Original Published on Jul 07, 2022 at 13:30
By Stu Salkeld, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The County of Stettler Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) requested more information about a proposed subdivision in a nearby municipality after it seemed the wrong map was included in the referral. The matter was discussed at the June 22 MPC meeting.
The MPC is comprised of members of county council and is chaired by Coun. James Nibourg.
Development Officer Jacinta Donovan presented councillors with a referral for a subdivision within the Summer Village of White Sands, and Donovan noted that because of the Buffalo Lake Intermunicipal Development Plan (BLIDP) all member municipalities must be notified of such subdivisions.
Donovan pointed out the plan caps the number of development units in the summer village, and this became an important point later in the discussion.
“The BLIDP identified 492 existing development units within the Summer Village of White Sands upon adoption of the updated document on Feb. 10, 2021,” stated Donovan’s report. “Further, the BLIDP stipulates a maximum amount of 505 development units for the Summer Village of White Sands.”
A letter from the Summer Village of White Sands signed by Planning and Development Consultant Leann Graham stated that the village requested the county MPC’s comments on a plan to subdivide lot 8, block 7, plan 0223414 to create three separate parcels, “as identified on the attached tentative subdivision plan.”
That attached tentative subdivision plan also became an issue as Donovan stated Stettler county staff discovered the map didn’t match up with the legal land description provided by the summer village.
Parkland Community Planning Services Planner Craig Teal was in attendance and stated it appeared the area marked on the map is not the area described in the summer village’s letter and therefore it’s not clear where the lots are located.
Teal stated he couldn’t answer whether the letter or map was correct.
He also pointed out that there was no information provided on how large each individual parcel will be.
Donovan stated it was assumed the parcels would be about two acres each.
Board chair Nibourg hesitated to approve the referral.
“I’m hesitant on this one,” said Nibourg, adding that Stettler county doesn’t know if the summer village is overbuilt or underbuilt.
He stated Stettler county recently asked the Summer Village of White Sands to confirm how many guest suites they have and whether the summer village has exceeded the development unit cap.
Donovan stated Stettler county hasn’t received a response to that request yet.
Nibourg noted if Stettler county approves this referral without complete information and it turns out the summer village is overbuilt then it means Stettler county approved that.
Reeve Larry Clarke noted the board doesn’t even know for certain which parcel this request applies to.
Stettler MPC voted unanimously in favour of sending a letter back to the Summer Village of White Sands requesting the lot sizes, legal address and an accurate map be provided along with a confirmation of the summer village’s number of guest suites and development units.
Board members also unanimously passed a resolution that Stettler county staff report at a future meeting on how dispute resolution for BLIDP issues such as this one may be handled.
This item reprinted with permission from East Central Alberta Review, Coronation, Alberta
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