Rocky View County (RVC) council unanimously approved a rezoning application for a 3.68-acre parcel of farmland east of Langdon on May 1.
The application, made by Wade Lester of Foothills Nurseries, requested that the land, currently a tree farm located on the northwest corner of Glenmore Trail and Range Road 284, be redesignated in order to allow for the construction of a retail garden centre.
Lester said the change would benefit his business, allowing it to sell plants grown on location and shipped in, as well as horticultural goods.
“Redesignation would allow the retail area to grow to three times the current size for current growth,” said Lester during a public hearing on May 1.
“It would allow efficient use of the property and for us to keep the remaining land available for agricultural use.”
Lester added that the operation is a “green business” and would not cause excessive smog or noise in the area, and would not be detrimental to the environment or surrounding residents.
Three area residents, including Henry Heuver, the owner of the land on which the tree farm and greenhouse sits, spoke in favour of the rezoning and subsequent greenhouse construction.
Tricia Ingram, who owns and operates Cobblestone Garden Centre west of Chestermere on 17th Avenue, spoke in opposition of the rezoning, citing impact to traffic, public safety, the environment and fair business practices as reasons.
Ingram added that she felt the application did not fit with the County’s commercial industrial planning in the area and that the greenhouse structure was of poor, substandard quality.
She noted that the business is situated on a busy intersection and a roadway with a narrow shoulder, no turnout lane and high commuter and heavy truck traffic.
Lester countered that he had completed both a Storm Water Management Plan and a Traffic Impact Assessment, which addresses the issues of roadways and public safety.
He added that the building is a solid structure and has been approved by an engineer and deemed suitable for retail use.
Mike Coldwell of the County’s development planning department said obtaining a Development Permit (DP) for the business will be an ongoing process, and that if traffic issues are found to be of major concern, appropriate upgrades could be a condition of the DP before development could continue.
After the hearing was closed Councillor Earl Solberg moved that council give second reading of the amended land use bylaw as presented.
The motion was carried unanimously, as was a third reading, moved by Councillor Paul McLean.
The 5,184-square-foot greenhouse is currently in the final phases of construction, with the exterior structure completed, and final indoor construction such as flooring and exterior landscaping still unfinished.
