The Port Colborne Committee of Adjustment met on March 11, 2026, to review a plan that could see a local hobby farm divided into smaller pieces of land. The meeting focused on the property at 5930 Michener Road in the Sherkston area of Port Colborne, Ontario.
The owner of the property is seeking land severance approvals, which would allow the large site to be split into separate lots. Historically, the land has been used as an agricultural estate or a hobby farm, but the new applications suggest a shift toward residential development in this rural part of the community.
This review is part of the standard process for dividing land in the city. The committee, led by Chair Dan O’Hara, is responsible for deciding whether these types of changes follow local rules and fit into the neighbourhood. Secretary-Treasurer Taya Taraba manages the application and administrative process for the body.
Changes to provincial law through the More Homes Built Faster Act of 2022, also known as Bill 23, have changed how these decisions can be challenged. These rules have restricted the rights of neighbours to appeal decisions made by the committee, meaning only the property owner, certain public agencies, or “specified persons” such as utility companies can usually ask for a review of the final choice.
