Rocky View County (RVC) council gave first and second reading for a conceptual scheme and land-use redesignation for an industrial and commercial business park east of the City of Calgary at the meeting on July 15.
If the project receives third reading, the Emcor Business Park will be located on 313.5 acres of land on Range Road 285, south of Township Road 240 in the County.
If approved, the Emcor Business Park Conceptual Scheme (EBPCS) will replace the Patton Conceptual Scheme –Part Two, which was adopted for the lands in 2006, but no development or subdivision occurred on the land. It has since changed ownership.
According to a County report, the previous plan allowed for limited service industrial and commercial development using pump-out tanks and water cisterns.
Tom Clarke, engineering consultant for the project, told council the new conceptual scheme proposes a fully serviced communal servicing system that will include a potable water treatment facility and wastewater collection and treatment facility and a central stormwater management facility.
He said there are also lands within the development that will be used for irrigation of treated stormwater and wastewater. The business park is intended to attract businesses that need utility services, said Clarke.
Clarke said the developer, Carlo Simonelli, is currently in the process of acquiring a license from Alberta Environment for a pilot project to treat the stormwater and reuse it within the buildings developed on-site for non-potable uses, such as flushing toilets.
“The objective for that is we are a site that has no outlet for stormwater. So from a practical sense and point of view, if we can reuse as much stormwater as possible rather than use well water, that’s water we don’t have to get rid of off the site,” said Clarke, adding if the pilot project is not successful, the developers have water licenses for full build-out.
One farmer, whose land is adjacent to the site, spoke at the public hearing stating concerns about potential future flooding to his fields from irrigation run-off. Clarke responded the project plan includes building a ditch around the perimeter of the property to contain any run-off and direct it back into the stormwater ponds on site.
Another adjacent property owner, Bill Gaskarth, spoke in favour of the proposal.
“The developer has the experience and wealth to make this area a good development. I’m sure if any problems come up, he will deal with it appropriately,” said Gaskarth.
Councillors had several questions about creating an additional servicing system in the County.
Clarke said the developers are planning to build the infrastructure into the site so if a regional servicing system is developed in the future, each business within the development can tie it.
Councillor Al Sacuta questioned administration why the County is creating multiple wastewater treatment facilities – including those located in Bragg Creek and Langdon, and within developments in Bearspaw and Springbank – when other cities such as Airdrie and Cochrane don’t have any and are serviced by the City of Calgary.
Manager of Infrastructure and Operations Byron Riemann said if the County wanted to create one regional servicing system within its jurisdiction, “it would be a costly venture.”
He added the County has approached the City of Calgary on multiple occasions for servicing, but have not always been approved and have had to create its own servicing solutions.
Area Councillor Earl Solberg made a motion to give the conceptual scheme and land-use redesignation first and second reading.
“(The project is in) a traditional industrial area that was probably one of the first established in RVC,” he said.
Councillors Sacuta, Jerry Arshinoff and Reeve Margaret Bahcheli voted opposed.
The motion failed to receive the required unanimous support for third reading.
It will come back to council at a later date for final reading.
