Home »
Council considers split designation zoning amendment
City of Cranbrook council Feb. 26 approved bylaw readings to initiate an upcoming public hearing regarding a split designation zoning amendment, to light industrial and residential from agricultural, and official community plan (OCP) amendment for a property on Mennie Road.
Council passed the second reading of OCP Amendment Bylaw No. 3922 and the first two readings of Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 3923 – 525 Mennie Rd.
A planning report notes the city received an application from Wade Roulette of Garrett Winkel Land Surveying Ltd. on behalf of RGM Holdings Ltd. for an amendment to the City of Cranbrook Official Community Plan (OCP) to enable consideration of rezoning their property for light industrial and potential future residential use.
The property is located at 525 Mennie Road and is 32.9 ha (81.5 acres) in size. The current OCP designation is Agriculture and has an RR-60, Rural Resource Zoning designation.
The application proposes a split designation of the property, which would change the land use designation for 2.4 ha of land from ‘Agriculture’ to ‘Light Industrial’ with the remaining lands changing from ‘Agriculture’ to ‘Low Density Residential.’ The changes will allow for consideration of a zoning amendment to M-2, Light Industrial and RT, Residential Transition. The designation changes will facilitate construction of an office and operation of a logging contractor business on the 2.4 ha industrial portion with the RT zoned lands remaining available for future development considerations. There is an existing shop on the property which will also be contained within the 2.4 ha area, the city planning report outlines.
In consideration of the request and in accordance with Industrial OCP policies the applicant proposes a 10-metre buffer between the light industrial area and the remaining lands (as shown on the above plan).
“The current OCP land use designation of the property is agriculture. The proposal to create a split designation is not regularly done; however, in this instance the owner wishes to only utilize a 2.4 ha portion of the 32.9 ha parcel to establish an office for a logging contractor business. A similar application was approved east of Echo Field Road to accommodate a welding shop. Also, there are other large areas of industrially zoned lands adjacent to this property,” noted city planner Rob Veg in a report to council.
“In order to reduce potential land use conflicts the Official Community Plan requires a buffer between land uses. As previously mentioned, the applicant’s plan shows a 10-metre buffer adjacent to the proposed industrial lands. This buffer should be registered as a section 219 restrictive covenant in favor of the city to ensure it remains in place for the long term should the remaining lands ever develop,” he explained.
“With respect to the zoning the property currently retains its original Regional District of East Kootenay zoning designation of RR-60, Rural Resource Zone. The proposed split designation will allow the proposed logging operation to establish within the area zoned M-2 while the remaining RT lands would be able to be developed into two hectare (five acre) minimum parcel sizes. At this time subdivision is not proposed; however, both proposed zoned areas would be able to subdivide utilizing onsite sewer and water servicing. Currently there are no municipal services to the property,” Veg reported.
The property was brought into the city in 2007 as part of a northern boundary expansion and therefore has retained RDEK zoning and is subject to special tax considerations as part of the expansion.
“In addition, as per the expansion approval the property has also retained its rural property tax rate; however, rezoning will trigger a tax change to the current municipal structure,” Veg noted, adding, “In addition to the tax changes, the rezoning will also make the lands subject to Development Cost Chargers for any new development. Throughout the pre-application process staff made these points clear and a result of discussion with the applicant, the city has received a letter signed by the applicant acknowledging that he is aware of and accepts these new financial implications.
A public hearing is being held on Monday, March 12 at 6 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.
e-KNOW
