Several developers gave one last attempt - including a legal challenge of sorts - to stop revisions and outright repeals of approved plans affected by the new direction of Mountain View County's new Municipal Development Plan.Public hearings were held last Wednesday regarding amendments to three area structure plans for development in the Sundre area and east of Olds to bring them into compliance with the new MDP.Hearings were also held to repeal two approved concept plans including Neuroese's Netook Crossing North Plan for the area near highways 2 and 27.Not only did the Netook developer take issue with its approved concept plan being repealed, but also retained legal counsel to confront councillors about continuing opposition to its proposal.Timothy Bardsley, a lawyer with Fraser Milner Casgrain, made a formal request during last Wednesday's proceedings for Div. 6 Coun. Paddy Munro and Div. 1 Coun. Kevin Good to recuse themselves from the public hearing.“...because of the strident opposition we're concerned about the ability of these two members,” Bardsley told council.He said while councillors are entitled to have their opinions, there's a legal concern if they are incapable of being persuaded.Reeve Bruce Beattie said “these are very, very serious allegations.”He called a 10-minute recess.When council reconvened, both Good and Munro gave reasons as to why they would not recuse themselves from the hearing.“I'm an elected representative and I try to the best of anyone to represent my constituents in Division 6. I never waver from that. I believe I am not biased and I will be voting on this resolution,” said Munro.Good, saying he was reluctant to not partake in the hearing even if legal counsel said it would be helpful to avoid costs of potential legal action, also voted in the motion to repeal the Netook Crossing North Concept Plan.He listed the ways in which he insisted on ensuring all voices were heard during the MDP input process.“I do not believe in any way that I am closed-minded,” said Good.Council and administration discussed the reasons why the plan was being repealed instead of amended like what was being undertaken with ASPs like the Highway 2/27 plan.The Netook north concept plan involves four quarter sections and along with business parcels, had planned for 431 residential parcels with connection to municipal water and wastewater services.The MDP no longer allows for this degree of density of units and municipal service hookup continues to be debated.With so many changes required to the plan, planning staff said it made sense to scrap the plan and start again.The motion to repeal the Netook Crossing North concept plan passed with only Div. 7 Coun. Al Kemmere opposed.The repeal of the Elsner subdivision conceptual plan was passed, as were amendments to the Highway 2/27 ASP, Southeast Sundre ASP, and South McDougal Flats ASP.
