The Mountain View County (MVC) municipal planning commission has review proposed changes to the land use bylaw, including items related to cannabis production facilities.
The review took place during the recent regularly scheduled committee meeting in council chambers.
Public hearings will be held next month on the proposed changes. The MCP could provide written comments on the proposed changes prior to those hearings.
“The recommended changes to the land use bylaw are intended to provide clarification and clear interpretation when applicants apply and administration review applications,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission.
Changes proposed regarding cannabis production include the following:
- The definition “Cannabis Production Facility” that will regulate federal and/or provincial licensed facilities for growing and processing of cannabis and related products.
- The use “Cannabis Production Facility” as a discretionary use in industrial and airport districts.
- Specific use regulations for “Cannabis Production Facility” - The definition “Cannabis Retail Sales” as a discretionary use in the districts and local commercial districts.
- Specific Use Regulations for “Cannabis Retail Sales” - Add to the definitions of “Commercial Retail Services, Major” and “Commercial Retail Services, Minor” that cannabis retail sales are not included.
- Add to the definition “Horticultural Use, Medicinal” that “Cannabis Production Facility” is excluded.
Regarding borrow pits, administration said, in part, that they “have been identified as time limited in nature and currently the land use bylaw requires an applicant to rezone the portion of land required for the borrow pit to aggregate extraction and processing district and if successful a subsequent development permit shall be obtained.”
Related proposed changes include the following:
- Oil and gas related borrow pits are regulated through the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) therefore, the proposed changes would allow for borrow pits associated with oil and gas facilities to become exempt from obtaining rezoning and a development permit.
- In addition, the land use bylaw currently exempts borrow pits for MVC projects, however, currently requires borrow pits for the purpose of Alberta Transportation projects to obtain rezoning and issuance of a development permit. Recognizing that projects associated with provincial road projects are done to enhance provincial services to benefit all users, the proposed changes will consider borrows associated with provincial road projects as exempt within the bylaw.
Additional proposed land use amendments include the following:
- Removal of the minimum dwelling size within the definition of dwelling, single detached as minimum square footage is included in the district regulations.
- Cross-referencing the signs definitions contained within the business, industrial and commercial guidelines with the land use bylaw for consistency.
- Within the definition of "Mineral Resource Extraction and Processing" remove the wording “timber” to provide clarification that timber removal/harvesting falls under the definition of "Tree Clearing." In addition, provide clarity within the districts that when "Tree Clearing" is a use that can be applied for it is an exempt use when outside of an environmentally significant area (ESA) but a discretionary use requiring issuance of a development permit when proposed within an ESA.
- Allow for shipping containers (also known as sea cans) to be applied for in parks and recreation district as a permitted use requiring a development permit and within the parks conservation and recreation district on common property as a discretionary use requiring a development permit.
- Amend the definition of portable batch to exclude wet scrubber plants.
Public hearings will be held on April 10 and April 24 regarding the proposed land use bylaw amendments.
