For the second time in the last four weeks, Rocky View County council tabled a subdivision application for a residential development near Conrich, Nov. 6.
The application, to create phase three of Cambridge Park development, which will include 110 residential lots, was first tabled council’s Oct. 23 meeting.
The community is located just less than a kilometre south of Conrich,
At that time, council tabled another application for a restaurant and two furniture stores in Balzac, after concerns arose over the available capacity at the Langdon Wastewater Treatment Plant.
On that day, council learned that developments approved, but not yet built in the area, exceed the plant’s current capacity for 4,300 cubic metres a day.
In October, Council tabled both applications but set the date for subdivision application to return to council Nov. 7 after the applicant, Garry Melenka, explained he has been waiting since June to present his application, which he said kept getting bumped off the agenda.
Melenka said the houses likely wouldn’t be built and completed until 2015, and by then a solution to the wastewater plant would probably have been approved.
“This is a difficult situation,” said Councillor Earl Solberg during the most recent council meeting.
“These people have waited six months for a subdivision application.”
Solberg said had the application come forward in June as originally planned, the issue of the sewage problem, which wasn’t known until last month, wouldn’t have hindered the development from moving forward. He was in favour of approval.
“There was one peak time and that was an operational issue not a capacity issue,” he said of one day in May 2011, when the plant exceeded it’s capacity
“I think in view of time that it’ll take for this to contribute to the system, I see no reason to hold back,” Solberg Said.
Councillor Greg Boehlke disagreed.
“I know it’s frustrating to hold things up but perception is everything,” he said. “It would be irresponsible to go forward when there’s a question mark.”
Boehlke pointed out the other applicant who came forward in October is also waiting.
“I agree,” said Councillor Paul McLean.
He suggested putting the item on the Dec. 4 agenda when a review of the wastewater plant is expected to come before council.
“Let’s give it a date,” agreed Councillor Lois Habberfield, who said she hopes to see the other application also on the agenda.
“Lets reassure the public we aren’t a bunch of idiots and that we do know what we’re doing.”
Council agreed to table the application until Dec. 4.
The review of the plant is expected to be complete by the end of November and come before council Dec. 4. The review is expected to identify the basic unreserved capacity, probability of exceeding capacity and what the next steps need to be for the plant.
