An expected outcome of council's freeze on multi-lots, applications for subdivision, rezoning and development permits fell dramatically last year in Mountain View County, planning department statistics released last week show.At 377, the total number of applications was down by more than 27 per cent from the 519 applications received in 2010, with subdivision applications seeing the biggest drop (from 129 to 58), followed by redesignations (from 120 to 68), development permits for permitted uses (119 to 82) and compliance certificates (56 to 55). Development permits for discretionary uses were up from 95 in 2010 to 114.Last year's total is down more than 40 per cent from the highs of 648 in 2007 and 647 in 2008.The numbers reflect council's suspension of the Municipal Development Plan's multi-lot provisions in November 2010, which effectively stopped new applications for subdivision beyond first parcel out on agricultural land, except for special cases such as fragmented parcels.ìNo new trends here,î interim planning director John Rusling told council's policies and priorities commitee last Wednesday when reviewing the stats. ìThe subdivision and rezoning revenue is down a bit because of the absence of clustered subdivision coming to council.îAs of the November financial statement, revenue from subdivision fees was tracking to come in $120,000 below the $200,000 budgeted for the year.The multi-lot freeze was put into effect until council's review of the MDP is completed, tentatively this spring. A consultants report incorporating survey responses from four recent draft MDP open houses will be presented to council on Feb. 8, Rusling said.Full permitting applications also dropped last year, from 850 in 2010 to 800. Numbers were moderately down for electrical, gas and sewage applications but rose slightly for plumbing and building permits.Rig moves, drilling fees climbMeanwhile, rig move permits rose substantially last year, with drilling rig moves up by 53 per cent to 208, service rig moves up 20 per cent to 439, and overweight load permits jumping 75 per cent to 2,316, legislative, community and agricultural services director Jeff Holmes said.Well drilling fees were already $647,000 above budget as of the end of November, the financial statement overview said.
