Dear Editor:
Further to the March 16 front page article on the County of Stettler Land Use Bylaw:
All or most municipalities in Alberta will have a land use bylaw. However not all land use bylaws are the same. Municipalities will adopt land use bylaws that could be considered as being very rural, very urban or falling in a range between.
A rural land use bylaw might offer agriculture protection from non-agricultural residents and typically would exempt agriculture from the bylaw. A rural land use bylaw is less detailed, provides the least possible amount of regulation and allows residents more freedom and personal responsibility.
An urban land use bylaw is very much more restrictive and would stipulate detailed do’s and don’ts for everything imaginable such as fences, pets, RV parking, landscaping, basement suites, building design and more.
In my opinion, the County of Stettler land use bylaw which county council passed into law March 9 is an urban land use bylaw. In fact, significant sections of the Stettler county bylaw are word for word the same as comparable sections of the Town of Stettler’s land use bylaw. While I am sure the town’s bylaw is appropriate for the town, as a county resident, I do not want that same level of local government oversight and regulation regarding what I can or cannot do on my farm and on my land.
Where the town’s and county’s land use bylaws differ is in prescribed punishment for non-compliance. The Town of Stettler bylaw provides for a fine of not less than $250 and not more than $10,000. Our overlords at the County of Stettler have included provisions for imprisonment and a process that would see your land taken from you and title reverted to the County of Stettler without compensation.
Everyone understands the need for some local government oversight. However, in my view, the County of Stettler’s land use bylaw that council passed March 9 goes way beyond what is appropriate oversight for this county and its residents. I am a county resident. I do not wish to live in a town or city and our county council is wrong to be regulating me as if I do.
Yours truly,
Rob Somerville,
Endiang