A second public hearing will be held regarding proposed changes to Mountain View County's land use bylaw, officials announced last week.
“Because of the change of council, with three new councillors, we've decided that we would review the entire document again with the new council and have another public hearing to review the outcome,” said Reeve Bruce Beattie.
“We can have another public hearing and then give second reading after that point.”
Councillors and members of the Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) met on Dec. 16 to go over the document, deciding at that point that a new public hearing will be held.
On Sept. 11 councillors gave first reading to Land Use Bylaw No. 14/13, which if approved would replace the existing Land Use Bylaw No. 11/11.
An initial public hearing was held in October, with public comments gathered at the meeting and subsequently through phone calls, emails and texts.
The new bylaw has been developed following a review of the current bylaw by council and the MPC starting last year.
The new bylaw would include a number of changes to the existing bylaw, including additional definitions, removal of specific sections covered under separate policy and procedure documents, removal of districts due to duplication, simplification of subsidiary occupations, changes to dwelling density and other amendments.
Changes specifically relating to dwelling density in the proposed new bylaw include the following:
• Setting a maximum dwelling density of four dwelling units per quarter section outside growth centres and hamlets, including dwellings on lots in the quarter section.
• The subdivision of new lots will be restricted if four or more dwelling units currently exist on a quarter section.
• The maximum number of dwelling units for parcels 79 acres or less will be one.
• The maximum number of dwelling units for parcels 80 acres or more will be two.
• Secondary suites will not be considered a dwelling unit and cannot exceed the size of the principal dwelling.
Changes regarding subsidiary occupations include that subsidiary businesses that may “affect neighbouring properties” will no longer be permitted; streamlined regulations are proposed for low impact businesses.
Regarding highway commercial district, this district will be deleted to remove duplication with other similar districts. As well, the county residential district will be deleted for simplification.
Regarding sea can shipping containers, they will be required to have development permits when on any county residential parcels or when on agricultural parcels of less than five acres.
A number of the comments received since the October public hearing related to the bylaw's dwelling density provisions, council members heard on Dec. 16.
“We are still working around the issues of densities,” said Beattie. “The major issue is the densities and the size of the parcels for dwellings. That is something we will be bringing to the new public hearing to make sure people are comfortable with that.”
The new public hearing will likely be held in early February.
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