Rezoning bylaw for Factory Drive property

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

A Public Hearing is scheduled for June 14 for the rezoning of newly annexed land in Picture Butte.

During their regular May 10 meeting, Picture Butte town council discussed Bylaw 909-21 – a Land-Use Bylaw Amendment to Rezone Lot 1, Block 1, 1411186. The bylaw would rezone land north of Factory Drive and east of Highway 25 from Urban Rural Fringe (RUF) to Industrial (I) to accommodate the development of an agriculture sales and service dealership. The land had been annexed by the town from Lethbridge County in April 2020, and it is still under county zoning.

“The reason for annexing this land was of course to develop an industrial and highway commercial area, and the town’s been working through that Area Structure Plan and the draft development concept does cover this site and, of course, the larger north title for that total area of 19 hectares,” said Madeleine Baldwin, a planner with the Oldman River Regional Services Commission.

“While the work for that is ongoing, the proposed rezoning in front of you today would be in-line with the directions of the Area Structure Plan, as far as the industrial highway/commercialtype uses.”

Baldwin stresses the ASP was not yet finalized, and needed to go through the public hearing process.

Additionally, further work needs to be done on servicing studies, and there still could be changes to the development concept.

“At the time of subdivision or development permit, if this land was to be rezoned, the applicant would have to ensure their development meets the intended policies of the ASP, whatever stage it’s in at that time. And then it can be adequately serviced to the satisfaction of the town.”

The site has an existing shop building, but is otherwise vacant. Northeast and west of the site is the rest of the future ASP area – currently zoned RUF and is undeveloped. South of the site is Factory Drive and existing industrial development Industrial zoned land. If the rezoning is approved, the applicant can submit a subdivision or development permit application, depending on their development proposal, which would trigger conversations about servicing the site.

Any permit must comply with the uses and regulations of the Industrial land-use district. They also must allow for the logical extension of services and roadways into the remainder of the future industrial area to the north, with Baldwin noting – currently, there is a road in the development concept that borders west of the property line.

Depending on the timing of their proposed development, they will either need to comply with an approved ASP or propose changes to the ASP that would have to be approved by town council. Coun. Henry de Kok asked if council classed this area as Industrial, if it would allow for commercial and retail, or if the town would have to rezone it again.

Baldwin said the Industrial land-use district allows for a range of permitted uses, such as farm machinery sales and service outlets, taxidermy and business support service. A person could apply for a permit for any of the permitted uses under that zoning, and it would be evaluated at that time. Council performed first reading of Bylaw 909-21. At the time of the meeting, council set a Public Hearing date for June 14

Council performed first reading of Bylaw 909-21. At the time of the meeting, council set a Public Hearing date for June 14.

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