MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Owners of a mobile home destroyed in the Canada Day tornado have made an application with Mountain View County to redesignate three acres within the agricultural district to county residential district so a new permanent residence can be constructed at the site.
The property is located at 36-30-2-5 in the rural community of Wessex about four kilometres south of Didsbury near the intersection of Township Road 310 and Range Road 21.
A tornado destroyed or heavily damaged more than a dozen homes when it tore across a portion of Mountain View County north of Carstairs on July 1.
“The proposal is for a third parcel within the agricultural preservation land use policy area of the municipal development plan,” administration said in a briefing note to council. “The proposal as submitted does not meet the county’s policy; however the applicant wants to (proceed) with the proposal for council’s consideration.”
The application was circulated to 15 adjacent landowners, with no objections or concerns received, council heard.
In a letter to council, the applicant said, in part, that, “the land we would subdivide already has services, a legal access approach, driveway, a long row of ten-foot trees, a blue sign and is geographically separated from agricultural production land.
“Therefore it minimizes land taken out of agricultural production and it provides our family an affordable opportunity that is getting harder and harder to come by in today’s economy. This option puts to use already existing services rather than taking more existing farmable land for residential use.”
The owner of the property also submitted a letter to council, saying, in part, that, “This is a unique situation brought about by a natural disaster. This land has not been used for agricultural purposes in two years and never will be again as it is an established yard with full services.”
Under the municipal development plan, council can make an exception allowing more than two titles on a parcel.
Deputy reeve Dwayne Fulton said, “I realize this (application) doesn’t fit our policy exactly but the effort was made and the infrastructure has already been established and the yard site has already been set out.”
Coun. Greg Harris said, “Does this application make sense? And is it the right thing to do? I think it qualifies in both of those so I will support it.”
Coun. Jennifer Lutz said, “I think the best outcome in this situation is to do this, but I think it could bring other applications forward.”
Coun. Peggy Johnson said while she supports the preservation of agricultural lands, the application is a “unique situation” that she can support.
Coun. Alan Miller said, “Sometimes extenuating circumstances like what’s happened need to be taken into account. They are a young family trying to make their way in our county.”
Coun. Gord Krebs also spoke in favour of the redesignation.
Council carried final reading in favour of the redesignation application.
