At a meeting on May 12, Rocky View County (RVC) council unanimously approved capital funding for the Cochrane BMX Association’s request to assist with the replacement of their concession and registration building on the Cochrane Ag Society lands.
According to administration’s report, the current trailer is 10 years old, damaged, dangerous and unsanitary, and the organization requested $10,982.50 to cover 50 per cent of the cost of replacing the trailer.
The new portable trailer will not only provide improved working conditions, it will also add additional space for the organization to host the Provincial Series Race Tournament in August. The funding was approved from the Ranch Lands Recreation Board’s section of the public reserve.
Moratorium amended
Council also approved a resolution proposed by administration regarding the moratorium adopted March 24 to restrict the placement of fill as sourced from outside the County, allowing fill to still be used for County-approved programs and projects.
“The blanket nature of that moratorium can be interpreted in the most restrictive sense to potentially affect County operations,” said County Manager Kevin Grieg.
While the moratorium will protect the soil integrity of agricultural lands and some residential districts, Grieg said the wording of the bylaw may impact the annual County road program or other approved construction projects. The update to the moratorium will allow for the County to proceed as usual.
Administration’s report indicated that a Land Use Bylaw review package will be presented to the Policy and Priorities Committee on June 2, and will contain proposed amendments to more accurately direct the placement of fill.
Subdivisions approved
Unanimous approval was given to a subdivision application to create a five-acre parcel with a 160.78-acre remainder on land located north of Calgary, at the southwest junction of Highway 567 and Range Road 24.
Another subdivision, creating a 9.88-acre parcel with a 15-acre remainder, was approved 8-1 on land located northwest of Cochrane Lake on Horse Creek Road, despite opposition from Councillor Al Sacuta.
Approval was also given to create a subdivision east of Calgary on Range Road 285, adjacent to Highway 1. This creates a 4.25-acre lot with a 89.14-acre remainder, and the applicant intends to construct a religious assembly on the proposed lot.
Despite a recommendation for refusal from RVC administration, council also unanimously approved an application to adjust the boundary between two parcels, creating a 3.71-acre parcel and a 1.48-acre parcel.
The rationale for the adjustment was to include a heavily treed area within one parcel to improve its privacy and security, however this results in an undersized parcel, according to both the Central Springbank Area Structure Plan and the County’s Land Use Bylaw.
“Ordinarily, I would not be in favour, but I do think this is a unique circumstance,” said Area Councillor Jerry Arshinoff. “There are two homes on five acres, and there will still be the same two homes on the same five acres. I don’t see any reason why this should not be approved.”
