The dust has finally settled. After months of controversy surrounding a miniature saloon shed built on Ken McCarthy's property in Penhold a resolution seems to be found.
“It was a year's fight that was totally unnecessary,” said McCarthy, who built the structure last spring to store some of his personal collections and to stand beside a miniature church he had built prior to the saloon.
He first ran into complications with the Municipal Planning Commission, which denied his permit application last spring and asked that the saloon be removed by the end of July.
McCarthy made several errors in his application for the structure — which is more than 100 square feet —including referring to the shed as a tourist attraction and building it before undergoing an application and inspection.
When McCarthy refused to remove his saloon he was issued a letter in August that the matter was now in the hands of the local Penhold community peace officers. McCarthy said then that the shed wasn't going anywhere “without a fight.”
Last week, McCarthy met with the mayor and administration to discuss the issue once and for all.
“It's too bad we had to go through all this strife,” said Mayor Dennis Cooper.
“The first permit went the wrong way and wasn't allowed in the Land Use Bylaw,” said Cooper, explaining that McCarthy will now apply for a different permit that is more suited for the structure.
“It's going through the process and should be approved. I hope we'll move on and have this resolved,” he said.
When asked if he was happy with the resolution, McCarthy was hesitant.
“I guess so,” he said, explaining that the process was frustrating and expensive for application and lawyer fees.
“It's been somewhat resolved so we will carry on.”
