County residents who hope to operate home-based businesses in the Conrich area may soon be able to do so, following Rocky View County (RVC) council’s unanimous approval of a conceptual scheme at a regular meeting June 25.
“This area has been a no-man’s land for a very long time,” said Area Coun. Jerry Gautreau in his motion to approve the application. “The people…in this area are finally excited that they can do something with their property.”
The transition area, according to planner Oksana Newmen, comprises 134.09 acres across 18 parcels at the southwest junction of Township Road 250 and Range Road 283. The conceptual scheme, she said, provides a detailed vision for the area – identifying appropriate land uses and commercial activity, along with development phasing and a transition strategy.
Within the plan area, Newmen said, the northern and northwestern parcels are grouped as a business commercial area, while the area to the south and southeast are country residential. The development of the business commercial area will use a two-phased approach, she added.
“The first phase is transitional, allowing for the existing landowners to operate expanded home-based businesses while still living on-site, while Phase Two provides policy support for redesignation to business-commercial use, encompassing greater buffering requirements and servicing requirements,” Newmen said.
Council also unanimously established an associated live-work overlay that will apply to 13 parcels in the conceptual scheme. Newmen said the overlay will provide an additional layer of policy that allows extended business opportunities, and provides flexibility for home-based businesses larger than is presently permitted by RVC. Residences will be required to remain on the site, and outdoor RV storage or any use with significant off-site impacts are prohibited, she added.
