County councillors approved an interim operating and capital budget effective Jan. 1 to March 31 on Dec. 13.
The move was made to enable the municipality to stay in compliance with the Municipal Government Act.
The interim operating budget will be based on the County’s 2011 Operating Budget as well as council’s policies service delivery objectives.
No expenditures will be incurred during the interim budget period for new projects included in the draft 2012 budget, although expenditures on projects carried forward from 2011 are included.
According to the County’s Director of Business Services Kent Robinson, Rocky View is in the process of finalizing next year’s budget.
“Council has asked us to take a closer look,” he said. “It is going to take us a little longer.”
Although the decision to approve the interim budget was unanimous, Councillor Margaret Bahcheli shared her frustrations about the upcoming budget saying staff had been asked if the budget was on schedule to completed by year’s end last summer.
Bahcheli also asked if the 2012 budget would be zero-based, meaning every line of the budget will have to be approved, rather than only changes to the previous level of expenditure.
Robinson said it would be zero-line item budgeting.
“You start from zero and every expense has to be justified,” he said, adding all services and programs will be looked at.
Councillor Lois Habberfield said she hoped next year would be different.
“I hope next year we will pass the real budget by Dec. 31,” she said.
Council approved an application to rezone 19 acres of farmland located 1.6 kilometres east of Langdon, Dec. 13.
The move creates a four-acre parcel with a 15-acre remainder.
County staff received no response to the 26 letters circulated to neighbours, nor did anyone speak either in favour or in opposition to the proposal.
The property has an existing house, barn and horse corrals. According to County staff, the applicants Terrence, Dianne, William and Elsie Norman plan to build a private riding arena on the larger parcel.
The existing house is serviced by a water well and septic system. The smaller acreage will get its sewer and water in the same way.
Councillors unanimously approved a rezoning application that will see almost five acres divided off of 19 acres of Agricultural Holdings land.
The land is located about 1.6 kilometres northeast of Langdon at the western termination of Township Road 235 near Weed Lake.
According to the staff report, a house was recently removed and the owners want to rebuild on the larger parcel.
The east portion of the land includes an accessory building and dugout.
The recently removed house was serviced by a water well and septic system. Future servicing will be done in the same manner.
Technical issues, such as stormwater management and private sewage treatment assessments, will be addressed at the subdivision stage.
Councillors gave approval to a rezoning application that will see a 34-acre parcel split off of a 157-acre piece of farmland in the county’s northwest.
The owners Billy-Joe Galleli and Tamara Konschuh, who are siblings, made the proposal to make estate planning easier.
“We are trying to separate titles,” said Konschuh.
“(It is) something to make it easier on my kids and his kids so we can all get along in the future.”
The successful redesignation was the first on the quarter section, which is divided by Range Road 22.
Although there is no development on the quarter section, there is an existing well located within the smaller parcel.
The owners said they plan to continue farming both portions of the fourth-generation farm, which is used for both pasture and cropland.
Council voted unanimously in favour of the rezoning application.
“It is divided by the road and has been for many years,” said area Councillor Lois Habberfield. “It kind of makes sense in this situation.”
Council unanimously supported a County staff request that will lead to the construction of a shed to store athletic equipment at the Springbank Park for All Seasons (SPFAS).
The shed will be located in the existing Lions Soccer Park on Municipal Reserve (MR) land currently designated as Agricultural Holdings.
It is currently under a 50-year lease with the park and is used as soccer fields and a public park.
“This is a really well-maintained piece of MR,” said Councillor Kim Magnuson. “I am glad you caught it so you can have it designated properly.”
The next step in the process is the redesignation stage, which will include a public hearing in the future.
Councillors gave first, second and third reading to a bylaw to make property non-exempt from taxation.
The move was made in response to a board decision to reduce the valuation of Nav Canada’s land and make it exempt from taxes.
Nav Canada, a private corporation that directs and controls air traffic services throughout Canada, controls the air services and the air transport systems for all major airports within the county, including Springbank Airport.
The recent board decision has alerted municipalities with regional airports to pass the bylaw though Section 362 of the Municipal Government Act to ensure they continue to collect taxes from the entities.
According to Robinson, the bylaw has to be passed by the end of the year prior to the one in which the taxation exemption comes into effect.
The crown federal, Nav Canada and tenant leasehold properties at the Springbank Airport generated about $304,000 in total taxes in 2011, $211,000 of which was earmarked for the County’s coffers.
The next meeting of Rocky View council is Jan. 10 at 9 a.m. in Council Chambers.
