Rocky View County council accepted a staff recommendation and defeated a Bearspaw infill rezoning application in a split vote, Oct. 11.
The proposal would have split 5.6 acres off a 16-acre lot located on Glendale Road just south of Township Road 262.
Although there was no public opposition, several councillors expressed concerns about the proposed layout, access to the lot, drainage and the lack of a larger concept plan, as required by the Bearspaw Area Structure Plan (BASP).
“To me it is the movie where we ignore our policies and plans,” said Councillor Rick Butler. “The ASP discourages panhandles and requires a concept plan. It might only take a few weeks, but let’s take a look at the whole picture.”
The application proposed panhandles to access Glendale Road, against the policies in the BASP, which also calls for a quarter-section sized concept plan, complete with technical studies, for any new acreages in the area.
The applicant, Dale Baldwin, said it would not be feasible to prepare the document for one new lot. He also argued that a panhandle was recently approved for the land to the south.
“It’s the best we can do, I’m afraid,” he said. “Aside from the prohibitive cost, I don’t see that (a concept plan) would be a real value.”
Baldwin had a drawing of a possible layout scheme for a portion of the quarter section, but no technical reports, such as a traffic assessment survey, were completed.
There is an existing home on the 16-acre lot, which is serviced by a water well and a private sewage treatment system. The new lot would have been serviced the same way.
Several councillors argued that a concept plan was unnecessary as technical details could be dealt with at the subdivision stage.
“Ninety per cent of this has been more or less addressed,” said Councillor Paul McLean. “It is a little bit of an exercise in futility going through this (concept plan). I think I would rather see some of this dealt with at the subdivision stage.”
Councillor Earl Solberg agreed, saying any plan would not be binding.
“A concept plan… couldn’t be imposed on the other landowners anyway,” he said.
Councillor Kim Magnuson disagreed.
“I would like to see this get planned out properly so we don’t end up with another quarter section of panhandles,” she said.
Reeve Rolly Ashdown suggested tabling the motion to allow the applicant to complete a long-term plan saying he would “hate to see it defeated.”
Councillors Al Sacuta, Margaret Bahcheli, Butler and Magnuson were opposed, while McLean, Solberg and Ashdown voted in favour of the rezoning. Councillors Lois Habberfield and Greg Boehlke were absent from the meeting.
