A land-use bylaw amendment that would allow an “essential public service” to be provided on land recently acquired by the Town of Olds passed without any fuss at a council meeting on Aug. 25.
According to a subdivision report from Parkland Community Planning Services dated May 20, the land was donated to the town by Mountain View Credit Union.
No one attended the public hearing portion of the meeting and council promptly gave the amendment second and third reading, rezoning the parcel to a “direct control district,” which would allow the town to control development on the site.
The parcel of land in question had been zoned as a Highway Commercial District, which does not provide for essential public services, which could include: the fire department, police service, ambulance, paramedic service and emergency dispatch services.
The meeting agenda stated there has also been interest in building an “emergency shelter” on the land.
An emergency shelter is defined in the town document as “a development that (a) provides temporary, short term or transitional accommodation for people in need of shelter; (b) has at least one staff person at the facility at all times; (c) may include sobering facilities, but does not include treatment for addiction; (d) may offer health or education programs for residents; and (e) may provide a kitchen and dining room for residents, staff and other clients."
Coun. Mary Jane Harper stressed that council was voting on the bylaw amendment and nothing more.
“The change for the land-use bylaw today is to change it to Direct Control District 6, which would allow as a permitted use, an emergency shelter and essential public service,” Harper said. “So we're not talking about an emergency shelter. We're only talking about essential public service and adding a permitted use.”
“It's a change of land use only to include that.”
