Mountain View County's municipal planning commission has approved a development permit for a new equine facilitated health and wellness business at an existing appointment-only riding arena in the Wessex community near Carstairs.
The approval came during the commission's recent regularly scheduled meeting.
The facility will be located on a 125.11-acre parcel at SW 22-30-1-15 adjacent to Rge. Rd. 13 and one mile east of Highway 2A. The owner and applicant is Julie Ann Rainforth.
“The business consists of equine facilitated health and wellness,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission. “The applicant mentions that the business is primarily a one-on-one consultation with individuals. Consultations would include grooming horses, leading, haltering, walking around obstacles, picking feet, etc.
“The applicant would be promoting personal healing, growth and development for the individual. The applicant mentions that group consultations may occur and if so they will be capped at 10 participants and 30 per week.”
The application approved comes with a number of conditions, including the following:
• The permit will allow up to 10 clients per day. Events are not permitted with this development permit. Any additional classes beyond 10 clients/customers shall require either an event permit or a new development permit and additional building code requirements may need to be addressed.
• Hours of operation for the equestrian business shall be year round, Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. 7 p.m. There shall be no business conducted on Sundays and statutory holidays.
• Any public use, future expansion, additional structures, and/or intensification of the equestrian business will require the issuance of a new development permit.
• The riding arena shall be permitted for private use only. Should the landowner wish to use the riding arena for public events a new development permit or event permit for a single event and a building permit will be required.
• The applicant will practise environmental land management as outlined in “Manure and Horse Management for Horse Owners” and “2008 Reference Guide to Agricultural Operation Practices Act”.
• The applicant shall, on an as-needed basis, consult with the county's operational services department to determine additional dust suppression requirements along Rge. Rd. 13.
