MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY — The county's subdivision and development appeal board (SDAB) has heard an appeal of an earlier rejection of an application for a development permit to allow monthly wrestling events on a property near the Harmattan Gas Plant southeast of Sundre of Highway 22.
The Mountain View County municipal planning commission (MPC) approving authority rejected a business, agri-tourism - one event per month application by Tomco Enterprise Ltd. for the 13-acre property at SW 26-31-4-5 in Division 4 in May.
The original application was to use an existing building, previously used in the processing of hay, for the monthly event. Events could include wrestling shows, car shows, horses pulls and tractor pulls, according to the original development permit application.
At the May 5 MPC meeting, commission members discussed the application procedure and public safety obligations with regard to the nearby AltaGas facility, including a proposed condition that reads: “The applicant, landowner and/or operator shall work with the Harmattan Gas Plant to incorporate the development approved with this development permit in their emergency response plan and submit confirmation to the county.”
The commission said it was not satisfied with the recommended condition and required a more formalized emergency response plan prior to considering the application.
During the June 9 SDAB hearing, the appellent told the board that he has spoken to officials at the gas plant about the proposed building use and says they are in support.
“I couldn’t figure out why somebody opposed us on it,” he said. “It’s not a money-making project and it’s not life or death. If we don’t get it (approval) it’s no big deal. All of our money goes into the community.
“They (gas plant officials) are very happy and they like to see us across the road. I told the manager at the gas plant that if we have these events I would tell him how many people we have at the events.”
Events would be held in the afternoon and there would be no double parking, he said.
The monthly wrestling event would include security from organizers, he said.
No new building is proposed for the project, he said.
Asked if the gas plant plans to incorporate the applicant’s project/operation in the company’s emergency response plan, he said, “They are going to be working with us.”
The county’s planning and development department represented the MPC regarding the appeal lodged by the appellant.
The department called on the SDAB to reject the appeal and uphold the earlier MPC decision.
The SDAB is expected to issue its ruling on the appeal by the end of the month.
