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From dugouts to homes: bylaw changes proposed in county

Changes and additions to the county’s land use bylaw reviewed
mountain-view-county-news

MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The county's municipal planning commission (MPC) has been given an update on proposed changes and additions to the county’s land use bylaw (LUB).

The review came during the recent regularly scheduled commission meeting. An online open house to review the proposed changes was also held on April 3.

Proposed amendments to the LUB include regarding things such as secondary suites, dugouts and landscape ponds, shipping containers, re-application and resubmission intervals and caveats for development agreements.

Jessica Ross, manager of development and permitting services, outlined the proposed changes and additions for commission members.

One change being proposed would replace dwelling manufactured-modular with dwelling prefabricated in Section 2.5, reading: “Dwelling, prefabricated means a building partially or fully constructed in a factory, transportable as a single or multiple section dwelling unit conforming to CSA A277 and provided wit a CSA A277 label at the time of manufacture date.”

Another proposed change to the dwelling secondary suite Section 9.11 would allow for “two secondary suites to be considered on parcels greater than 28.33 (hectares) when two detached dwelling units exist” and that a suite, when attached to a dwelling, “shall not exceed 40 per cent of the dwelling unit on site.”

Two options are being proposed regarding dugouts and landscape ponds. One option would see an addition of ornamental ponds meaning “the evacuation of land to create a water feature for landscaping and personal use only that is shallower than one metre.”

Another proposed change, under Section 14.3 aggregate extraction and processing district, would allow for an operator to extend the hours of all pit operations by obtaining consent from the majority of adjacent landowners within half a mile of the subject property.

The current provision in the LUB allows for an operator to propose extending the hours of a pit for crushing only. The proposed amendment would only apply to the list of gravel pits included within the operating regulations of the LUB.

Regarding shipping containers, a change is being proposed to increase the amount of sea cans that are considered exempt within A, A(2) districts from two to four units, and retain the maximum of two units considered exempt under I-BP, I-HI, and P-PR, and add R-F district into the exempt table to allow for one sea can as an exempt use.

Other proposed amendments include the following:

• Provide the additional provision to Section 10.5-1 Home Based Business to allow for one vehicle related to a home-based business inclusive of trailers and other equipment recognizing that many mobile businesses need to store a business-related vehicle onsite when not in use.

• Provide clarification within Section 10.6 Cannabis Production Facility that the approving authority may approve an application for cannabis production facility prior to the appropriate federal and/or provincial licensing and authorizations.

• Provide the additional provision within Section 10.17 Sour Gas Facility that any new application may be circulated to the Alberta Energy Regulator taking into account historic planning and development information.

MPC members received the update on the proposed changes and additional as information.

Margaretha Bloem, director of planning, says public comments regarding the proposed changes to the LUB can be made through the county’s website until May 19.

The complete package of proposed changes and additions to the LUB is available on the county’s website.

The MPC is made up of county councillors and appointed members of the public at large.

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