Appeal hearing held regarding berm

The Mountain View County subdivision and development appeal board has held a hearing regarding a partially completed privacy berm outside Sundre.

The four-metre-high and 170-metre-long berm is located on a property about one kilometre south of Twp. Rd. 332 on the east side of Rge. Rd. 55.

The project was approved by the municipal planning commission in August. The appeal hearing was held in council chambers on Sept. 21.

In a letter to the board, appellant Brendan McAllister (who lives next to the property) said he has a number of concerns with the berm.

“We are greatly concerned with the tall grasses and vegetation that grows between the berm and our property as we felt that is a huge fire hazard especially in dry years as of late,” McAllister said in part. “We have livestock feed storage and machinery along that fence line in our barnyard and are very concerned about that grass catching fire and burning our property and feed.

“We are also concerned about our livestock being disturbed by the dust, noise, and traffic caused by the berm construction as it is directly across the fence from our home and barnyard.

“If we could be told that Kevin Saunders (berm owner) will not spray our trees, not walk or drive upon the berm, bring his dog up there to disturb our dog, and that finishing this berm will not take months or years we would greatly appreciate the gesture.”

The county’s planning and development department represented the municipal planning commission during the hearing, calling on the appeal board to uphold the permit for four reasons:

• Berming is a use that can be considered within an agricultural district.

• The setback relaxation should not impact the use and enjoyment of adjacent lands.

• An approval will bring the property into compliance with the land use bylaw.

• The applicants submitted a drainage plan that indicates that the berm will not negatively impact drainage on or off the subject property.

In response to noise and dust concerns during construction of the berm, the department said, “Administration considers the construction of the berm as a temporary disruption during construction, however as per standard condition, the applicant has 24 months to comply with the conditions of a conditionally approved development.”

In a letter to the county, Kevin and Lana Saunders said the berm is being constructed to create privacy.

“The berm does not impede their (McAllisters') view of the mountains but does limit the view into the Saunders’ yard, driveway and children’s play area,” the Saunderses said in part.

In a second letter to the county, the Saunderses said they hope to have the berm completed during the winter months of 2018.

“Placement of top soil and seeding of the berm cannot be completed until spring (2019) thaw, once the road bans have been removed. We plan to complete this task by July 2019 depending on the weather.”

The subdivision and development appeal board has until mid-October to issue its ruling on the appeal.