Outdoor recreational vehicle storage is now a discretionary use on agriculturally zoned land under the revamped land-use bylaw approved by Mountain View County council last week.Land Use Bylaw 11/11 received final council approval Wednesday following a public hearing where no one spoke either in favour or opposition to the bylaw, though one letter of objection was read into the record.The letter writer, whose name was not made public at the meeting, listed several concerns regarding the outdoor RV storage provision. As owner of two 2.5-acre industrial park lots, the writer asked if applicants under the new provision would be required to meet the same standards as commercial landowners and whether they would be taxed at the same rate.In response, staff explained that applicants will be required to consult with neighbours within a half-mile radius and complete a drainage plan, stripping the site and surfacing it with gravel. As well, other site-suitability factors will be considered, landscaping guidelines will apply, and land will be taxed based on use.ìIf it's commercial use, it'll be taxed as commercial,î corporate services director Greg Wiens confirmed.The new LUB specifies the density for outdoor RV storage of one unit for every two acres, allowing up to 80 RVs to be stored on 160 acres, at 600 square feet per unit. Under that formula, the RV storage area would consume up to 1.1 acres on a quarter section.Div. 6 Coun Paddy Munro said the process of developing the RV storage section was extensive and the potential impact on neighbours was taken into account.ìWe're protected on this,î Munro said. ìWe spent countless hours trying to figure this out and we're protected.îDiv. 2 Coun Trish McKean said her only concern ñ that the tax rate would differ from similar operations on commercial properties ñ had been addressed and she was in favour of the new provision. ìFarmers having the supplementary income is good,î she said.Another change to the LUB directs applicants for communication towers to spell out the steps taken to ensure the site location has the least impact on agricultural land.Most of the changes were housekeeping items ñ wording changes, definitions added, amended or removed, said development officer Jessica Ross.ìThe changes are intended to provide clarity Ö when interpreting the document,î Ross said.Div. 1 Coun. Kevin Good noted that the previous LUB had been the trigger that got him engaged in county politics. The amended document, he said, has been reduced from 320 double-sided pages to 215.ìI still think it's very cumbersome but it's comes a long way,î he said.Good added that he looks forward to a further refinement of the LUB to comply with the new Municipal Development Plan, which is currently in the review and revision stages.ìAs our county becomes more populous, you do need more regulation,î Reeve Bruce Beattie said.Final reading of the bylaw was unanimous.
