MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The county’s municipal planning (MCP) has OK’d a development permit for a proposed bunkhouse on a property in the Harmattan area.
The move came by way of motion at the commission’s recent regularly scheduled meeting, held online.
The proposal is a for a dwelling, secondary detached prefabricated change of use of existing dwelling, a second detached to bunkhouse, and setback relaxation to existing structures.
The $230,000 project is on a parcel located on the southeast corner of Range Road 40 and Township Road 324 at NW 19-32-3-5.
“The property is an Alberta Century Farm which has been in the same family for four generations, since 1919,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission. “The agricultural operations on site consist of year-round mixed cattle operations and seasonal crop cultivation.”
The proposed secondary detached prefabricated dwelling will be a 1,520 square-foot mobile home manufactured in 2022 and newly purchased. It will be placed on an existing gravel pad with piling foundation and will be in close proximity to the primary dwelling on site, utilizing the same services.”
The existing dwelling, secondary detached, is the subject of the proposed change of use to bunkhouse.
“It is a 1,615 square-foot house that has existed on the property since it came into the family. It is located within the secondary years site at the western edge of the property. It has historically been used to house hired help, for the last 50 years.
“The bunkhouse will be used exclusively for the accommodation of farm workers in conjunctions with the year-round agricultural operations at the site.
“Most recently the bunkhouse has accompanied a working couple for the last 18 years, and various seasonal student and international farm workers.”
Administration said it could support the application, with all of the proposed uses being considered agricultural district.
The approval comes with severe conditions, including that all manufactured dwelling “shall be skirted from the ground to floor level with a durable finish that complements the existing exterior finish of the manufactured dwelling.”
Made up of county councillors and appointed members of the public, the MCP is the municipality’s approving authority.”
