Mountain View County council has given final reading to several land use re-designations through amendments to the land use bylaw.
The moves came during public hearings at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
One re-designation involves a 158-acre parcel in the Wessex rural neighbourhood in Division 1, at NW 1-30-2-5.
The re-designation of three acres is to create a residential farmstead to allow a farmhand to build a home. The re-designation is from agricultural district to country residential district.
“This is a proposal to remove the first parcel from a previously un-subdivided quarter section,” administration said in a briefing note to council. “The proposal is located in the northeast corner encompassing an area that had historically been a farmstead site.
“The proposal does encompass a small portion of the adjacent cultivated land. This land has only recently been broken up for cultivation when the landowner purchased the property.”
Administration said it supported the application as it complies with the municipal development plan and the land use bylaw regulations.
“Based on a review of the historical images and consultation with the landowner this should not have a negative impact on the surrounding agricultural practices on the balance of the quarter. This proposed parcel has legal and physical access established.”
Council also approved a re-designation from agricultural district to agricultural district 2A for a property in the Wessex rural neighbourhood at NW 25-30-2-5.
The re-designation is to create a new agricultural parcel that contains two existing dwellings.
“This proposal is to create the first parcel to be removed from a previously un-subdivided quarter section,” administration said.
The first residence was constructed in the 1990s and the second residence received a permit in 2014, council heard.
“The families plan to continue to reside at this location and want to keep the dwellings that are there now. When considering the configuration of the proposal the applicant wanted to ensure that the crop land within the eastern part of the quarter remained intact.”
Administration supported the proposal, saying it complies with the municipal development plan and the land use bylaw.
Council also approved a re-designation from agricultural district to country residential for a property in the Dogpound rural community at NE 2-30-4-5.
The re-designation is for a subdivision of first parcel out from a previously un-subdivided quarter section one mile east along Highway 580 and half a mile north of Rge. Rd. 41.
“The proposal sits in the most southeast corner of the subject quarter and consists of approximately 2.52 acres on undeveloped and low forage land,” administration said.
In a letter to the county, the applicant said, “This land is marginal and has never been productive so it’s good use would be to have a small house on it.”
Administration supported the application.
Meanwhile, councillors set public hearing dates for a number of proposed land use re-designations.
The move also came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
One proposed re-designation is in Division 5 approximately seven miles north of Sundre, at NE 10-34-5-5. It involves the re-designation of approximately 6.30 acres from agricultural district to residential farmstead district.
A second re-designation is in Division 4 at SW 12-32-5-5. It involves a re-designation from agricultural district to agricultural district A2 and would create a new agricultural parcel including a dwelling site.
A third re-designation is in Division 5 at SE 4-33-6-5 in the Bearberry-Coal Camp rural neighbourhood. It involves consideration of a second parcel from a previously subdivided quarter.
Council set hearing dates for all three proposed re-designations for April 24 in council chambers.
All councillors were present at the March 27 council meeting.
