WESTLOCK – The Westlock County Council has unanimously approved a bylaw paving the way for the creation of an Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (ISDAB) agreement with the Village of Clyde.
This decision, made on Aug. 13, allows the county and village to call on the other for an appeal board member if needed. Each municipality maintains its own development appeal authority.
Westlock County Chief Administrative Officer Tony Kulbisky highlighted the benefits of the ISDAB in his report to council.
“As both the Village of Clyde and Westlock County have few SDAB appeals and have found it challenging to attract board members, having an ISDAB that allows for both municipalities to draw on members from either of their SDABs will allow for flexibility in convening hearings and avoiding conflicts of interest.”
The push for this agreement, which initially started in April 2020, gained urgency after the Village of Clyde received an appeal related to a development permit for an eight-plex residential building. The appeal was heard by Clyde’s Subdivision and Development Appeal Board on Aug. 15.
Last year the Village of Clyde had passed a bylaw allowing Westlock County SDAB members to sit on Clyde's SDAB if needed. The bylaw doesn't require members of Clyde's SDAB be residents of the village. Clyde's council still has to adopt the regional ISDAB.
Following Westlock County council's approval of the bylaw after its third and final reading, a motion was passed directing administration to finalize the ISDAB agreement between Westlock County and the Village of Clyde.
