MULGRAVE: The council of the Town of Mulgrave is looking to change the rules when it comes to the way agriculture is handled along their main thoroughfare.
During their regular monthly town council meeting on September 15, Mulgrave officials reported that one of the town’s three grandfathered agricultural properties on Main Street was sold recently.
The new owners will not be allowed to continue any agricultural activities on the property whatsoever.
The senior staff questioned council on how they would wish to deal with the two remaining farms – something to which, Mayor Ralph Hadley made his opinion very clear.
“You can go around any town,” he said. “Go to Hawkesbury, Antigonish, Truro, Pictou, all [of] these towns do not have farm animals on a main drag.”
Hadley indicated he doesn’t see a problem with farming within the town limits away from Main Street, but under their current land use by-law, no farming is allowed anywhere within the town’s limits.
He suggested he’s open to allowing for some agriculture activity in certain zones, but never on Main Street.
“We’re an incorporated town,” he said. “We’re not a county, it’s different.”
Council requested their senior staff to look at an update to their land-use by-law to restrict farming on Main Street regardless of the zone, and to potentially set an expiry date for the two remaining grandfathered properties.
Following the request, councillors also asked their senior staff to look at potentially allowing limited farming activities away from the town’s main drag.