Re-designation quandaries

By Sharon McLeay Times Contributor

Some Wheatland County landowners are scratching their heads about the common-sense rules of land use employed by the county, used to protect agriculture land.
Tony Gregoff came before Wheatland County council at the public hearing held on June 5, to advocate for his desire to separate three acres for country residential. The three acres would come out of a 15-acre parcel, designated agriculture general, that was cut off by a rail line from a quarter section.
“If you look at it on a map, it is actually already fragmented by the rail line,” said Gregoff. “I am the applicant and proponent of this application, and for me it makes a lot of sense.”
He said the parcel is hard to rent for farming, as the big equipment can’t even turn around to properly work the piece. He said the net loss of agricultural land is less than two acres. A water well already exists on the three acres, which he said if left without development poses a safety risk for any machinery trying to farm the area. He said converting the piece would be the best use of the property.
The land is just two sections away from Lyalta as the crow flies, and there is already significant development in the area.
The quarter section involved has three other re-designations separated off by various county road allowances, but not on the 15-acre parcel cut out by the rail line. Gregoff said this would be the last one for the quarter section.
Wheatland County planning staff recommended not approving the re-designation, as it didn’t meet guidelines set out in the various land use plans and strategies, and another well would put additional strain on the aquifer.
Councillor Tom Ikert questioned the rationale, pointing out that all development requests on the west side of the county would be quashed using that rationale, as there is no regional waterline available, and the terms of South Saskatchewan Regional Water for Life Plan recommends new residential development tap into a regional water line.
It effectively discriminates land use options for land owners lucky enough to have land near the eastern pipeline and those living on the west side who cannot tap into developed lines.
“With the regional waterline that we have currently going from Standard to Gleichen, it can be used because that is our regional water line. There are a couple others, I believe in some of the hamlets as well, but in this case on the west side of the county there is no regional waterline. So, the intent is to divert rural residential parcels of this nature to areas where it (pipeline) already exists, to protect the water shed that is there. Whether that completely stops residential development on the west side is hard to say and it is considered case by case,” said Odessa Cohen, Wheatland County junior planner.
“I believe we are dealing with this and this is going to be an ongoing thing. We are dealing with land fragmentation all the time,” said Ikert. “My problem is I am forced to go against staff recommendations with my personal vote. A half mile from my place I have 16 houses that are going off one aquifer on a quarter section of land. We have to do some work here as council to see what we want to do here. Unfortunately, development is always going to want to be closer to the city than away from the city.”
There was a suggestion that a deferred condition could be applied to allow the re-designation, if in future they agreed to hook into a pipeline if it becomes available.
Second and third reading granting the re-designation was approved by council.