Equestrian committee agrees on modifications

They are recommending that such modifications be included in the new by-law being drafted to harmonize and normalize Saint-Lazare’s equestrian activities. “Our committee felt that, in the 250-page draft by-law, the non-use clause contained the the greatest impact. It proposed that the owner of a property, having less than 7430 square metres, could lose the right to have a horse, if he did not have a horse for a one-year period. The owner of a larger property would lose the right to have a horse, too, if he did not have a horse for a three-year period,” said Corry Terfloth, a committee member.

“The proposed changes make sense. Under the non-use clause, a farmette in a residential district could have five years before losing the right to have a horse. If you invest in infrastructures as barns and paddocks, it is essential that you can still sell it as a farmette,” Ms. Terfloth explained. “Working on the committee was a learning experience for all the members because we exchanged views, and, we all had the same goal, to ensure harmonious relations between equestrians and the over-all community,” she added. “A lot of the protests took place because of confusion and misunderstanding about what the town was trying to achieve and planning to do. When we set up the equestrian working committee, and started talking together, we saw we had similar interests at heart”, said Mayor Paul Carzoli. “With a population of 17 000, council must set guidelines so that equestrian activities can take place in respect to the environment and its impact on the neighbours. We were never against the development of equestrian activities. Equestrian activities have always been part of the character of Saint-Lazare, because we have sandy soils which are appropriate to horse riding,” explained Mayor Carzoli. @ST:Working committee @R:On May 29, Saint-Lazare council first adopted its Town Planning Program and Draft Zoning By-law. On June 7, a public consultation meeting was held. The working committee was set up to deliver recommendations to the city council on matters of pertinence to the equestrian community and farmette owners in the proposed zoning by-law. Modifications proposed on May 29, included upgrading, harmonizing and standardizing equestrian activities taking place within a zone, providing a minimal lot size to exercise an equestrian usage, defining the best place to pile up manure to protect water streams, making sure an indoor arena is not built within 15 metres of a neighbour’s property line, considering the impressive size of these buildings, eliminating the mixed equestrian zones to favour harmonious cohabitation and protecting the forest cover. @BV: (Photo by Premiere Edition)