DIDSBURY, Alta. – Aaron Wright never anticipated problems when his family decided to convert a quarter section of pasture into a business park in the County of Mountainview.
The family bought the land on the junction of Highways 22 and 27 to relocate a wood shavings packaging business.
The neighbors had other ideas. The result has been a drawn-out series of hearings to have the land rezoned from agricultural use to direct control by the county.
“It’s exhausting,” said Aaron’s father Mark.
He fears the gauntlet of approvals at the municipal level will force agriculture-related businesses out of the province.
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County staff recommended approval, but council postponed a decision until Aug. 17.
Opponents of the business park are worried about excess traffic, possible contamination and insufficient water supplies.
Some said they did not want to see any more agricultural land taken out of production when there is sufficient industrial land available in nearby Sundre and Olds.
For others, the issue goes beyond that.
“The debate today does not have anything to do with technical requirements,” said local resident Stan Shaw.
“It is a debate about the protection of a quality of life.”
Reeve Ian Harvie acknowledged the spectre of future developments is everywhere. Five years ago the county received about 300 requests for permits. In the last year 1,000 applications for all sorts of development have come forward.
“If we are going to stifle everything that is in my back yard, we are shutting the door on today,” said councilor Diane Davies.
