Recently, Vanessa Simpson, Senior Planner with MP&D, had the opportunity to host a tour of Spy Cider House and Distillery (Spy) in The Blue Mountains as part of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) Conference. The tour explored On-Farm Diversified Uses (OFDUs) and the important role they can play in supporting the long-term viability of Ontario farms.
Spy provided a great real-world case study. What begins with an active apple orchard has evolved to include value-added cider production, agri-tourism, events and other experiences that connect people directly with the farm. The tour provided an opportunity to see these uses in operation and discuss how diversification can create new revenue streams while keeping agriculture at the centre of the business.
MP&D has had the opportunity to work with Spy through this evolution, including a recent Zoning By-law Amendment application to expand the range of OFDUs permitted on the property and establish a site-specific planning framework for the growing operation. The application was successfully approved, allowing Spy to expand its agri-tourism and event offerings through its new multi-purpose building while continuing to recognize agriculture and the orchard as the principal use of the property.
From a planning perspective, OFDUs also raise important questions about scale, compatibility and flexibility. As farm businesses evolve, successful diversified uses can outgrow the small-scale or temporary permissions contemplated by existing policy and zoning frameworks. Municipalities must balance opportunities for innovation and farm viability with considerations such as traffic, parking, servicing, noise, neighbouring agricultural operations and the protection of agricultural land.
The discussion at Spy ultimately came back to a broader question: If we want agricultural land to remain in agriculture for the long term, how much flexibility should we give farmers to adapt, innovate and diversify? OFDUs are one important tool for supporting that evolution while ensuring agriculture remains the principal use of the land.
