Rocky View County council approved a redesignation application to support an infill country-residential community in Big Hill Springs Estates, April 17.
Three four-acre parcels were created, leaving a 5.4-acre parent parcel, located north of Bearspaw, 0.8 kilometres east of Lochend Road.
Although the decision was unanimous, there was much discussion about a condition requiring the owners, Eric DeGuzman and Carly Korsch, to upgrade and pave a portion of Big Hill Springs Estates Road at a cost of about $250,000.
ìIt is an existing road,î said area-Councillor Lois Habberfield. ìI donít think it is fair to ask one out of eight landowners to bear the cost for everyone else.î
According to a letter penned by Steve Dallison, a neighbour who has a business agreement with DeGuzman and Korsch, a similar condition was waived by council when he made his application about four years ago.
ìCouncil determined that it was not reasonable to require my wife and me to upgrade and pave the 600-metre stretch of Big Hill Springs Estates road,î stated the letter.
ìThis decision... was greatly appreciated as our subdivision would not have been able to proceed had that condition remained, since... it would have been much too large a financial burden for us to carry.î
Dallisonís letter went on to state that should the upgrading be required, the new subdivision would be unlikely to go ahead given the high costs of paving the road.
Reeve Rolly Ashdown suggested a possible solution would be to remove the condition with the intent of proposing a local improvement tax to pave the road.
ìLet the people who live there decide if they want the gravel roads,î he said.
Councillor Earl Solberg said the idea was a good one.
ìIf they petition against it, they are happy with the status quo,î he added.
Habberfield was against imposing a local improvement tax, saying that gravel roads are adequate and even preferable for some residents. She also said the approximately $72,000 transportation levy payable to the County by the applicants could be used to pave the road.
Margaret Bahcheli disagreed, saying, ìthe transportation levy isnít about local improvement, it is about the increased pressure on regional infrastructure.î
Habberfieldís motion to remove the condition was defeated, and Councillor Paul McLeanís suggestion to table the subdivision hearing was dismissed.
The subdivision application was approved with all its existing conditions. The applicant has the right to file an appeal with the Development Appeal Board.
