The owner of 35.6 hectares (88 acres) of rural wooded property at 240 Bethel Road in Belleville’s Thurlow Ward dealt with several questions from members of Belleville’s
Planning Advisory Committee Tuesday evening.
Todd Hogan, who with his son, is operating a Christmas tree growing operation, a maple sugar bush, and an apiary on the property is asking for a rezoning of some of the property
to allow short term rentals for tourists in 3 small cabins with outhouses, two of which have yet to be built.
Hogan, without a building permit and proper zoning, had already constructed one sleeping cabin in the woods less than 200 square feet in size. It has been rented short term for about two months.
Hogan said he wasn’t even thinking about zoning and building permits as the cabin was small and he was thinking his granddaughter would love time in nature in the cabin but others noted that short-term rentals would be a good business opportunity.
City Planner Desta McAdam told committee a rural zone would allow for small agri-tourism businesses as an accessory to a farm operation.
The owner of land next door Diane Huffman told committee she wasn’t necessarily opposed to the plan but stressed that the city put stipulations on any zoning change
to not allow deviation from a small size of cabin and hold the number of cabins allowed at a total of 3.
Huffman worried that larger structures and more of them would lead to noise and garbage. She also asked for appropriate setbacks from her property line.
City staff will bring a recommendation report back to committee for a decision at a future meeting.
City council would make the final decision.
