BARRHEAD - The County of Barrhead will become the home to a new Hutterite Colony, but not where they first expected it to be.
On June 20, the municipal planning commission (MPC) voted 6-1 to approve an application from the New Rockport Hutterian Brethren to build a new colony in the county. The Brethren also have an existing colony in Warner County, near Lethbridge.
Coun. Jared Stoik was opposed.
If this seems familiar, it is because the county's MPC approved an almost identical New Rockport Hutterian Brethren application in early May by the same vote, with Stoik casting the lone opposition vote.
Once the colony is fully completed, the property near Highway 777 and the Westlock County border will be the home of about 70 residents and have several buildings, including four large roadhouse-style residential units, various shop and canning buildings, a plastic manufacturing plant, assorted farm buildings, a church and a school.
Development officer Jenny Bruns said although the MPC approved their earlier application, the Brethren chose to cancel it in favour of a new location very close to the site they initially selected, but on higher ground.
In the original location, a portion of the parcel was in the floodplain, but she noted that is no longer the case with the new location.
Construction will start this summer, with an anticipated completion date sometime in 2025, and as with their original application, the they will have several ATCO trailers for worker residences.
As part of the conditions for approval, the trailers cannot use generator power and must be removed upon completion of the residential units.
However, Bruns said she does not foresee generators being an issue as the property is already partially developed and has electricity to it.
The other notable condition is that they must enter into a development agreement with the County of Barrhead and road-use contracts with the municipality and Westlock County.
Bruns noted that the colony has applied to the Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) for a potential turkey and chicken operation.
She added that during the construction, the colony proposes to place several ATCO trailers for worker residences.
It is worth mentioning that a group of Westlock County residents opposed the original application. They met with County of Barrhead manager Debbie Oyarzun and also launched an appeal with the subdivision and development appeal board (SDAB), which consists entirely of public members. Among the concerns residents listed were increased traffic on Westlock County roads and the amount of water drawn from the Pembina River.
At the May 16 Westlock County council meeting, their CAO Tony Kulbisky stated they would also write letters outlining similar concerns to the County of Barrhead and the NRCB.
Bruns noted that although the second application is practically identical to the initial application, the land is in an agricultural district, and they were looking for approval as a cluster farm.
To be classified as a cluster farm under the county's land-use bylaw, it must have one or more multiple-family dwellings on a farm unit of a minimum of 320 acres, and the residents of the housing units must have to be employed in agriculture or intensive agriculture for at least six months of the year.
Bruns noted the colony easily meets the 320-acre land requirement.
She added that the county, although perhaps not as part of one application, has approved similar submissions, including other industrial businesses, churches, and schools.
Bruns also noted that many of the proposed or existing outbuildings do not need permits if they are directly related to the farming operation, including the canning building if the farm is over 20 acres.
"Again, this easily qualifies at almost a full quarter," she said.
As for the proposed poultry operation, Bruns said it was at the discretion of the NRCB, but intensive agriculture was discretionary use in an agricultural district.
She noted that administration recommended approving the application saying it conforms with several of the goals under the county's municipal development plan, such as maintaining and enhancing the agricultural resource-based and forest-based economy, encouraging economic growth and providing opportunities for commercial and industrial development, and minimizing municipal servicing costs associated with residential development in an agricultural area.
Bruns also noted that the strain on surrounding infrastructure should be minimal, especially on the roads.
As with the previous application, she noted that the main traffic route in and out of the colony would be to the east via Highway 777 towards the pavement.
"The residents live there, go to work, school and church there, so there will be little in the way of extra traffic," she said. "They will need to get fertilizer, gas, and other supplies like any other farm. Perhaps it will be a bit more intensive."
Earlier in her presentation, Bruns noted that the industrial plastic manufacturing facility only expects two additional delivery/pick vans a week as there will be no retail activity at the colony.
She also noted that the Brethren's existing colony only has five vehicles, and they expect a similar number for the Barrhead colony.
"It won't be like a campground, where there is a lot of extra traffic. The impact will be minimal," Bruns said. "But we can put these agreements in place in case anything changes."
Coun. Walter Preugschas asked for clarification about what was included in a road-use agreement.
"A road-use agreement states whoever damages a road is responsible for repairing them," Bruns explained, adding it is common for the county to have a road-use agreement with dairy operations, feedlots, and most notably the energy sector.
Reeve Doug Drozd said the county put more teeth into its road-use agreements several years ago due to gravel operations in Stony Valley, north of Barrhead, with haul routes that went through the county.
Oyarzun agreed, adding they tightened up their road agreements even more after energy companies started to default in paying their municipal property taxes.
"That way, if they damaged the road, we had more certainty that we would be able to recoup the costs," she said.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
