MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – The county's municipal planning commission (MPC) has approved a development permit for a metal recycling waste management facility in the McDougal Flats rural neighbourhood west of Sundre.
The approval of the facility, minor and accessory buildings, two sheds and accessory use recreational vehicle came by way of motion at the MCP’s recent regularly scheduled meeting, held by teleconference.
The property involved is located on the south side of Highway 584 on Twp. Rd. 325B, about one kilometre east of Rge. Rd. 55 at NW 32-32-5-5. The area is zoned business park district in the SE Sundre industrial park and covers 4.45 acres.
“There is an existing scrap yard on the parcel, however the new applicants will be intensifying the use,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission.
“The applicants operated a very similar operation within the Town of Sundre, east of the subject lands. They recently purchased the subject lot and have moved their business to the subject lands.”
There is an existing ATCO officer trailer, a shipping container and two sheds at the site, and the entire lot is fenced with a chain link fence, members heard.
“Metal is either collected off site and delivered to the subject lands or is dropped of on site and sorted,” administration said.
“Once sorted, the metal is sold to a recycling company for further processing off site. It is anticipated that the metal would be removed off site at least once a year when enough materials are collected for an appropriate load.”
Administration supported the application, saying it was in compliance with provisions of the land use bylaw.
The approval came with a number of conditions, including the following:
• The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall organize the storage on the lot so that is orderly, neat and tidy.
• All piles of metal shall be kept lower than the 2.4 metre fence line.
• The self-serve scrap metal bin for customer drop-offs, located at the entrance of the property, shall be kept in a neat and tidy manner and no excessive accumulation of materials shall occur outside of the scrap metal bin.
• No topsoil shall be removed from the subject property without the issuance of a topsoil removal permit from the county’s agricultural services department.
The municipal planning commission is made up of appointed members of the public and county councillors. It is the municipality’s approving authority.
