DIVISION 4 ACREAGE REZONING HELD TO FIRST READING An application to rezone a 4-acre parcel from Residential 2 to Business Industrial Campus District (B-IC) was approved 6-3. Administration had recommended refusal.
The owner has lived on the property since 2000, where he operates a home-based business as a truck mechanic. He wanted to have the lands rezoned so that he could expand his business, include his sons, and have more employees on site.
The subject lands are located in the industrial portion of the City of Calgary Growth Area and the County/city’s Inter-municipal Development Plan, which does not support further redesignation. The owner did not provide a business plan nor did he provide the necessary traffic impact assessment – making it difficult to understand what we were buying in to.
Nevertheless, local area Councillor Al Schule proceeded to make a motion for first reading. His motion was supported by all but Reeve Boehlke, Councillor Hanson myself.
Schule did not allow the hearing to proceed to second reading. Instead, he received unanimous support to hold off on any further approvals until the applicant addresses the following issues: a) A Transportation Impact Assessment in accordance with Section 14 of the County Plan; b) A planning rationale justifying why the proposed development cannot be located in an identified business area under the County Plan; c) A written description of the likely impacts associated with future development and proposals to mitigate those impacts.
DIVISION 5 PRINCE OF PEACE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING APPROVED The request to remove the parsonage requirement for a single family dwelling in Division 5’s senior’s village of Prince of Peace was approved 9-0. Administration recommended approval.
The land was originally designated to be the home of the village’s parson. However, a recent court order approved the sale of the land to an individual who was not of the parsonage. The parcel has been sitting empty for over 15 years.
There were a number of residents in opposition. Their main concerns were: - the land was meant for a parson - meaning the lands would be common not private - access to potable water is already limited (they currently have water hauled in) - the owner would not pay condominium fees or be a contributing member of the community - traffic impacts on an already busy road
The applicant stated that the owner was willing to pay the condo fees and the water and traffic issues were mitigated as one building on the lot was always anticipated, regardless of who its inhabitant was. Furthermore, it was a court order that allowed the sale to someone other than that of the parsonage. Council agreed and approved the application unanimously.
STRATHMORE RCMP WATCH CLERK GRANTED Council approved the funding for one watch clerk, on a one-year trial period, at the Strathmore RCMP detachment. This brings the total number of watch clerks in the detachment to four. The cost for the watch clerk is $67,000 p.a.
The duties of a watch clerk allows police officers to forego many administrative tasks that would otherwise keep them in the office. This allows officers to focus more on community-based policing. The RCMP has committed to providing statistical information detailing the benefit of the position to the watch. TERMS OF REFERENCE APPROVED FOR FOUR NEIGHBOURING MUNICIPALITIES As mandated by the Municipal Government Act, prior to April 2020, Rocky View County must complete its Inter-municipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) and Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) with all adjacent municipalities that are not a member of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB).
Administration, in collaboration with representatives from each neighbouring municipality, prepared four Joint Terms of Reference with each of the following rural municipalities: Municipal District of Bighorn, Kneehill County, Mountain View County, and Wheatland County.
An ICF identifies how municipal services are delivered between two adjacent municipalities. While the purpose of an IDP is to minimize land use and development conflicts, provide opportunities for collaboration and communication, and outline processes for the resolution of issues that may arise within the area of mutual interest adjacent to a municipal boundary. The terms were approved unanimously.
Terms of Reference with the Village of Beiseker, the Town of Crossfield, the Town of Irricana, and the Kananaskis Improvement District will be brought forward in the Fall.
COUNCIL CODE OF CONDUCT Recent updates to the Municipal Government Act have mandated that all municipalities have a Code of Conduct Bylaw passed by July 23, 2018. The current document will be valid through 2021.
While the Code of Conduct does not provide the ability to remove a Councillor from office, there are sanctions that can be imposed. These sanctions include apologies and letters, all the way up to reduction of remuneration or removal from committees.
The chief benefit of a Code of Conduct Bylaw is that they prohibit certain sorts of behavior and require others. In doing so, they aim to raise the standards and perceived standards of conduct of elected officials, with the intent of improving public trust in government.
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