Development permit for agri-tourism refused because the property was not mapped as a Prime Agricultural Area.
The appellants appealed the Niagara Escarpment Commission's conditional approval of a development permit for an on-farm diversified use (agri-tourism and retail) on the applicant's property.
The central issue was whether the property constituted a Prime Agricultural Area, which is a prerequisite for the proposed use under the Niagara Escarpment Plan.
The Hearing Officers found that the property was not mapped as a Prime Agricultural Area by the Province, and a site-specific agrology study could not override provincial mapping and implementation procedures.
The Hearing Officers recommended that the development permit be refused, and the Minister subsequently refused the application.
OLTOntario Land TribunalFeb 21, 2023
