Part 2: PEC Council Approves Zoning By-law, Signals Shift on Housing and Agriculture - 10/15/2025

Wineries and agriculture saw broad support across council. Councillors Pennell, Maynard, Ferguson, and others emphasized the need for flexibility, discretion, and common sense in applying site plan control. Staff commitments to remove outdated winery-specific restrictions and revisit on-farm diversified use rules were welcomed. Council approved a motion directing staff to review winery and on-farm diversified use provisions in early 2026. For farmers and wineries, this means immediate relief from outdated rules, with more refinement coming rather than a shutdown of progress.

Photo: PEC Council/ YouTube

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Housing and Neighbourhoods: Council Signals Shift Toward Gentle Density

Housing and neighbourhoods revealed growing alignment around gentle density. Councillors McNaughton, Hirsch, Roberts, and Maynard all spoke in favour of making it easier to convert large homes into multi-unit buildings.

A motion directing staff to explore changes to the R1 zone to encourage triplexes, semi-detached homes, row houses, and multiplexes passed. For residents, especially in older neighbourhoods, this signals a shift toward more housing options without wholesale redevelopment.

Environmental protection was treated seriously but cautiously. Councillor Hirsch led the push to strengthen zoning protections for woodlands, valleylands, and wildlife habitat to better mirror the Official Plan. Staff agreed this work should be done as a focused project rather than a quick fix. Council passed a motion directing staff to review environmental setback provisions in 2026.

For environmentally sensitive areas, this means protections are coming, but not before the new by-law takes effect.

Energy Generation: Small Renewables Motion Falls Short

Energy generation was the most divisive issue of the night. Councillor McNaughton introduced a motion to explore zoning changes to support small wind and solar generation in rural zones. Supporters framed it as climate resilience and self-sufficiency. Opponents, including Councillors Hirsch and Nyman, warned about reopening debates around turbines and visual impact. The motion failed on a recorded 7 to 5 vote. For rural residents interested in small renewable projects, this means no immediate change, though existing provincial rules still apply.

Villages and Local Commerce: Concerns Raised, Follow-Up Promised

Villages and local commerce were strongly advocated for by Councillor Maynard, who warned that overly narrow Local Commercial zoning could hollow out small communities. While no immediate amendment passed, staff committed to follow-up work. For hamlets like Consecon, this keeps the issue alive but unresolved.

When the final vote came, the Comprehensive Zoning By-law was approved unanimously as amended. The political message was clear. Council did not want another delay after 19 years, but it also did not pretend the document was perfect.

For locals, the takeaway is this. The County now has a modern zoning framework that reflects today’s realities. Housing flexibility is coming. Agricultural uses are broader and clearer. Environmental protections are slated for strengthening. Some fights were postponed, not lost. And future amendments are not hypothetical. They are formally scheduled and on the record.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 4:13:019. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.