Town council gave second and third reading to a land use amendment bylaw to bring the current use at 6102 and 6110 46 Street into conformity with the Land Use Bylaw. The decision was made by council on April 26.
A public hearing was held in regard to the current uses of the land, owned by Les Leatherdale. Leatherdale explained that the land has been used for recreational vehicle storage for the past several years, but that permission was never sought from the town to change the use from a former lumberyard. He said initially, he only agreed to store friends' recreational vehicles on the property, but later began renting out the land for general recreational vehicle storage.
Leatherdale said since the town wrote him to confirm the land wasn't permitted to be used as vehicle storage, he has turned away revenue in the meantime. The land is also being used to store oilfield equipment, also not a permitted use under the Highway Commercial designation.
Lyle Eberle, owner of Olds Mini-Storage Ltd., spoke at the hearing. While he said he thought the property was a good piece of land for commercial use, he didn't support it as a storage area.
“It's been a mess for several years,” he said, adding he felt there isn't adequate room for RV storage. “It's basically going backwards, not forwards (as a storage site).”
Sean Carter, the town's development officer, told councillors in his preamble to the hearing that the development department didn't support the storage of oilfield equipment on the site and wanted it removed.
Coun. Murray Ball asked if a study was conducted on possible soil contamination. Carter said if council decided to pass the amendment, then the development department would work with the applicant on an environmental assessment.
Coun. Arvin Bull supported the amendment.
“I don't think this poses a problem,” he said.
Mayor Judy Dahl said she supported the amendment and was confident that all outstanding issues could be resolved during the development permit stage. She said she supported gradual improvement of the land — and using it for commercial purposes — over time.
Dahl also stressed that the amendment concerned the two subject lots only, and that a change in land use could be forthcoming with a new owner.
“Today it's an area that needs to be used. I think that council understands that what was on the table today was strictly the Highway Commercial zone and it was the subject land only,” she said.
The development department will now work with the applicant on a development permit to make the use lawful and conforming.
Carter said when the original application was made to bring the land into a lawful and conforming use in September 2010, it was only for one of the subject lots. As it was processed, it was changed to include both of the lots.
"Today it's an area that needs to be used. I think that council understands that what was on the table today was strictly the Highway Commercial zone and it was the subject land only."Judy DahlOlds mayor
