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County council receives 2Q P&D report

Posted on August 17, 2023 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Development permits issued by Lethbridge County increased in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same time last year.

During their regular Aug. 3 meeting, Lethbridge County Council received a report on activities their planning and development department undertook in the second quarter of 2023.

In addition to their day-to-day duties, in the second quarter of 2023, the P&D department had started a review of the county’s Land Use Bylaw, with the first workshop being held back in May this year. They also partnered with the Town of Taber on the Rural Renewal Stream, an Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, and started the transfer of land process for the pond in the Riverbrink Subdivision to the Riverbrink Water Users Co-op Ltd.

“It was a pond that was used for their own private use for their water, that was determined with our Public Works department that we could dispose of that land,” said Hillary Janzen, supervisor of planning and development for the County. “The homeowners association has agreed to that, so we have started that process with our legal representation.”

On the Development Authority side, between Jan. 1- June 20, 2023, 136 development permit applications were received, an increase from the same period in 2022, when 111 development permit applications were received. Of the 118 development permits issued, three were refused, one application was withdrawn and 18 applications were under review in the 2nd quarter of 2023. This number includes development permit applications made at the end of 2022. Of the permits that were issued, 28 were for residential, 45 accessory, 17 commercial/industrial, five home occupations, 17 agriculture, one sign, two institutional and three miscellaneous. Janzen noted that for the permits for commercial/industrial, it wasn’t necessarily for new buildings, and included things such as a new business in the county, change of use or changes to an existing structure.

A total of 17 compliance letters were issued, and eight land use bylaw complaints were received and investigated by the County.

For Building Permits, between Jan. 1-June 30, 2023, the following safety codes permit applications were issued:

• 56 Building Permits

• 207 Electrical Permits

• 70 Gas

• 47 Plumbing

• Seven private septic disposal systems

“(Safety Code permits issued are) going down, there isn’t as many permits being issued, but that’s because we’re seeing less development permits being issued also.”

Lethbridge County council, acting as the Subdivision Authority, had approved 18 subdivisions between Jan. 1-June 30, 2023. One development permit appeal was submitted to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board in the second quarter which was later withdrawn.

The following bylaws were presented to council during the second quarter:

• Bylaw 22-021 – Green Prairie Road Closure – council has approved sending the road closure to

• Alberta Transportation (March 16, 2023)

• Bylaw 23-002 – Country Crossroads Estate Area Structure Plan – approved by County Council

• on June 1, 2023 as amended

• Bylaw 23-003 – Rezoning (in conjunction with Bylaw 23-002) – approved by County Council on

• June 1, 2023

• Bylaw 23-008 – Amendment to the Chinook Industrial Park Area Structure Plan – approved by

• County Council on May 4, 2023

• Bylaw 23-009 – Rezoning (in conjunction with Bylaw 23-008) – approved by County Council

• May 4, 2023

• Bylaw 23-012 – Turin Street and Lane Closure – council has approved sending the road closure

• to Alberta Transportation (June 1, 2023)

• Bylaw 23-014 – McCain Road Closure – council has approved sending the road closure to

• Alberta Transportation (July 6, 2023)

• Bylaw 23-018 – Rezoning (reconfiguration zoned in Iron Springs) – approved by County Council

• July 6, 2023

• Bylaw 23-019 – Groeneboom Road Closure – first reading approved July 6, 2023

On the Intermunicipal and External Agency Relations side, a total of 14 Intermunicipal Referrals were reviewed and provided with comments, and 10 NRCB referrals were reviewed with comments provided.

On the financial side, between Jan. 1-June 30, 2023, the County received $252,978.45 in revenue from Park Enterprises, who they contracted for the issuance of safety codes permits. This is more than double what they received during the same period in 2022, which was $77,103.38 from the issuance of safety codes permits. This, Janzen said, was because of the McCain expansion, for which she expected them to break ground on the project soon.

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