MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council has given first reading to proposed amendments to the Bergen area structure plan (ASP) Bylaw No. 04/22 related to aggregate extraction in the community.
The move came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, held in person and by Zoom.
The amendments include the deletion of three policies, amendment to one policy, and the deletion of an aggregate resource extraction map.
“The future redesignation and subdivision potential of the affected lands, after the removal of the policies and map, will be the same as other lands within the area structure plan area that are not affected by the policies and map,” administration said in a briefing note to council.
The policies to be removed all relate to aggregate resource extraction. One policy reads: “Within the aggregate impact area setback, country residential development is prohibited. Other forms of development not recommended other than this allowed under the land use bylaw in an agriculture lot.”
Another policy proposed to be deleted reads: “Extraction of resources, particularly sand and gravel deposits, prior to subdivision and development of the land for other uses should be encouraged when located within the aggregate areas.”
A third policy proposed to be deleted reads, in part: “The number of lots allowed to be subdivided from the aggregate impact area setback is restricted because of the setback from potential aggregate area deposits. Within the aggregate impact area setback, no new country residential lots are allowed. This setback is the inner 300 metres of each quarter.”
The proposed amendment would also include the addition of the following: “Extraction of resources, particularly sand and gravel deposits, prior to subdivision and development of the lands for other uses should be encouraged.”
The proposed amendments come after a number of Bergen area residents sent a letter to council asking for an ASP steering committee be established to review the plan.
In the letter the residents said, in part: “The first purpose of the ASP is to provide direction and guidance for the future development in a manner that reflects the vision and aspirations of the landowners and other stakeholders of the area. Some elements of the ASP no longer meet the needs or aspirations of affected landowners.”
The landowner said they believe the plan “needs to be reviewed at the earliest opportunity in 2022, with direct input form the members of the community that are directly affected by the plan.”
The landowners also said: “We believe these conditions outlined in the ASP are inconsistent with county policies and places conditions that do not exist in other areas of the county with regards to land development or subdivision or the creation of aggregate extraction operations.
“We believe removal of these specific conditions will not restrict future potential aggregate resource extraction. Removal of these restrictions will, however, allow future development as the current landowners see fit within the current land use bylaws.”
Council set April 13 as the public hearing date for the proposed amendments.
