it's going to end up being a spot for bridal parties or things like that," said Walton. "I just don't know if there's going to be evenings where the volume gets a little bit out of control."
Frank said a gate or a door code will be put in place to ensure guest safety and accountability when coming and going and guest parking will be located by their existing barn with access through the property's existing driveway, which is far from neighbours.
She also said she has no intention of hosting big groups like a wedding as they would be just as disruptive to her and her horses and the 10 groups would be spread out across the property to create a "quiet" healing opportunity.
Councillor Michael Martin questioned whether the proposed use would classify as agritourism and if there is potential for it to turn into an "Airbnb type spot which could very quickly turn into neighbourhood concerns around traffic and noise."
"I happen to think that sometimes we could do better protecting prime ag lands but that being said, there's always allowances," said Martin.
Frank said the existing additional residential unit (ARU) on-site is currently used as a guest house and she has no intention of renting to noisy or disruptive people.
"Our 23 acres are pretty special to use and for that reason, we want to maintain its tranquility and peaceful vibe, not just for our neighbours but also for ourselves, our family and our animals," said Frank.
When Coun. Amanda Reid asked how the township can make sure the ARU is only used for the retreat, planner Linda Redmond said they could write it into the bylaw that the ARUs are only to be used in a short-term lease scenario but that's not easy to enforce.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
