MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY — The county's municipal planning commission (MPC) has approved a development permit application for a proposed $1.4-million building for business/agricultural use northwest of Olds.
The move came by way of motion at the approving authority’s Dec. 17 regularly scheduled meeting, held by teleconference.
The application is for a dwelling, manufactured and agricultural support services yard on a 158-acre parcel zoned agricultural district approximately one kilometre north of Highway 27 on the west side of Rge. Rd. 21 in the Hainstock rural community.
“The applicant is proposing the development of an 11,000 square-foot building where a portion of the building will be used for agriculture support services — West County Dairy Supply Inc., and the remainder for agricultural farm use,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission.
“This portion of the building will be used to store and repackage dairy farm supplies to meet the needs of the agricultural community. The remainder of the building will be used to store and maintain farm equipment of the family farm, Campman's Farms.”
Business operations will include supply pick-up and freight truck delivery, with a maximum of seven client visits per day. There will be two employees in addition to the applicants.
Administration recommended approval of the application.
Seven letters of objection to the proposed development were received during the circulation process. Writers voiced concerns regarding traffic, the height of the building, impact on property values, noise, dust, light pollution, and drainage impacting surrounding wetlands.
One letter writer said, in part, “We are concerned that this application for an agricultural building will evolve into a commercial warehouse for agricultural-related business on an industrial scale once this application has gone through as an agricultural building.
“We are not prepared for the extra traffic, whether it be transport trucks or personal vehicles. Every yard on the road is in close proximity to the road. We do not want to hear the extra noise, have extra dust or be worried about accidents.”
Another letter writer stated, in part, that, “We feel that long time established agricultural residents have had their lifestyle and privacy taken away, their once glorious mountain view will be replaced by the site of 30-foot high building which will also devalue their land."
The approval comes with a number of conditions, including the following:
• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall maintain a non-intrusive business and preserve the privacy and enjoyment of adjacent properties.
• The proposed business aisle not have more than seven customer visits per day.
• There shall be no alternation to any natural drainage courses on the subject property without a positive alternative means of drainage satisfactory to the county.
The MPC is made up of appointed public members and county councillors. It is the municipality’s approving authority.
