MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - While the number of total acres redesignated in Mountain View County declined in 2024, from 519 in 2023 to 449 last year, the total number of approved redesignation applications increased from 17 to 26, according to the 2024 municipal development plan monitoring report.
The recently-released report includes information on planning and development decisions, as well as tables and mapping.
“This MDP monitoring report is very useful and very helpful,” said reeve Angela Aalbers.
Development plan monitoring reports are prepared annually to identify trends related to policy decisions and provide information on the results of amendments to county planning documents.
The MDP is a high-level document that governs planning and development in the municipality.
A total of 16 applications were approved in agricultural preservation areas in 2024.
As well, a total of 15 applications received approval as first parcel out of an unsubdivided quarter section, with the second title as the remainder of the quarter section.
Four applications resulted in a second parcel, with the third title as the remainder of quarter section.
A total of three applications were refused in the agricultural preservation area.
A total of 317.93 acres were redesignated to agricultural (2) zoning as a result of eight applications in 2024, compared with nine applications in 2023 representing 394.1 total acres.
In 2024, a total of 113.79 acres were redesignated to residential districts, out of 18 applications, compared with 71.22 acres out of nine applications in 2023.
There were seven farmstead approvals in 2024, representing 61.33 acres, compared with five applications in 2023 representing 50.93 acres.
In 2024 the average parcel size for farmsteads was 8.76 acres and 3.91 for country residential parcels. Compared to 2023, the average size of farmsteads decreased from 10.19 acres and 3.93 for country residential.
On the economic development side, a total of 16 new businesses received development approval, of which six are located on agricultural-zoned lands and three on country residential-zoned lands. Seven new businesses were approved on commercial and business and industrial-zoned lands.
In 2024, seven businesses expanded, compared with six in 2023. The 2024 businesses that expanded were located on a combination of agricultural, country residential and recreational-zoned lands.
Council instructed administration to add a line to the report stating that it aligns with the strategic direction of council and then accepted the report as information.
