Beacalm Inc. (Highland Estate)

The applicants are seeking an amendment to the Municipality of Grey Highlands’ Zoning By-Law and Grey County’s Official Plan to permit a special event venue on the premises (for the hosting of weddings, retreats, etc.), including a maximum of 95 guests on-site at any time, with 41 on-site parking spaces to be provided. The proposed special event venue would also include various short-term accommodation options for guests, including a maximum of 5 guest cabins, 7 tent sites, and accommodation for up to 14 additional guests within existing structures.

The subject lands are approximately 40.5 hectares (100 acres) in size and currently feature a single residential dwelling, a number of short-term accommodation structures, and accessory structures. The property currently has zoning permission to operate as a ‘health spa,’ including four trailer campsites and a single detached dwelling.

The lands are designated as ‘Rural,’ ‘Hazard Lands’ and ‘Provincially Significant Wetlands’ in Schedule A of the County’s Official Plan. The lands are also largely designated Natural Heritage Core Area in Schedule C, and feature Significant Woodlands, various water features and unevaluated wetlands per Appendix B. The site is located approximately 325 meters north of Lake Eugenia. The Official Plan Application seeks to amend ‘Schedule A’ of the County’s Official Plan to permit a site-specific ‘Rural’ designation on a portion of the property, to permit the Special Event use.

The lands are currently zoned as ‘Rural (RU-043),’ ‘Rural (RU-043-h)’, ‘Wetland (W)’ and ‘Hazard (H)’ in the Municipality of Grey Highlands’s Zoning By-Law. The proposed zoning by-law amendment would alter the current RU-043 exception to permit the proposed special event use and additional overnight accommodations. The ZBA would also remove the holding provision associated with development adjacent to a Provincially Significant Wetland.

Several studies have been undertaken to support the subject applications, including a planning justification report, environmental impact study, servicing brief and noise study.