At their meeting on Nov. 8, Athabasca County councillors made quick work of the motion to re-zone a quarter of land located on Market Road west of Boyle from agricultural to heavy industrial.
The change was made to accommodate a proposed vehicle recycling yard coming to the area.
Councillor Mike Demko made the motion for third reading of the bylaw at last week’s council meeting, which was passed unanimously after a short discussion on the topic.
The passing of the by-law opens the door for Landus Hardy and Ken McLeod, co-owners of McLeod Services and Contracting out of Fort McMurray, to begin the process to get the land developed.
Councillor Larry Armfelt brought up the issue of fencing, thinking there should be a difference in types of fencing used for the 20 acre compound compared to the rest of the 140 acres, which they intend to loan out to farmers.
Councillor Mike Demko said that the county is taking a risk on re-zoning the land, as the company has not committed to actually developing the property, and would not face any penalty if they did not go ahead.
“That’s the chance we take,” he said.
Councillor Doris Splane, who represents the area, explained that the pair has already done some minor landscaping and clean up on the land they intend to use, an indication that they are here to stay, she said.
The decision will probably not be welcomed by at least a few residents in the area.
Don Alexander and John Deale both offered their views on why the development should not go through at the public hearing council hosted at council’s last meeting, which ended with the passing of first and second motion of the bylaw.
Alexander, who lives kitty-corner to the quarter, argued that he purchased his home in hopes of a quiet retirement, but the growth of industry in the area is changing that.
“We enjoy our acreage very much, but it used to be a quiet area,” he said. “Our dreams are being eroded in the name of progress.”
Deale, who raises cattle on the quarter north of the rezoned land, questioned the choice of location, citing other areas that would be better suited for industry.
He also expressed concerns over the potential environmental impact of the facility, an idea he also brought up at last week’s Village of Boyle council meeting.
His concerns over the environment may be addressed in the land use bylaw that passed in late August, written specifically to regulate vehicle recycling yards, defined as a development that is used for the “disassembling, crushing or storing of used motor vehicles,” which includes the sales of parts taken from the vehicles.
Bylaw 8.33 sets out requirements for owners of such a facility, designating, among other things, that there needs to be a 10 metre landscaped “buffer zone” to any adjacent residence, roadway or body of water. It also sets out requirements for soil testing, as well as reports on the planned disposal of hazardous waste such as oil and coolant.
Manager of planning and development, Elaine Leeuw, explained that now that the rezoning has gone through, the pair’s development permit, which has been on hold, can be processed.
The pair will have to provide more in-depth information about the proposed operations at the site, which will lead to a decision over whether or not they fall within regulations set out in the county’s land use bylaw.
If they are given the green light, there will be a 14-day period for appeals going against the development, she said.
The appeal, which carries a $200 fee, will be brought to director of corporate services Brian Pysyk, who will make a decision on if it has merit.
If their appellant’s concerns are valid the matter will go to the subdivision and development appeal board, which will make the final decision within a two-week period.
