Town of Sundre council passed second and third readings of a bylaw creating a new Recreational Vehicle (RV-1) District, during the council meeting on April 15.
A public hearing was held during the meeting, where John Poirier, the Riverside RV Condominium Association's vice-president, was the only person present to speak on the topic.
One of the main concerns discussed was that in the new bylaw, thestorage of a second RV on the lots at Riverside RV Village is only permissible with the purchase of a development permit.
The town's reasoning for this is because of fire and safety concerns, said Erin O'Neill, the town's manager of planning and development.
“We completely disagree that it's a safety concern,” said Poirier.
Coun. Paul Isaac said he was concerned with the association's concerns and wanted to make sure they were addressed, before passing the bylaw.
“I just want to make sure that we've given them the opportunity to have a voice,” he said.
Poirier said they did have the opportunity and admitted that he was happy with the fact that the purchase of the $100 development permit is a one-time fee.
However, he said he didn't understand how after 20 years of storing a second RV, it's “all of a sudden a problem”.
He said it didn't make sense that people are allowed to store a second RV on their properties in town but not at the village.
Marty Butts, the town's fire chief, was present at the meeting and said that having a development permit doesn't make it any safer from a fire.
Coun. Tony Jordan expressed a concern that with the width of the RVs parked on the lot increasing from 12 feet to 14 feet in the new bylaw, there might not be room for a second RV.
Poirier said the same setbacks would still apply.
Coun. Myron Thompson opposed second and third readings because he didn't agree with the change regarding a second RV storage.
“We have some mixed feelings on it,” said Poirier, in a personal interview, about council's decision.
“We still have to pay the $100 development permit fee to store an RV over the winter months,” he said.
“As the fire chief said, he doesn't believe that it creates any extra fire hazard and the very small congestion is not a problem at all as far as he's concerned.”
However, Poirier said now that the bylaw has been passed, the association will have to accept it.
Also at the meeting, council discussed the association's request for a refund of the $1,500 application fee it paid the town to update the bylaw.
Coun. Cheri Funke made a motion not to refund the application fee, which every other councillor opposed.
She said she felt the association should not receive a refund because it wanted the bylaw updated before the town was ready for it.
Coun. Chris Vardas made a motion to refund 50 per cent of the $1,500 payment - $750 - which was passed.
Funke was the only councillor that opposed the motion.
Poirier said the association appreciates the 50 per cent refund.
“The councillors were certainly prepared to listen (during the meeting) and I certainly appreciate that,” he said, adding that the association is relieved that the bylaw is “finally” updated.
The association approached the town about updating the bylaw in 2011 and has been waiting since then, he said.
They were told it wouldn't be updated until 2014, which is why they paid the application fee for the town to update it, he said.
The RV-1 district has replaced and repealed the recreational vehicle control (RV-DC) district, said O'Neill.
First reading of the bylaw was passed on March 18.
