Rocky View County (RVC) council tabled the proposed Terms of Reference for the comprehensive Land Use Bylaw review, which will outline the scope and timeline for the project. According to RVC Development Officer Susan Lamola, while the bylaw is reviewed annually, this will be the first comprehensive review of the bylaw since 1998.
“These (annual) reviews are incremental and generally do not address broader and systemic issues,” she said. “A comprehensive review of the content and structure of the bylaw will allow for opportunities to streamline the document and increase readability.”
However, some councillors argued that with the Municipal Government Act (MGA) currently under review, this bylaw revision should be postponed until the updated MGA is released.
“I am not by any means suggesting that it’s not a good idea – it is a good idea, it hasn’t been done for 18 years – but if we wait until almost 19 years it probably isn’t going to change things all that significantly. At least we would know the basis on which we must make our plans,” said Councillor Jerry Arshinoff.
Councillor Lois Habberfield moved to table the item until the June 14 council meeting, and her motion was passed unanimously.
Once the Terms of Reference are adopted, the bylaw review process is anticipated to take 12 to 15 months to complete, with public hearing and council consideration of the updated bylaw in 2017.
Second and third readings were given to close and consolidate four portions of road allowance located along Highway 72, after the item was given first reading on Sept. 15, 2015. According to Angela Pare, engineering support services technician with RVC, this undeveloped section of Range Road 271 presently contains various farm buildings for the operations of the adjacent Hutterite Colony.
“Administration could not establish why the colony was permitted to build on the surveyed road allowance as there is nothing indicating in the records,” Pare said. “This (road closure and consolidation) will allow the colony to utilize its labour, buildings and machinery in the off-season, diversify its economic base, and provide services to the local community.”
A subdivision was approved unanimously by RVC council, creating a six-acre parcel with a 11.9-acre remainder on a section of land north of Cochrane at the southwest junction of Township Road 262 and Range Road 40.
RVC Planner Jessica Anderson said the subdivision will create an infill residential parcel within an area of the county that is “largely fragmented” by residential parcels of similar size, and is consistent with both the Bearspaw Area Structure Plan and the intermunicipal development plan between RVC and the Town of Cochrane.
