The current landowner of a former Kneehill County-owned landfill site asked the county to request a setback variance from Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) to allow him to sell the parcel for future residential development during the regular Tuesday, November 30 council meeting.
Due to changes in regulations and reclamation standards since the landfill site closed operations in October 1976, a residence is prohibited from being built on the parcel without going through a lengthy consent process.
“Manufactured homes have been placed on-site in the past, however, no residents are on-site today,” said Planning and Development manager Barb Hazelton during the meeting. “(The landowner) would like to sell this parcel for residential use, however, is unable due to current regulations.”
The site, a “small four-acre parcel,” operated as a landfill between the 1950s until it closed in October 1976.
While the site underwent reclamation the following year, standards have since changed, and additional regulations were put in place in 1995 prohibiting residences from being built within 300 meters of operational or non-operational landfill sites. Kneehill County, as the development authority, is allowed to submit a consent process to AEP.
“The list of requirements which must be submitted is quite extensive; these requirements must be met by the landowner,” Hazelton noted.
Groundwater and gas monitoring testing and engineering reports are among the list of requirements the landowner will need to comply with prior to the county submitting the variance request. Hazelton noted some testing requires monitoring over a period of two years, so the process will take some time.
Once the landowner completes all requirements, the county can submit the reports and other required documents with the letter to AEP.
Due to the lengthy process ahead of the applicant, Division 1 Councillor Faye McGhee moved to approve submitting a letter of request for the setback variance to AEP; the motion was carried with six in favour and one opposed.
