Town prepared for permit appeal

Times Reporter 

 

Administration for the Town of Strathmore is anticipating an appeal to a development permit application being made for a dog daycare, grooming and training facility. The new business would be located in the Canal Gardens, which consists of mixed zoning and is run condominium style, with several holders. 

Half of the owners in the area appear to be okay with the proposed new business, while it seems as though the rest are not. 

Staff recommended that the application be approved as the applicant has made a reasonable effort to deal with some of the issues raised by some of the co-owners of the property. Some of the concerns raised include the facility being noticeable from the road, about barking, and about waste disposal of fecal matter.  

The applicant is proposing at the rear of the building an 8-foot high chain link fence. On the outside of that fence would be six foot board so that fence is opaque, meaning the dogs won’t be able to see people enter the site, which should help eliminate some of the barking. The enclosure itself is 7.5 metres by 30 metres, half gravel, half grass, and the applicant uses an enzyme-based cleaner to deal with smell and any residual effects of the waste. 

“Our review of the application indicates that given the location it seems to be reasonable approach to managing the issue,” said Werner Fischer, with planning and development for the town. 

The owner, who was in attendance of the June 18 council meeting, said she will be grooming and running a doggie daycare, and plans on about 22 dogs in the daycare. It will be a mix of little and big dogs, with the two kept in separate rooms. The dogs will be cycled inside and outside, in a series of play, rest, feed, and more play. 

Council approved the development permit. 

Concept design needed 

Pat Maloney has done contract planning and development work with the town for a number of months. Her contract is up at the end of August and she, along with town administration, has identified a few projects that should go forward in the near future. One of those is creating a concept plan for the annexed land to help give an idea of what the town would like to see the land used for. 

“This allows each individual landowner to come in, make an application, knowing full well what piece of the puzzle they are and where they fit in,” said Maloney. 

The dollar amount charged for the plan would be charged back to the developers on a per acre basis, which would allow the town to recoup the costs over time. The plan could be used by future developers as a guide, and could be used by the town in their ongoing water and stormwater strategy.

Councillor Bob Sobol moved for council to approve the development of a basic concept plan for west Strathmore and that it be returned to council in regards to appropriate advice for contracting in one months time.

Gathering hospital info

Councillor Bob Sobol mentioned his disappointment about the meeting with Minister Drysdale on June 11, and asked administration to try and put together a fact sheet on the history of what has happened at the hospital, everything from promises to any potential improvements that have been proposed since the hospital was built in the ‘80s.  

Sobol said he has heard about things that were supposed to happen in 1997, and then there were talks again in 2006 and still nothing has happened. 

Council was in favour of Sobol’s request and motion, agreeing with the importance.