A proposal to re-designate a 12-acre parcel in the Netook neighbourhood outside Olds from agricultural district to aggregate extraction/processing district has received first reading and a public hearing date has been set.
The moves came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The application is to re-designate an area that contains an existing clay extraction site. The type of extraction at the site is clay and loam.
“The objective is to lower the elevation of a large mound or hill and continue to farm the cropland using good farming practice,” the applicant said in a letter to council.
“To also supplement income by the sale of clay and black loam to help cover high input costs for the cropland.”
The haul route would be Rge. Rd. 20 to Highway 27, with loads being tarped.
The county has received a number of letters of objection to the proposal. In one letter, the writer outlines a number of concerns, including the following (quoted from letter):
- Noise. With an open field between us and the property and given the fact that noise travels, our concern that the proposed operation, which in the application states will run from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and he indicated that it will be for 10 years, will unduly affect our quality of life with noise.
- Dust. Same as in our first objection. We feel this operation is so close to residential area (that it) will unduly affect our quality of life with the amount of dust it will create.
- Safety. The Town of Olds has designated the site almost directly across from this proposed clay extraction for a new Athletic Park, which will bring in hundreds of kids and parents, coaches, families and out-of-town guests to the area using 70th Ave. Our concern is with the big trucks going up and down this road and potential risk to all those using that facility where none exists right now as the road has limited use, not to mention that there is future residential development designed for that land.
- Further, the issues of noise and dust apply to all those users of the Athletic Park and future residents in that area who will be inundated with noise and dust as this operation gets into full swing truly affecting their quality of life and enjoyment of many ball diamonds and playing fields in there.
“It is our opinion that this type of operation is suited for a rural area where neighbours are many kilometres away,” the letter writer states. “However, given the close proximity to current residents and the future development of the Athletic Park and residential subdivision this application should be rejected.”
The public hearing for the proposed re-designation is scheduled for May 9 in council chambers.
