Childcare services not to be classed as discretionary use in Highway Commercial District
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Childcare services will not be included as a discretionary use in the Highway Commercial District in Strathmore.
Town of Strathmore council voted to defeat the motion during the July 2 regular meeting of council, following a public hearing to discuss the topic.
Council had directed administration to prepare an amendment to the land use bylaw in to include childcare services as a discretionary use within the Highway Commercial District.
This contingency, should it have been approved, would have allowed for development and operation of childcare facilities in designated areas on a discretionary, case by case basis.
“The land use bylaw is a planning tool used to regulate the use of land and buildings. It is not at all to regulate businesses … unlike permitted use, discretionary uses are not guaranteed approval, even if they are listed in the land use bylaw,” explained Kate Bakun, planner with the Town of Strathmore. “Approval depends on a variety of site-specific factors. Whenever a development permit for a discretionary use is approved, adjacent landowners are notified. A notice of decision may be posted, and the public has 21 days to appeal to the subdivision and development appeal board.”
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Bakun explained the allowance of childcare as a discretionary use allows the town to maintain control and flexibility when reviewing proposals, apply site specific conditions, and support options while balancing potential impacts.
She added childcare in Strathmore is in high demand, with factors such as staffing shortages and high rental costs limiting the ability of childcare centers to be able to expand or remain open.
Coun. Melissa Langmaid argued in favour of passing the amendment on the basis of reducing complications towards potential business owners.
“This council has been really focused on ensuring Strathmore is a business-friendly community, including finding ways to reduce red tape. Requiring council approval for childcare services in commercial highway districts increases the cost and risk to potential business owners,” said Langmaid. “A direct control application alone costs $3,750, plus whatever consultant fees are needed to prepare that, and that is on top of the development permit fees that would come after that if that direct control district is approved by council.”
This sentiment was echoed and supported by Coun. Denise Peterson, who stated she believed passing the bylaw amendment would both maintain community standards and zoning bylaws, while also supporting free market principles.
Coun. Brent Wiley and Mayor Pat Fule spoke in opposition to the bylaw amendment, stating traffic and parking being concerns regarding whether a childcare facility should be allowed in the vicinity of a highway.
“I think that the areas that we are talking about are designed for speed of traffic and traffic efficiencies,” said Wiley. “Highways and service roads are engineered for high speeds, highways are stinky and loud, the recent event on May 28, with a weapon that appeared to be a gun being brandished towards children at one of these facilities shows us that there is an increase in exposure to transient populations, hitchhikers, and opportunistic offenders.”
Mayor Fule echoed those thoughts.
“I feel as a town councillor, I need to have a say in these areas of approval near the highway for childcare,” said Fule. “I have full faith in our administration and our planning department, and I have always trusted them and I know the difference between operations and governance. In this case where children are so important, I would not feel right delegating the decision to others.”
Following the public hearing and council discussion, the proposed bylaw amendment did not receive second reading and was defeated in a vote of 4-3 against.