Mulgrave council is looking at changing the rules for agriculture in the town.
At September’s regular council meeting, town CAO Darlene Berthier Sampson reported one of the town’s three grandfathered agricultural properties on main street was recently sold; in a later email she said it was in-fact a change in occupancy.
She said they have informed the new occupants they will not be allowed to continue any agricultural activities there.
Berthier Sampson asked council how they wished to deal with the two remaining farms, Mayor Ralph Hadley made his opinion clear.
“You can go around any town,” he said. “Go to Hawkesbury, Antigonish, Truro, Pictou, all these towns do not have farm animals on a main drag.”
Hadley said he doesn’t have a problem with farming within town limits away from main street, but no farming anywhere within the town is allowed under their current land use bylaw.
He said he’s open to allowing agriculture in some zones, but never on main street.
“We’re an incorporated town, we’re not a county, it’s different,” he said.
Council asked staff to look at an update for their land use bylaw to restrict farming on main street regardless of zone, and potentially set an expiry date for the two remaining grandfathered properties there.
At the same time, councillors asked staff to look at potentially allowing limited farming activities away from the town’s main street.
