Rocky View County council unanimously approved a rezoning application that will see a four-acre Bearspaw parcel split in two, April 17.
The land, owned by the Spicer family, is located 4.8 kilometres east of Cochrane, 1.6 kilometres north of Highway 1A west of Range Road 33, within Development Priority Area 3 of the Bearspaw Area Structure Plan.
ìThereís an overwhelming amount of community support,î said Councillor Paul McLean. ìI donít see that this would trigger any short-term development... (and) it wonít negatively impact future development.î
A four-bedroom home, serviced by a well and septic field, already exists on the four-acre parcel. The applicant, Dale Spicer, proposes to build another home for himself, allowing his son to move into the existing house to raise his family.
Don and Constance Spicer, Daleís father and sister, own a small adjacent lot complete with a house built in the 1980s.
Don, 85, also owns the neighbouring 71-acre piece of land , which is currently being farmed. All the small parcels were taken out of the larger parent parcel, which has been in the family since the 1970s, according to Don.
ìThis keeps the family close,î said Spicer.
ìRocky View and Bearspaw is about family and working together.î
Council narrowly defeated a previous rezoning application last November, due to a panhandle driveway.
The new design reconfigured the lotsí layout, creating the space for access off of Range Road 33 without the need for an odd-shaped driveway.
The County circulated notices to 16 neighbouring landowners and received 12 letters in favour and no letters in opposition to the proposal.
McLean, who voted against the application in November, was in favour of granting redesignation to the Spicers.
ìThis design is more thoughtful in nature and will benefit the land in the long run,î he said.
Reeve Rolly Ashdown agreed.
ìIt doesnít change the developable land (in the area) in any way and allows the family to stay together,î he said.
