MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – The Mountain View County subdivision and development appeal board (SDAB) has heard an appeal of a stop order regarding two signs on the sides of trailers in the county.
The hearing was held in council chambers with the appellant and the respondent (Mountain View County).
The trailer signs are owned by appellant CLHbid.com Inc. based in Grande Prairie. They are positioned southeast of the intersection between Highway 2 and Highway 27 east of Olds and on a rural property about four kilometres north of the intersection between Highway 2 and Highway 581.
The county had a stop order issued for both trailers saying they were not permitted under the land use bylaw, that they were unauthorized use/development of prohibited signs.
Posted on both sides of large tractor trailers, the signs have the company name and the words: "The trusted way to sell farm & ranch land.”
During the appeal hearing held in council chamber, appellant CLHbid.com president and CEO Roy Carter said the signs were in place to advertise properties at each site.
“We believe people have the right to market their land in a way that they can basically advertise and promote their land so it is reasonable and they are not bound by conventional real estate signs,” said Carter.
“The two signs that are out there are temporary. Obviously we are not doing any development. We are trying to sell the land. We don’t believe they are roadside (signs).”
Margaretha Bloem, director of planning and development services with the county, spoke on behalf of the respondent.
She said the county has provisions in the land use bylaw prohibiting some signs.
Section 7.2 specifically reads: “All signs that are not in accordance with the definitions for signs under the commercial and industrial guidelines shall be prohibited from development, except for portable signs erected by the county or the RCMP.
“The types of signs prohibited include signs displayed on shipping containers, roadside signs displayed on licenced or un-licensed vehicles, machinery or other objects.”
She said, “I want to make it clear that the stop orders, both of them, were issued for prohibited signs. These are prohibited signs and therefore the respondent is requesting that the SDAB uphold those two stop orders.”
Section 645 of the provincial Municipal Government Act allows municipalities to issue stop orders in cases that violate municipal bylaws such as land use bylaws.
The board will issue its ruling in the case within 15 days of the closing of the hearing.
The SDAB is made up of county councillors and appointed members of the public.
