Growing Cypress: MPC meets, towering item is on the agenda

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Ryan Dahlman

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

During the February 11 Municipal Planning Commission meeting, application DP 25/01, regarding a tower, was on the agenda.

The Municipal Planning Commission has granted conditional approval for an existing meteorological (MET) tower located on an agricultural parcel in Ward 4. This tower plays a pivotal role in wind resource monitoring for the Buffalo Trail Wind Project. The MET tower’s purpose is solely to gather data on wind resources. Since its initial installation, neither its location nor its equipment has been altered. The footprint, activities, and operations remain unchanged, according to the applicant’s letter of intent.

Originally approved in 2017 under Development Permit 17/215, the permit for the MET tower had since expired. The recent approval ensures the structure can continue its operations until 2029. 

Also discussed was an application (DP 24/215) for a 4,800 sq. ft. personal-use shop. The proposed structure, located on a 28.92-acre agricultural property, required approval due to its placement within a 1:100 floodway, as identified by the Medicine Hat Flood Study.

The shop will serve as storage for the applicant’s belongings following the sale of their previous residence. To mitigate flood risks, significant precautions have been taken. An engineering report provided by CFI Engineering & Consulting Ltd. confirms the proposed building site was elevated by over 10 feet with imported fill dirt in 2021, placing it above flood elevation levels determined in studies from 2017 and 2018.

According to the reviewed data, the site’s surveyed elevation ranges from 698.2 to 699.0 meters, while the flood elevation lies between 696.6 and 697.6 meters. The applicant has expressed confidence in the safety of the location, supported by the engineer’s findings and previous mitigation efforts.

The Municipal Planning Commission considered these steps, ensuring compliance with provincial guidelines like Alberta’s “Stepping Back from the Water” document to minimize risk to both the municipality and the developer in the event of flooding.

Under subdivision applications, SUB 24CY12 was submitted to create a 1.93-hectare (4.76-acre) country residential parcel from a previously subdivided quarter section in Ward 7. Located along Township Road 124, approximately 9.7 kilometers west of Medicine Hat, the subdivision would establish a new title within an area already characterized by residential development and agricultural lands.

Currently dryland pasture, this land is part of a larger property. The new parcel is bordered by an undeveloped road allowance to the east, a drainage right-of-way to the south and west, and Township Road 124 to the north. The site naturally slopes southwest toward the St. Mary River Irrigation drainage system.

Survey plans for the subdivision confirm a suitable building envelope, accounting for required setbacks, including a 10-meter restriction from the coulee slope enforced by a restrictive covenant. Utilities for the property will include an onsite cistern and a septic system.

With no proximate oil or gas wells and the location being outside the Tri-Area Intermunicipal Development Plan boundary, the proposed subdivision aligns with established guidelines for rural residential development.

Another application (SUB 24CY13) sought to subdivide a 5.51-hectare (13.62-acre) parcel located at the corner of Range Road 70 and Highway 523 into two adjoining country residential titles. Currently, the property contains two residences with separate yard sites, each equipped with its own access, water, septic services, and accessory buildings. The subdivision aims to create distinct titles for each residence, facilitating the sale of the eastern parcel.

The land has been reclassified to Country Residential District 2 (CR-2) to meet Municipal Development Plan policies, marking the third and final title from this quarter section. While most structures meet Land Use Bylaw regulations, a setback relaxation is requested for those that fall outside requirements. The subdivision is outside the Tri-Area Intermunicipal Development Plan boundary, and all necessary access and services are already in place.

The Municipal Planning Commission will meet again on March 11.