AgRefresh Stage 3 Report: Draft Policy & Regulation

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 Intro & Background

Click the button above to read the "Introduction and Background" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Recognizing that agricultural practices, regulations, trends, and challenges evolve over time, it is critical to modernize and align City regulation and policy with senior levels of government, and provide a regulatory framework that continues to support a thriving agricultural sector as it adapts and innovates over the long term.

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Parcel Size & Subdivision

Click the button above to read the "Parcel Size and Subdivision" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Parcel size plays an important role in agriculture, with research indicating a relationship between the size of a parcel and the likelihood of the land being farmed.

This section outlines measures to support the resilience of the agricultural land base and maximize the range of farming opportunities into the future.

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Principal Residences

Click the button above to read the "Principal Residence" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Abbotsford’s existing agricultural zoning does not regulate principal residence size (except through lot coverage), however, AgRefresh has explored this idea.

In early 2019, during Stage 3 of AgRefresh, Provincial Bill 52, 2018 introduced a 500 m² size limit for a principal residence in the ALR, requiring ALC approval for any dwelling above this maximum.

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Accessory Dwellings (small 2nd residence)

Click the button above to read the "Accessory Dwelling Units" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Small second residences (accessory dwelling units) can play an important role in meeting housing needs for farming and non-farming residents in Abbotsford's agricultural areas. This is increasingly apparent as housing pressures increase and affordability declines.

This section addresses accessory dwellings that are not tied to a farming requirement. These are different than "full time farm worker residences" and "temporary farm worker housing", and intended to address general housing needs.

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Full-Time Farm Worker Residence

Click the button above to read the "Full-Time Farm Worker Residence" section of the Stage 3 Report.

In some cases, a farm may need an employee to live on-site full-time and year-round to support the agricultural operation. The Zoning Bylaw currently permits this use, however, legislation introduced under Bill 52, 2018 now requires ALC approval for these residences.

In consideration of enhanced Provincial oversight to assess ‘farm need’, draft Zoning Bylaw amendments and proposed procedure aim to improve efficiency and clarity for regulating this use.

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Temporary Farm Worker Housing 

Click the button above to read the "Temporary Farm Worker Housing" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Local labour to support agricultural operations in Abbotsford is in limited supply, resulting in farmers seeking labour from other countries and other parts of Canada - this creates a need to house temporary workers.

In late 2018, Bill 52, 2018 introduced the requirement for ALC approval of all new temporary farm worker housing. In light of this legislation change and on-going demand for temporary labour, it is important to effectively facilitate this important need.

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Urban-Rural Interface 

Click the button above to read the "Urban-Rural Interface" section of the Stage 3 Report.

With urban and farming uses intensifying, the urban-rural interface is an area of possible land use conflict if not effectively managed. This can strain relationships between farmers and non-farm neighbours.

AgRefresh is updating policy for urban-side ALR landscape buffers.

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Farm Processing 

Click the button above to read the "Farm Product Processing" section of the Stage 3 Report.

The shift away from centralized farm product processing facilities, consolidation of farm operations, and diversification of agricultural commodities is leading to greater demand for larger on-farm processing facilities and a broader range of on-farm processing types.

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 Farm Retail 

Click the button above to read the "Farm Retail" section of the Stage 3 Report.

The increasing popularity of buying directly from farms is creating a new level of demand for buildings, parking, and other supportive infrastructure.

Recommended updates for Farm Retail focus on clarification and alignment with the ALR Use Regulations.

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Alcohol Production Facilities   

Click the button above to read the "Alcohol Production Facilities" section of the Stage 3 Report.

The growth in popularity of craft beer and cider has spurred the cultivation of hops, local grains, and fruits, and broadened interest in on-farm alcohol production beyond just wine. Meaderies, cideries, and distilleries are also increasing in popularity, but to a lesser extent.

The Zoning Bylaw currently regulates wineries and cideries, but does not address ALC permissions for breweries, meaderies and distilleries. AgRefresh provides an opportunity to modernize City regulation to support this growing industry in a manner that remains compatible with surrounding farming areas.

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Agri-Tourism   

Click the button above to read the "Agri-Tourism" section of the Stage 3 Report.

The growing popularity of activities such as farm tours, hay rides, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches offer a way to diversify farm income, but can introduce activities that generate traffic, high parking demand, and other impacts that can disrupt surrounding farms if not well managed.

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 Gathering Events  

Click the button above to read the "Gathering Events" section of the Stage 3 Report. 

In 2016, the Province introduced ‘gathering for an event’ as a ‘permitted non-farm use’ that may not be prohibited by a local government for farms in the ALR. Essentially, this Provincial regulation allows a farmer to host a limited number of non-agricultural events on their property each year to generate revenue, subject to specific ALC conditions.

With this new opportunity, events such as music festivals and weddings have increased in popularity in the ALR. New Zoning Bylaw provisions are proposed to address and help manage this value-added on-farm opportunity to ensure compatibility with surrounding agricultural activities.

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Home Based Businesses   

Click the button above to read the "Home Based Businesses" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Home based businesses provide additional income opportunities for many farm and rural households, but can sometimes grow out of the allowed space.

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 Rural Centres   

Click the button above to read the "Rural Centres" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Abbotsford’s seven rural centres offer important amenities to residents of agricultural areas, such as schools, libraries, post-offices, fire halls, commercial services and residential uses.

Generally, AgRefresh community and stakeholder input has highlighted the importance of rural centres as unique local nodes that support the farming community with social, civic and commercial services, however, feedback has highlighted a general desire to avoid expansion that will impact farmland.

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 Agri-Industrial / Innovation  

Click the button above to read the "Agri-Industrial/Agri-Innovation" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Agriculture is continually evolving to innovate and improve efficiency as the industry adapts to changing economies, evolving practices, and consumer preferences. Abbotsford is well positioned to maintain a strong base of conventional farming, while also fostering innovation that supports a thriving and adaptive agricultural sector into the future.

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  Supporting Policy & Regulation  

Click the button above to read the "Supporting Policies and Regulations" sections of the Stage 3 Report.

While the key AgRefresh topics are central to this initiative, the process provides opportunity to strengthen broader reaching agricultural policy. This section proposes updated and new policy to generally support the future of agriculture in Abbotsford.

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 Bylaw Compliance

Click the button above to read the "Improving Bylaw Compliance" section of the Stage 3 Report.

Ensuring Abbotsford's farmland is being used for agricultural purposes will help sustain the local agricultural sector as a key contributor to the local, regional, and provincial economy for the long term.

This chapter highlights key players and tools supporting bylaw compliance in the ALR, and outlines an approach to improve compliance moving forward.

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Appendices A to C   

Click the button above to read the Appendices A, B, and C of the Stage 3 Report.

For those who appreciate the details, Appendices A to C provide an early draft of how the draft the Official Community Plan amendments (A), the Zoning Bylaw amendments (B), and the new Agricultural Areas Council Policy (C).