The Mountain View County municipal planning commission has approved a development permit application for a tree-clearing project within an environmentally significant area in the Water Valley-Winchell Lake district.
The move came during the commission's recent regularly scheduled meeting in council chambers.
The property is located approximately 1.8 miles north of Highway 579 on the west side of Rge. Rd. 54.
The owner and applicant is Derrick and Kaley Hoogenboom.
"The applicant is requesting approval for tree clearing of approximately 66.67 acres within the 158.97 acre parcel for agricultural farm use," administration said in a briefing note to the commission.
"The proposed development area contains maximum area of 51,573 square metres (12.74 acres) in the northwest portion of the quarter section and 218,217 square metres along the west and south property lines.
"The proposed tree clearing areas are adjacent to lands currently used for similar agricultural purposes (pasture/hay land)."
The forest area at the site is mixed wood and there is no unclassified creek in the northwest portion of the proposed development area, members heard.
"Planning and development staff conducted a site visit with a representative from agricultural services to evaluate the impact of the proposed development. Administration determined the total proposed development of approximately 66.67 acres would provide equivalent productive agricultural space gain and therefore considered suitable for tree clearing for agricultural purposes."
In a letter to the commission, the applicant said, in part, "The proposed area of logging would be our new hay field and winter forage grazing for our 25 cows. We chose the new location due to there being a very large hay field to the west of us, which we felt would be a good place to open up more land and get the most sun and best growing area on the quarter."
The approval came with a number of conditions, including that "advance notice of log hauling and the intended route must be provided to the county's operational services department."
During the same recent commission meeting, members approved a development permit application for a proposed industrial manufacturing/processing fabrication shop for oilfield and industrial and automotive, equipment and vehicle service within an existing fabrication shop.
The property is located within the Cowboy Industrial Park southwest of the intersection of Highway 27 and Rge. Rd. 42 in the Eagle Hill-Westward Ho district.
"The subject parcel is shared with the west portion operating as an industrial packaging operation (wood shavings)," administration said in a briefing note to the commission.
"The applicant provided a completed Cowboy Trail Business Park plan approval form stating the existing development meets architectural controls."
The commission also approved a 400-square-foot addition to an existing hangar with westerly setback relaxation at the Sundre Airport.
The applicant for the $12,000 project is Sundre Search & Rescue.
"When the airport district was subdivided in 2012 this hangar existed but the setback relaxations were not addressed when the property line was created," administration said.
The municipal planning commission is made up of public members and members of county council. It is chaired by public member Kim Walton.
