Commission approves pit application

The Mountain View County municipal planning commission has approved a development permit application for an existing gravel pit in the Bergen neighbourhood and a permit to allow expansion of the facility.

The moves came during the commission’s recent regularly scheduled meeting in council chambers.

The property involved is located at NE 35-31-5-5, approximately two kilometres west of Rge. Rd. 50 on the south side of Twp. Rd. 320 (Bergen Road).

The owner is Gladys Leone Guzmanuk and the applicant is Thomas C. Guzmanuk.

“The applicant is requesting approval for an existing gravel pit and the expansion of the gravel pit up to 16 hectares and an accessory building,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission.

A county-initiated project in 2017 identified that the existing gravel pit was operating without provincial or municipal (development permit) approval, members heard.

“The existing gravel pit area is proposed to expand to a maximum size of approximately 16 hectares. Operation is anticipated to last for 20 years with progressive reclamation to occur throughout. If the application is approved, the applicant will proceed with applying for provincial approvals and shall adhere to the Code of Practice for Pits.”

Administration said it “could support the application for two reasons: The property has the appropriate zoning; and the conditions recommended will ensure the development is conducted in a manner considerate of the local community and mitigate offsite impacts.”

The county received one letter of support for the application.

Landowner Patrick Cummins said, in part, “As an adjacent landowner living one half mile east, on the south side of Twp. Rd. 320, I wish to advise you that I have no objections to this application; and in fact support the efforts of a small operator to keep his business functioning successfully.

“The gravel pit has been operating for about eight years now with no inconvenience to us.”

The county also received a number of letters objecting to the development permit application.

“We are appalled by this application,” said nearby landowners Dale and Lynn Barnes. “It shows a complete lack of respect to all the neighbours and landowners in the area. It appears to us that the applicants' concerns are for themselves and their efforts to make money in a rural agricultural district as described in the area land map.

“It is our opinion that this application does nothing for the betterment of our community or the environment. We feel that approval of this application also comes at a great cost to the taxpayers of Mountain View County with respect to roads.”

Other objection letters outlined concerns with such things as traffic and noise from operations.

The approval came with a number of conditions, including the following:

• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall enter into a road use agreement from the pit to Highway 22 for all existing pit operations within NE 35-31-5-5. This permit does not include a haul route to Highway 760.
• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall provide dust control within the operation of the gravel pit to ensure there is no adverse impact to adjacent landowners and residences.
• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall install an identification sign at the entrance of the gravel pit. This sign must be legible and shall include the name of the pit, the legal land descriptions and rural address information, contact information, and hours of operation.

• Soils shall be separated into topsoil and subsoil piles. All piles and berms shall be seeded to prevent the contents from being blown off-site and shall be used for reclamation purposes within the pit.
• Asphalt plants are not permitted to be placed within NE 35-31-5-5. Should this be required, a new development permit shall be obtained from the county. Wet scrubber systems shall not be allowed through the permitting process for portable batch plants.
• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall observe and practise the standard code of practice for pits as described within the “A Guide to the Code of Practice for Pits” published by Alberta Environment.
• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall implement the phasing and reclamation plan consistent with their submitted application for the NE 35-31-5-5 and return the pit back to agricultural use. Any additional uses for the subject property shall require the issuance of permits from Mountain View County. Any changes to the phasing and reclamation plan shall be submitted to Mountain View County and may require a new Development Permit.
• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall conform to the noise control methods identified within Section 6.7.1 of “A Guide to the Code of Practice for Pits” published by Alberta Environment.