Mountain View County council has given first reading to a land use bylaw amendment to add provisions for alternative and renewable energy.
The move came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The current land use bylaw does not have guidance on renewable and alternative energy generation development for individual use other than solar or provisions for commercial renewable developments, council heard.
Under the proposed amendment, alternative/renewable energy commercial would be defined as meaning "a use that produces energy fueled in ways that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment. Energy may be derived from natural and/or non-traditional sources and once produced is commercially sold and distributed off-site to the marketplace."
Alternative/renewable energy individual would be defined as meaning "a use that produces energy that is generated from an alternative or renewable source that is generally derived from natural and/or non-traditional sources such as geothermal, solar, water, wind, tides, waste, and is primarily utilized and consumed onsite."
Highlights of the proposed amendment include the following:
∑ Add six definitions for alternative/renewable energy.
∑ Alternative renewable energy for individual use will be an exempt use within all districts and will not require the issuance of a development permit as long as all the criteria are met.
∑ Alternative renewable energy for commercial use is included as a discretionary use within the A and A (2) Agricultural Districts, I-BP Business Park District and I-HI Heavy Industrial District.
∑ Remove the solar and wind energy conversion system definitions and provision that is replaced and renumber where required.
∑ Alternative renewable energy for commercial use is not added as a discretionary use in the Aggregate Extraction/Processing District.
"It is administration's position that renewable energy development for commercial use may be contrary to the county's encouragement of progressive reclamation of pits," administration said in a briefing note to council.
"Although the Renewable Electricity Act is in force since March 31, 2017 together with the concurrent amendments to Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) to add renewable energies to the schedule of activities that in turn means that the Conservation and Reclamation Regulation apply.
"There is no clear guidance on how reclamation will be required for pits that wish to develop renewable energy for commercial purposes. It is therefore premature to add this use in the district until there is more clarity from Alberta Environment."
Council set Sept. 13 as the date for the public hearing for the proposed amendment.
