Ponoka County council voted unanimously to rezone 15 acres of the SE 16-43-25-W4 from Agricultural District to Country Residential district following a public hearing during their regular meeting Nov. 15.
Alberta Transportation advised they had no objection to the proposal as it would have no negative impact on Highway 2A.
The Town of Ponoka provided no concerns.
The rezoning application was made by Lee and Shannon Kocyba.
Doug Robinson, adjacent landowner, expressed concern with potential groundwater concerns in the area. There is an intensive livestock operation one mile north of this site that was using a lot of water.
He questioned if anyone was monitoring the groundwater in the area.
CAO Charlie Cutforth advised there were a number of water studies completed for this area, but an application for three subdivisions on this property would require a new water study to ensure adequate water supply.
Concern was expressed that the NRCB was not monitoring water usage at confined feeding operations.
Cutforth suggested Robinson do a baseline test to prove his current water supply.
Rezoning to Prime Location Commercial
A hearing was also heard to consider concerns and objections to the proposal of Davinder Sehrai to rezone 22 acres of the NW 12-44-26-W4 from Agricultural District to Prime Location Commercial district to accommodate future commercial development of the property.
Cutforth noted the property was included in the Menaik Overpass-Highway 2 Area Structure Plan (ASP) for future development, however, no traffic impact assessment had been undertaken on the west side of the intersection.
Alberta Transportation advised that a comprehensive traffic impact assessment would be required at development stage for this rezoning application.
Coun. Doug Weir had received concerns from a ratepayer who wondered why development was allowed on the west side of the intersection when the area structure plan had focused on the east side.
It was noted that this intersection was fully included in the ASP. There would be limited development on the front three to five acres due to the diamond configuration required by Alberta Transportation for the interchange.
There were no further comments or concerns and council gave third and final reading to the bylaw.
Rimbey AgRim Centre
Administration approved a contribution to the Rimbey AgRim Centre toward their bid to host the Wildrose Amateur Rodeo.
The Town of Rimbey had suggested that they may be willing to share the cost of the bid. Council agreed the financial situation of the centre should be reviewed prior to budget deliberations.
RDRWC fees
Coun. Mark Matejka noted that there would be a substantial increase in membership fees to the Red Deer River Water Commission in 2023. Management fees have increased 60 per cent.
Crime Watch chapters
Coun. Nancy Hartford advised that the local Crime Watch chapters in Clearwater, Medicine River and Rimbey were closed or closing.
PAECS manager
Weir reported that a manager had not been hired for the Ponoka Ag Events Centre yet.
RMA long service pins
Reeve Paul McLauchlin presented each councillor with their nine-year municipal service pin from the Rural Municipalities of Alberta and a 45-year municipal service pin to Cutforth.
Update dog control
A bylaw updating the dog control bylaw was passed unanimously by council.
RCMP quarterly reports
Council reviewed the quarterly updates from the Ponoka and Rimbey RCMP for the third quarter of 2022.