FORMERLY THE ROCKY VIEW FIVE VILLAGE WEEKLY
Volume 35, Number 29	OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR THE MD OF ROCKY VIEW #44	Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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Springbank
Rocky View upholds parcel size
Enrique Massot

A Springbank councillor received support from Rocky View MD council to prevent the creation of a parcel smaller than most of those in the neighbourhood.

Theresa and Frank Gathercole applied to rezone their 4.7-acre parcel to residential-one district, to allow for subdivision into two 2.4-acre lots. The site is located north of Springbank Road, on Range Road 34, within the boundaries of the Central Springbank area structure plan (ASP).

Coun. Mitch Yurchak said introducing smaller parcels would start changing the neighbourhood’s character.

"We have to keep the integrity of the four-acre community," he said.

He added that the MD is moving to cluster-type subdivisions with smaller lots.

"But there is a place for that," he said.

Council turned down the application in a 5 - 3 vote, despite a recommendation for approval from planning staff.

Municipal planner Stephen Pearce told council that the request was in accordance with the ASP guidelines which allow for incremental subdivision into smaller lots in residential areas.

"The administration has evaluated that there is great potential for future subdivision," he said.

Coun. Earl Solberg agreed, saying the proposal does not harm the community.

"I do not think we are upsetting anything by allowing this proposal," he said. "There were only two objections."

However, during the July 8 public hearing, area resident Lavern Rankin spoke in opposition to the proposal and told council that allowing two-acre lots would create a precedent of piecemeal development in the area.

"If this goes one house at a time, there will be 50 houses on the quarter section without any overall planning scheme," he said.

However, Rankin said he would support smaller lots if piped water servicing became available and comprehensive planning were conducted.

Resident Bruce Abugov submitted a letter to council expressing concerns about groundwater scarcity.

"I ... have recently had to add a cistern to address decreasing availability of well water," he stated. "The original flows of six gallons per minute in 1988 are now one to two gpm."

The proposed lot sizes was one of the points raised by area residents Chris and Lisa Skelton in a letter to the MD opposing the proposal.

"With one minor exception, the entire quarter section is zoned R-2 Country Residential (and) lots are at least four acres," they wrote.

Theresa Gathercole said the reason they were applying to subdivide is because keeping up maintenance of the lot was becoming increasingly difficult.

"I want to redesign for economical and safety reasons," she said. "All the objections from the neighbours have been dealt with."

The MD’s Agricultural Service Board recommended that additional lots should prompt provision of piped water servicing, as opposed to drilling additional wells.