City holds public hearing on land use bylaw

The City held a Public Hearing Oct. 3 on proposed changes to a land use bylaw that would allow for the development of a business park or light industrial at Rainbow Road and Highway 1.
The hearing had average attendance with a mostly positive response from the public who would like to see the area developed.
“[The] majority of attendees were in favour, only one was against,” said City of Chestermere Acting Manager of Planning Development and Infrastructure Services Jose Reyes.
The concern brought forward at the hearing was that this could place a business park or industrial land beside residential homes.
Reyes said that because this is an amendment, more analysis would come in regards to this at the development stage in the future.
“It is at the actual development stage where City staff would need to look more in depth at other components such as transportation, environmental factors, landscaping, buffers/screening, building massing and compatibility with other uses,” he said.
The location of the parcel of land close to highway 1 has been identified as desirable location for non-residential development.
The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) shows this location within Employment Lands Area A. An area which should include commercial highway and business park uses said Reyes.
The development of this land within the MDP guidelines will help in reaching the City’s 20% non-residential tax goal.
This amendment passed first reading in council on July 18 2016. Now that the public hearing has been completed, it will be brought to council for second reading in November.
“Council will have another opportunity to provide comments,” said Reyes.
It will then either be defeated, tabled, or brought to third reading.