Hobby farm development raises concerns
A long-dormant plan to open new equestrian lots for development in a sleepy sector of StLazare is sparking controversy among area residents and the local riding community. At issue is the proposed subdivision of two large parcels of forested land near the intersection of Ch. Ste.-Angélique and Ch. du Fief to allow the construction of about 30 equestrian-zoned hobby farms. Corry Terfloth, one of a group of neighbours who spoke out against the project at the most recent town council meeting, said there are a number of concerns, including safety issues related to the proposed design of the subdivision’s trail network and worries about the impact of adding dozens of new wells (not to mention septic systems and manure piles) in an area known to be a vital recharge area for the region’s water supply. But there’s another concern as well: Terfloth said the subdivision as designed risks creating an “equestrian” neighbourhood that is unsuitable for keeping horses. “We don’t want to be just another residential area. I think there should be a choice for everyone, and I think council has an obligation to make sure that choice exists,” Terfloth said. District councillor Geneviève Lachance said the original plan for the subdivision was approved in the late 1980s, but since then there have been changes to zoning bylaws that could put buyers of these lots in a bit of a pickle. Equestrian-zoned properties in St.-Lazare are required to have barns, paddocks and manure piles that are well-separated from living areas and water sources. With no aqueduct or sewer connections, the homes near Fief also require space for wells and septic systems. Lot sizes in the subdivision start at around two acres, which could be big enough to fit all that as well as a house and garage, except for one thing: St-Lazare also has strict rules limiting deforestation on these lots. When tree-cutting restrictions are considered, Lachance said there’s a real concern many of the lots may simply be too small to comply with both the horse and tree bylaws. “If you have a lot that is 80,000 square feet, you can only deforest around 16,000 square feet,” Lachance said. “On that space, you need room for your house, your barn, a septic system, a well, and a paddock. It makes no sense. You can’t fit all that in 16,000 square feet. The lot size is a huge issue.” Lachance said the town has been told the developer has an acquired right to proceed with the lot sizes specified in the decades-old subdivision plan, but said council is looking at what can be done to mitigate residents’ concerns. “We always said we’re an equestrian town. We need to protect that,” she said. “Nobody’s saying you can’t build.”