10/10/2026
๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒโ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ. ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง.
Elgin County planning staff have recommended that Council refuse our proposed event venue. โจ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง.โจ. This meeting has been scheduled for TUESDAY OCTOBER 13, 2026 at 9:30 am!
๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐๐๐ค, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐.
The final vote comes from the members of county council, and we are asking to share our story to hopefully reach them!
After years of professional studies, revisions and significant investment, this is heartbreaking. We feel the recommendation does not give enough weight to the work we have done to address concerns or the opportunities this project could bring. Although valid, many of their concerns do not highlight how weโve already addressed them.
Our family at Belmont Town Restaurant & Catering has served this community for more than 40 years. We believe deeply in this vision, and we are asking for a fair opportunity to move it forward.
๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ:
โข ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ : Our traffic study and proposed 73 parking spaces were informed by an independent professional engineering consultant, using guest capacity and anticipated vehicle trips. These are not simply numbers we chose ourselves. The staff report raises concerns about event venues generating 200+ guest vehicles. We ask that our application be assessed using our submitted engineering evidence and a clear distinction between guests and vehicles. This traffic report passed without concerns due to the nature and timing of this business (off peak hours).
โข ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: The report acknowledges that our submitted MDS calculation meets the required separation from the existing livestock barn. It raises additional concerns about other barns and future expansion. We ask that those concerns be supported by specific assessments so we can understand and address them. Right now they are dismissing our mds satisfaction without confirmation of numbers proving else wise. We are committed to protecting everyone involved, including potential future development for those around us and working together.
โข ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ: Our plans include fencing, professionally maintained grounds and defined guest areas to help prevent trespassing along with professionally managed and security on site. We would not permit fireworks(although staff have mentioned this and was never an item we have ever considered). Our proposed enclosed building is a deliberate investment in helping contain event noise and reducing guestsโ exposure to surrounding farm activity.
This property deserves consideration based on its actual circumstances.
We are seeking the planning approvals needed to permit this venue on our agriculturally designated property. It is a separately owned parcel of approximately just under six acres, severed in 90s, with an existing home. The report confirms that it is not currently actively farmed with little potential due to its size.
๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ฌ. Our proposed vegetable, farm to table garden and potential cultivation (such as lavender, sunflowers etc) would introduce growing activities alongside the venue.
๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ.
It includes growersโ meetings, community gatherings and programs, harvest dinners, farmersโ markets and farm-to-table meals featuring local produce and food from our proposed garden. It supports local suppliers with every event we serve. We want to create a year-round, accessible place to gather close to home.
We understand that these activities do not automatically satisfy every planning requirement. We ask that the full proposal and available policy pathways receive meaningful consideration.
๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ. We understand and accept that machinery, dust, noise and odours are part of farming. We understand the countyโs concern of the future what ifs that come with this. We ask that โpotential future complaintsโ be considered alongside our commitment to respecting normal farm practices and the safeguards we have proposed. We believe responsible coexistence is possible. We are committed to ensuring our property is set within a rural setting, and we do not intent to hinder, alter or restrict farming activity. Like many other venues in our area- we want to exist within agriculture, and ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ: We respectfully disagree that our vision could simply be relocated to an urban setting. With 40 years in business and weddings catered on rural properties every Saturday, we know many couples want countryside, open fields and space to celebrate. The landscape is central to that experience, and a city parking lot cannot offer the same atmosphere. ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฒ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ณ๐, ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฌ? ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก ๐ข๐ง ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ- ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ
We are asking that this property be considered on its individual merits, including its small size, historical use and relationship to surrounding farms. Its rural setting is an essential part of why we chose it.
The report acknowledges approximately 114 letters of support. We are grateful for every one. It means more than we can express.
๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ, ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐. ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ, ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ก ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ. ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ
Please ask Council to support a path forward through the required approvals.
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ! We sincerely hope councillors will carefully review our submitted professional studies alongside the concerns raised by staff, and give full consideration to the evidence supporting our proposal.
The county council: https://www.elgincounty.ca/your-government/elgin-county-council/
Please share this post and help our communityโs voice be heard, with respect for staff, Council and our neighbours.
PLEASE be respectful of these individuals on council, and please remember this reflection is hopefully not a reflection of council, and only the county staff! We have hope.
Thank you for standing beside our family.
Belmont Town Restaurant & Catering
Attached is a visual presentation we gave to all county council members last month to capture our vision and commitment (without the technical details)
