The Highland Companies remains adamant that its application to clear a 2.4 hectare woodlot was meant to expand its farming operations, but is not prepared to say what options it might have if county council rejects the application.

The application is for a minor variance under the county’s existing tree-cutting bylaw, which does not have a specific provision for an agricultural exemption. The draft of a new bylaw is before a lawyer for review. The new bylaw, if adopted, would provide for farming exemptions.

Faced with public opposition to clear cutting of woodlots, along with a Melancthon Township and a Museum curator recommendation to deny the minor exemption or approve it with stringent conditions, the Museum Committee last week voted to recommend denial.

The recommendation comes before county council next week, and is expected to be adopted. (Dufferin has jurisdiction over woodlots of one hectare or more.)

Had the committee approved the variance, it would most likely have included a condition that the area be retained as farmland for a specific period of time.

At the committee meeting, Highland spokesman Michael Daniher said the company was prepared to discuss conditions should the variance be approved.

“We would be happy to consider and discuss any conditions the Board might wish to suggest, although we don’t propose to do soon the committee room floor this evening,” he said.

“But, if the Board wishes to propose conditions we will respectfully suggest that they not just create one law for us and another law for everyone else who might wish to remove more than one hectare of trees on their land

“Given the Board’s jurisdiction, we will suggest that any conditions for the approval of our minor exemption become the standard for, and be applied equally throughout, all of Dufferin County, not just one corner of Melancthon Township,” he said.

His remarks also included Highland’s farm vicepresident Bruce Wilson’s earlier statements that the application is meant to “help our farm operation to continue to succeed, to employ local residents, to pay our share of local taxes and to contribute to the community.”

Asked via email what’s next, Mr. Daniher responded, “Naturally, we would have preferred a different outcome before the Museum Board. We believe it was a reasonable request consistent with normal farm practice and an active farming operation. We will await County Council’s decision in the matter and we will carry on. I don’t propose to speculate on how County Council will deal with the matter or what will happen thereafter.”

Highland owns about 7,500 acres in Melancthon. It has said it will apply to rezone 2,400 acres for aggregate extraction, some or all of which would extend beneath the water table.

The company has been demolishing farm homes to an extent that North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce is calling it “the razing of Melancthon.” There’s a YouTube site devoted to the topics of township homes and trees. The obvious NDACT perception is that everything is being done to make way for a quarry.

Mr. Daniher responded thusly to the question: “We have converted, or are in the process of converting, land that is suitable for farm use. In some areas this has already taken place. In others the process can take several years to complete as the land must be cleared, additional soil put in place, and cover crops planted to improve the ground before potatoes can be grown at the quality and yield consistent with the rest of our farmland. Each piece of property is unique and requires its own workable solution.”