Cathy McKee
ERINSVILLE - Councillor Robert Gaffney has promised to resign from Stone Mills Township council if Mark Slack receives a permit to build an intensive hog farm in the hamlet of Erinsville.
Gaffney, speaking at a public information meeting at St. Patrick's School in Erinsville on Sunday, told about 300 people he think council has mishandled the matter of the proposed farm.
"I haven't done well," he said.
"If we can't stop this hog farm, the day it arrives you'll have my resignation."
Gaffney represents Sheffield ward, which includes the communities of Erinsville and Tamworth. Residents organized the meeting to voice concerns and to hear council clarify its position.
Reeve Jim Macdonald told the crowd that council passed a motion April 2 to seek a legal opinion whether it has the authority to place a moratorium on issuing building permits for intensive farms. A resolution was passed at the same meeting to impose a moratorium if it is legal to do so, pending provincial legislation expected this year.
Macdonald said council will meet this week to set the terms of reference for the third-party review of the material presented by Slack, the farm's proponent. Macdonald said he hopes to tighten the terms of reference to make them stricter and more complete.
Problems with Slack's hydrogeological study and site plans are likely to be seized by council as reasons to turn down his request to proceed, he explained.
"Every possible avenue will be taken to protect the environment, property and quality of life which should be maintained in this township," Macdonald said.
He has travelled to Tyendinaga Township to have a look at the property Slack owns. The reeve says it consists of seven fields that would be suitable for spreading manure.
When Premier Mike Harris was in Napanee two weeks ago, Macdonald said he had the chance to express his "concern and frustration" about the slowness in getting new legislation from the province to govern intensive farms.
Sheffield ward Councillor Doug Bearance told the group he's against the location of Slack's proposed farm.
He said common sense tells him that with household wells, a church, an elementary school and the lakes so near to the farm, pollution could harm the quality of life in Erinsville.
"Just don't issue a building permit," Bearance said. "There'll be a price to pay, but I'd sooner see it in court now and stop it, than spend thousands to clean up problems in the environment.
"Spend a cent now and save a dollar later."
Responding to a question from the audience, Reeve Macdonald said council can't simply reject the application now. He said Bill 146 gives property owners the right to farm, and the Farm Practices Review Board, an arm of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, would rule on a challenge to so-called normal farming practices.
"Our building inspector is reluctant to issue a building permit [but] if he doesn't, we could be be taken to court," Macdonald said. "That's the way we may have to handle it."
He said Slack could sue for loss of income if all his documents were in order and a permit was denied.
The township's lawyer is looking at legal precedents in similar situations, he said. The lawyer is also looking at class-action lawsuits by citizens whose quality of life has been reduced by these kinds of operations.
"We're going to do our best to keep the quality of life we enjoy in Stone Mills Township," Macdonald said.