Representatives from several members (including Millgrove Garden Supplies and Gelderman Landscaping) as well as Executive Director Tony DiGiovanni of Landscape Ontario and Flamborough Chamber of Commerce (FCC) Executive Director Arend Kersten spent more than six hours at yesterday’s meeting (July 7) of the Planning and Development Committee where a verdict on the proposed Rural Zoning Bylaw (RZB) was on the agenda.

Thanks to the leadership and hard work of Councillors Judi Partridge and Robert Pasuta, a number of amendments were adopted that will allow some existing rural businesses to stay at their current location.  Councillor Partridge – who chairs the Planning and Development Committee – also commended the FCC for its efforts on the file.

But there is also some bad news.

Only 38 businesses registered with the city on or before the May 15 deadline. However, there are an estimated 150-200 landscapers headquartered in rural Flamborough and Ancaster. What will their futures hold? And there are hundreds more non-landscaper businesses located in the rural areas of the ‘new’ Hamilton as well.

Hamilton Council recently decided to add representatives from the Flamborough, Hamilton and Stoney Creek Chambers of Commerce to its ‘Open for Business’ committee. The committee meets Wednesday, July 8th, 2015 where the FCC will continue to focus on all rural businesses. Stay tuned!!!