The Mountain View County municipal planning commission has approved a development permit application for an existing public riding arena in the Wessex area near Carstairs.
The approval came during the commission's recent regularly scheduled meeting.
The arena will be located on an 80-acre parcel about three kilometres south of Highway 581 east of Rge. Rd. 12. The owner is Paul Louis Roy and the applicant is Sarah Boyer.
“The riding arena will be used for horse riding lessons as well as boarding and training services,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission. “The applicant has indicated that she will be limiting her lessons to a maximum of three students at a time.”
The arena was actually constructed in 2008.
“A development permit for Champion Equine and Training Centre was submitted at that time, however, being approved the applicant/landowner did not meet all the conditions of the permit and the permit was not issued.”
Nineteen adjacent landowners were given notice of the permit application, with one letter of concern and one letter of support subsequently received by the county.
In their letter of concern, landowners Ray and Natonia Tithecott raised a number of concerns, including increased traffic and road dust in the area around the arena.
In his letter of support, landowner Raymond Blasette said, “I support this proposal 100 per cent.”
The approval comes with 18 conditions, including a maximum of six clients/customers per day with an event permit required for events beyond six clients, hours of operation of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., no camping at the site, and consultation with operational services regarding dust control.
Meanwhile, during the recent meeting Kim Walton was elected chair of the commission, replacing longtime chair Greg Harris, who is no longer on the commission.
