The subject of a racetrack near the border of Kneehill County and Wheatland County will be hotly debated today, depending on weather conditions, in Three Hills.
Badlands Motorsports Resort has been working away to realize its vision of a recreational resort along the Rosebud River, centered on a world-class road-racing course. Kneehill County Council passed its Area Structure Plan in June.
The next step is to pass a bylaw to designate the parcel of land near Rosebud. A Public Hearing is being held at the Three Hills Community Centre to seek input from concerned area residents.
The bylaw would change zoning from an Agriculture District to a Direct Control District.
Jay Zalazo, president of Badlands Motorsports Resort, says they will have more information about the project at Wednesday’s meeting. While it was a contentious meeting last June when the Area Structure Plan was passed, he said it appears there is support for the project from the Drumheller area.
Benefits of the project cited include economic development, tourism, an increase in tax revenues and job creation. Its long-term vision is a racetrack operating similarly to a country club, with the road course and a paddock. Eventually they are looking at a fully sustainable community with retail, residential and recreational properties. Much of the development would be in an area currently used for agriculture.
Much of the opposition to the project comes from residents surrounding the property, often in Wheatland County. A group has a Facebook site called Save the Rosebud and it has been working earnestly to raise awareness to its feelings about the project.
The group has enlisted Patricia Maloney, a B.C. based planning consultant and have held a couple meetings in advance of the Kneehill County Council meeting to organize. They are planning to have a strong presence at Wednesday’s meeting.
“This group is very concerned about this development and tried to oppose the Area Structure Plan in June, but council went ahead and adopted the Area Structure Plan regardless of all the concerns of noise from the agricultural community,” said Maloney.
She said they are opposed to the development, but also feel that council does not have the proper regulations and controls in place.
“This direct control bylaw is proposing to make a huge long list of uses as permitted uses, which means the municipal council cannot refuse to permit them,” said Maloney.
The project borders the two counties and Maloney said this could make it more difficult for the opposition, many who live outside the county where the development is situated.
“Kneehill councillors are saying we’ll listen but you are not our ratepayers and Wheatland County is saying we are listening to our ratepayers but we don’t have any approval or disapproval of this project,” she said.
