Neighbourhood Notes
September 2020
In this Issue
• Kneehill County Scholarships • Horseshoe Canyon Focus Group • Electronic Recycling Expanded • Succession Planning
Fire Engines delivered to Communities through Collaboration On September 28, 2020, Kneehill County region’s fire services were further enhanced with the delivery of four brand new fire trucks to the fire halls in the Town of Trochu, Village of Carbon, Village of Acme, and Hamlet of Torrington. The engines will be fully operational and in service within the next couple of weeks. Prior to 2020, Kneehill County owned 100% of these engines through a Master Fire Agreement between all municipalities. The fire engines were previously funded solely through Kneehill County’s Capital Equipment Replacement Plan, which considered the replacement
schedule of 20 years for a fire automotive apparatus, determined by Fire Underwriters and considered in fire insurance rate calculations. In 2020, through the new Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework Agreements, each municipality is now a proportionate owner of most engines in the
region. “Fire protection is so important, and we are so pleased to partner with our neighbouring municipalities to provide these enhanced fire services to our residents,” said Kneehill County Reeve, Jerry Wittstock, “Special thanks to our local fire chiefs and volunteer firefighters
for your continued dedication to our residents, and for working together to make this possible.” Originally, only the Torrington and Carbon fire trucks were slated for replacement in 2019, however, an incident in 2018 required the Trochu fire engine to be replaced ahead of schedule.
Considering the length of build times, and with three new fire engines already up for renewal, Kneehill County Council added the Acme fire engine to the Capital Budget to consolidate the purchases. The Acme fire engine was due for replacement in 2021. Bulk purchasing all four fire trucks at the
same time allowed for significant cost savings. The final cost of the trucks came to just over $2 million dollars, and they will be in service for the next twenty years. The fire chiefs for each municipality collaborated on the build to determine the specifics for each unit. Trochu and Carbon trucks are side pump mounts with extended cabs for personnel transport, and the Acme and Torrington trucks are top pump mounts, which are also enclosed. All of the engines purchased have a water haul capacity and pumping capacity especially designed with rural firefighting in mind.
Land Use Bylaw 1808 In order for a municipality to work within the changing pressures for land use, the Land Use Bylaw needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure it stays relevant. Council and administration have reviewed and updated the Bylaw to align with Council’s Strategic Plan, incorporating clauses from the MGA and adding uses that will create further opportunities for landowners in Kneehill County. Land Use Bylaw 1808 was officially adopted on September 22, 2020. Amendments to the Bylaw were made by Council based on the comments and letters received through the online public consultation and public hearing process. • Hen permits are now available for hamlets, ex-hamlets and Country Residential Districts. Previously hens were prohibited in these districts. Kneehill County will be ready
to accept applications for hens on October 15, 2020. • An amendment was made under section 71(5) regarding Solar Energy Systems, which increased the notification area for a solar generation facility to 1-mile. It also ensures the consideration of comments that relate to issues within our authority to consider. • The definition for an environmentally significant area was amended to include lands noted in both the regional Summit report as well as provincially designated lands. • The height of an accessory building less than 200 ft2 was increased to 10 feet. Buildings less than 200 ft2 do not require a permit. Please note other changes to Land Use now in effect with the new Bylaw:
1. New use: Recreational vehicle storage. A development permit can be applied for to set up an RV storage lot. 2. Relocatable industrial accommodation is prohibited as a permanent dwelling. 3. Park models are for seasonal use only and may not be considered as a permanent dwelling unless evidence of
four-season status is provided. 4. Council has reduced the number of subdivisions allowed per quarter section to two (2). 5. There is a new Health and Public Service District. 6. In hamlets: No occupant of a principal dwelling in a residential area/ district shall permit a recreational
vehicle to be used for living or sleeping accommodation for longer than a 14-day period. This includes unoccupied lots. Long-term use of a recreational vehicle is to be done in an approved campground. Please call the Planning Department if you have any questions about these changes, or would like additional information, 403-445-5541.