DIMMING THE LIGHTS
Bright greenhouses focus of bylaws
The Town of Kingsville is taking steps to dim the brightness in local skies caused by the area’s expanding greenhouse industry.
The town recently sent bylaw officers out to inspect some greenhouses, checking whether they were in compliance with their site plans requiring blinds and side curtains.
“It’s the first time we’ve done it formally,” said Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos.
Santos said the timing for the bylaw officers’ visits has much to do with the seasons changing.
The powerful grow lights, which produce the luminous displays in the skies, are used most between October and March.
The officers’ focus was on any new or expanding greenhouse.
Greenhouses built prior to 2012, which haven’t expanded, are grandfathered under the town’s policy.
Those built from 2017 on, when the current rules came into force, must have roof and side curtains.
“It’ll continue for the next few weeks,” Santos said of the inspections.
“We’ll get some reports back that go to the planning department. If necessary, letters will be issued to remind them of their situation.”
To date no fines or sanctions have been levied against any greenhouse operation.
The issue of dark-skies has generated an increasing number of complaints in recent years as the industry grows and moves to more of a 24/7 operation year round.
Grow lights are used largely in greenhouses growing strawberries, tomatoes and cannabis.
Santos said the industry has co-operated with the town in trying to address the lighting issues.
“We give companies two years to be in compliance with their site plan when building new or expanding,” Santos said.
“We know curtains and blinds aren’t something you just order at the corner store. They’re a specialized product and it takes time to get them made and installed.”
Retrofits can be particularly challenging.
Santos said often the problem is a greenhouse only has 80 or 90 per cent of the required blinds.
They’ll need something specific for the roof or they have a five-foot gap at the peak.
If a company is deemed to be a laggard with compliance, the town has several options.
We needed upper levels of government to set more stringent rules for a new industry. It’s being left to the municipalities.
Fines can be assessed or the town can contract someone to install blinds at the company’s expense.
To encourage companies to quickly get into compliance the town has been collecting a security deposit equivalent to 50 per cent of the cost of the blinds required.
“We can keep their security deposit to pay for the work to be done if need be,” Santos said. “Companies
want their money back, so we expect they’ll move quickly to get into compliance.”
The town is also using site plan compliance requirements to help deal with unwanted odours produced by the industry, predominantly the burgeoning cannabis sector.
“We have a similar program of collecting security deposits for the equipment required to take care of unwanted odours,” Santos said.
Kingsville is also adding a section to the town’s master plan dealing just with the greenhouse industry to help clarify things for all parties.
The town of Leamington is also learning to live alongside the greenhouse and cannabis industries and is in the process of trying to craft appropriate bylaws.
“We’re looking at measuring lumens, so that it’s fair and equitable to all greenhouse growers,” said Leamington Mayor Hilda Macdonald. “Cannabis growers generate a lot more light than vegetable growers.
“We want to take the time to put together something that will stand the test legally.”
Macdonald said the town is working with the industry trying to create workable guidelines while preserving the quality of life for residents.
“We needed upper levels of government to set more stringent rules for a new industry,” Macdonald said.
“It’s being left to municipalities. We really are writing the playbook on this stuff.”