While Rocky View County (RVC) council approved the Wintergreen Forest Estates conceptual scheme on March 10, a second motion was also passed directing administration to review the file and provide recommendations to not only help the applicants, but also to provide consistency and clarity on future applications.
According to a letter submitted by the applicants, Bob and Maggie Rettie, it was almost a two-year process for just the land use redesignation and approval of their conceptual scheme, after spending “basically a year going around in circles.”
“We are a small development company and in the approximate 12 years in business, we have worked with many municipal authorities including MD Foothills, Ponoka, Vulcan, Brazeay, and Turner Valley, as well as in other provinces including B.C. and Manitoba,” said the applicants, in a response to the Planning Department’s report.
“We have never been through such a tedious, onerous process with any of their planning departments for a four-lot subdivision, especially considering that the property is already in an Area Structure Plan and is designated for the exact use of our application.”
Administration’s report indicated future applicants are “encouraged” to schedule a pre-application meeting with administration to discuss their proposal. However, according to the applicants, this is “exactly” what they did in December 2012, prior to purchasing the property.
“That’s something you go through with any jurisdiction, when you enter a project to determine what is viable and if you can go ahead with it,” Rettie said. “You base your project on that, and for some reason, they seem to be able to change the rules as they go along.”
The report from RVC administration stated the review of the file indicated the requirements for technical reports and assessments were consistent with adopted County Statutory Plans. According to the applicants, two major requirements “should have, and could have” been stated at their initial meeting.
“We were advised by the Planning Department of the requirement to build a paved cul-de-sac on Dec. 12, 2014 – almost a year and a half after our initial planning meeting and weeks prior to our Jan. 27 hearing,” their letter said.
The use of water wells versus piped water was another issue the applicants brought up in their letter, stating while RVC’s published policies indicate the option to utilize water wells, the preferred option of the applicant, the policy was “interpreted” by the Planning Department as a requirement, instead.
According to the Retties, four engineers have assessed the property to determine slope stability and evaluate any potential geotechnical problems, and all reports conclude there are no issues with the proposed development – including a report submitted by RVC’s own senior engineer.
“It seems to be an endless amount of reports,” said Bob Rettie. “You submit one and then get another list of reports to complete, and it just never seems to come to a conclusion. If I can just get to council with this subdivision, I think I’d rather deal with council than with the planning department.”
Administration’s report states the delays experienced by the applicant were the result of a lack of technical information, but said administration will “continue to work diligently with the applicant to process the subdivision application,” which was submitted on March 17.
“We believe we have provided all documents and studies required, which are more than sufficient to support the subdivision application,” the applicants stated.
“The length of time required for this small development to be heard by council and the number of obstacles that the Planning Department has put in front of us that required additional funding has made this project financially unviable. Had we known what a struggle it would be, we never would have proceeded,” the Retties said in the letter.
However, Rettie said he is hopeful the subdivision process can be handled smoothly and he can proceed with the development, which he feels is “ideal” for the Bragg Creek area.
“The Greater Bragg Creek Area Structure Plan slates this land for basically exactly what I’m proposing – a simple, low-impact development,” Rettie said. “That’s the main reason I chose this parcel in an environmentally sensitive area. I think the people of Bragg Creek would rather see this heavily treed land used for a low-density type of development that won’t require a lot of forest to be cut up and dug out.”
