Latest amendment to M.D. land-use bylaw concerns suitability of sites

By Nikki Jamieson
Vauxhall Advance
njamieson@tabertimes.com

Whether or not a site is suitable for development will be further clarified in a proposed amendment to the Municipal District of Taber’s Land-use bylaw.

During their regular meeting on July 12, the Municipal District of Taber council performed the first reading of bylaw 1896, which amends bylaw 1722 —the Land-use bylaw — for consistency with the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan and adopted Intermunicipal Development Plans.

The proposed amendment would have the Land-use bylaw, sect. 15(f), Suitability of Sites, read; “(f) does not comply with the requirements of the: applicable Regional Plan; Subdivision and Development Regulation; applicable Intermunicipal Development Plan; Municipal Development Plan; or applicable area structure plan or any other statutory plan.”

“Suitability of sites was one of the items; that definition was added with the Intermunicipal Development Plan with the Village of Barnwell,” said Derrick Krizsan, CAO for the M.D.

“The current land-use bylaw does not make reference to that.”

Section 15 of the Land-use Bylaw deals with under what circumstances can the Development Authority or Subdivision Authority can deny the issuance of a development permit.

If passed, the amendment will update some of the plans that conditions must be met if someone wants to develop that site.

The SSRP was approved on July 23, 2014, by the Alberta government and became affective on Sept. 1, 2014.

It sets a long-term vision for the South Saskatchewan Region — which covers the majority of southern Alberta — and positions provincial policies at the regional level, covering economic, environmental and social goals while setting strategies for responsible energy development, sustainable farming and ranching, forest management, and nature-based tourism.

The plan also sets a tone for long-term commitment for conservation, protection of watersheds, sustaining biodiversity and sensitive habitats and to support the continued growth and prosperity of southern Alberta.
Highlights of the SSRP include:

• Creating four new and expanded conservation areas, including the 54,588 hectare Castle Wildland Provincial Park and the 34,356 hectare Pekisko Heritage Rangeland.
• Ensuring watershed management and headwaters protection in the eastern slopes.
• Increasing grazing tenure terms where high management standards are demonstrated.
• Providing a compendium of tools and best practices for land-use planners, land users and decision-makers.
• Establishing environmental management frameworks for air and surface water quality, with strict environmental limits, and committing to completing a biodiversity management framework.
• Providing guidelines to avoid native grassland conversion.
• Improving the connectivity of wildlife habitats.
• Committing to developing a regional trail system and promotes the development of Tourism Destination Areas.

A public hearing for the bylaw amendment is scheduled for Aug 23, at 1:00 p.m.

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