County amends Hamlet Residential District Land Use Bylaw

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Wheatland County council approved and passed third reading for Bylaw 2023-27, being a bylaw to implement textual changes to Land Use Bylaw 2016-01. 

The county’s Bylaw 2023-27 serves the purpose of amending Bylaw 2016-01, to amend regulations for development permits not required, and the hamlet residential district.

Amendments made to 2016-01 include Part 9.11, Hamlet Residential General District, adding agricultural operations as a permitted use, and to update specific use regulations within the Hamlet Residential General District. 

Additionally, Part 4.2 is amended so as to note development permits not required to allow agricultural operations within county-owned Hamlet Residential General District parcels to proceed without a development permit. 

It was noted by county administration in the public agenda package, throughout the county, there are undeveloped county-owned lands which require regular maintenance such as mowing and weed prevention, that are underutilized. 

These areas may be able to be utilized by local farmers and agriculturalists for uses such as planting ground cover and haying. 

In addition to being of potential benefit to local farmers, use of undeveloped lands in this fashion may also reduce maintenance efforts and costs to the county. 

To ensure that the agricultural operations are compatible with the residential uses in the Hamlet Residential General District, the amendment also proposed to add additional regulations to the bylaw following Part 9.11. 

The additional regulations are intended to ensure agricultural operations within the designated district are on county-owned lands, are subject to a lease agreement with the county, and will not contain any farm animals or livestock. 

Regarding the amendment to Part 4.2, prior to the passing of the bylaw amendment, agricultural operations did not require a development permit for operation withing the Agricultural General, and Rural Business districts. Making the addition as part of the bylaw amendment effectively maintains consistency of legal and documentary wording with other agricultural operations in the county. 

Wheatland County council opened discussions of the bylaw amendment, following a presentation to introduce the document by administration, to a public hearing, giving residents who may be influenced by the potential changes an opportunity to make themselves heard. 

No members of the public elected to speak regarding the proposed bylaw amendment and the public hearing section of the meeting was closed. 

County council proceeded to calling the proposed bylaw amendment to question for first and second readings, permission to hold third reading, and third reading. Each of the motions were passed unanimously by the council.