Although Clearwater County council recently agreed to re-designate as light industrial a 40-acre parcel of land for a proposed cannabis production facility, the project has not been approved, the reeve said.
“This is just one step in the process,” said John Vandermeer.
Council unanimously carried a motion to rezone the land — located southeast of Caroline immediately west of Highway 22 not far north from Highway 587 — following a packed public hearing held Tuesday, July 24 in Rocky Mountain House.
“There was opposition to the project,” the reeve acknowledged candidly during a phone interview.
“Our constituents in our area were not happy to see that.”
However, the reeve added there has not yet been adequate dialogue between the project’s proponent — Element GP Inc. — and members of the public who are opposed.
The next steps — primarily to follow the process for a subdivision as well as a development permit application — will yield much greater details about the project and its potential impact on the land and residents, he said, adding there will be more public open houses planned to foster more opportunities for further discussion.
The reeve also said he hopes Element will deliver as much information as possible to address all of the concerns raised by residents.
“If not, there’ll be a problem.”
In the meantime, approving the rezoning gives the developer a chance to provide answers to the issues voiced. But turning down the proposal at this early stage would have prevented further dialogue, he said.
“We want to see the process go through to the municipal planning commission,” he said, adding issues will be delved into in greater detail.
Council felt the potential economic advantages of the proposed project were attractive and need to be weighed against other potential concerns, he said, adding the community needs more information that will come to light.
“Then there will be a final decision.”
He said council appreciates the concerns raised by members of the community, and looks forward to seeing whether Element can satisfactorily address those issues, adding the project could yet be turned down.
“But to reject it when not enough information is on the table would label us anti-growth and anti-economic development,” he said, adding council strives to seek out a sustainable balance between economic growth and environmental stewardship.
“What we're trying to do is build a county that is sustainable for the long haul.”
The reeve said he was glad to hear people were not so much opposed to the type of facility proposed, but rather the location. However, he said relocating elsewhere could instead create new concerns for that area. Besides, he said it seems common that new or different types of development in an area tend not to be received positively during the early stages, adding he was impressed by the way residents came together to work together and have their voices heard.
“Let’s just see what happens with the development permit process.”
