Mountain View County council has approved land use amendments related to alternative/renewable energy developments. The move came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
In July council directed administration to bring forward an amendment to the land use bylaw to add provisions for alternative/renewable energy.
The current land use bylaw does not have guidance on renewable energy generation development for individual use other than solar or provisions for commercial renewable energy development.
Council gave first reading to the amending bylaw on Aug. 9.
The amendment approved at the recent council meeting included the addition of six definitions for alternative/renewable energy:
ï alternative/renewable energy, commercial, means a use that produces energy, and in some cases other marketable byproducts depending on the process utilized, fuelled in ways that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment. Energy may be derived from natural and/or non-traditional sources (eg: geothermal, solar, water, wind, tides, waste, etc.) and once produced is commercially sold and distributed off-site to the marketplace.
ï alternative/renewable energy, individual, means a use that produces energy that is generated from an alternative or renewable source and that is generally derived from natural and/or non-traditional sources such as geothermal, solar, water, wind, tides, waste, etc., and is primarily utilized and consumed on-site.
ï multiple unit wind energy conversion system (WECS)/wind farm means two or more WECS developed to generate electrical power that is commercially sold and distributed off-site to the marketplace.
ï single wind energy conversion system (SWECS), means a single wind energy conversion system developed to generate electrical power that is primarily utilized and consumed on-site.
ï solar collector means a device or combination of devices, structures, or part of a device or structure that transforms direct solar energy into thermal, chemical or electrical energy and which will be used primarily to reduce on-site consumption of utility energy/power.
ï wind energy conversion system means the aggregation of parts, including but not limited to the tower, nacelle and blades that in their aggregate convert wind energy into electrical power.
Under the change 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 is met.
As well, alternate renewable energy for commercial use is included as a discretionary use with the A and A(2) agricultural districts, I-BP business park district and I-HI heavy industrial district.
Under the specific use regulations of the LUB, the amendment adds the following under the individual use section:
"Alternative/renewable energy, individual may be permitted in any land use district and do not require the issuance of a development permit . . . subject to meeting the requirements listed below. If all the requirements below are not met the use shall be deemed a discretionary use requiring the issuance of a development permit."
The requirements listed included meeting the applicable district regulations, safety code permit that may be required (and) shall be obtained prior to installation of the system, and specific requirements for the different sources (solar, wind) proposed.
For commercial use, the applicant shall be required to "undertake community consultation within one mile of the subject property, including the proposed designated haul route for initial construction prior to and submitted as part of the development permit."
Councillors gave second and third reading to the amending bylaw.
Coun. Al Kemmere was not present at the Sept. 13 council meeting.
