Town of Coaldale passes direct control bylaw amendment

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Coaldale town council has approved a land use bylaw amendment to potentially allow changes for a dairy farm within the town’s borders.

The public hearing for the LUB Rezoning Amendment 889-P-04-24 was held July 15. The amendment aims to rezone a portion of NE4-09-20-W4 from Urban Reserve to Direct Control potentially allow for the establishment of an Eco Dairy operation at the existing Elk Creek Dairy Farm site. The bylaw previously was given first reading at council’s regular April 22 meeting.

The LUB amendment would rezone a portion of land, legally described as NE4-09-20-W4M, on the southern boundary of town that is the current location for the Elk Creek Dairy Farms Ltd. dairy operation, which became part of the town following a recent annexation. With the current Urban Reserve (UR) zoning in place, the farm cannot expand or improve its existing dairy operation, and the applicant, Brian Stoutjesdyk, wishes to modernize the operation, and add a tourism and education element to create an Eco-Dairy operation. 

Should the land be rezoned to DC, it would allow for council to review further plans and determine if the proposal is in the best interest of the community.

“The process of establishing a dairy is relatively complicated compared to other types of uses,” said Cam Mills, director of growth and investment for the town. “It fits under the description of what’s known as a Confined Feeding Operation (CFO). It’s regulated at the provincial level, by the NRCB, which is the Natural Resource Conservation Board. And so in order to expand the diary or to do sort of major investment in these types of things, the applicant needs to receive approval from that body. That body will not give the applicant approval without knowing the municipality is in favour of this type of thing.”

While typically, urban municipalities like Coaldale are not the sites of dairy operations, the question is whether the modernization of the facility and the addition of the education and tourism component would create “an attractive opportunity, and a rather distinct and unique opportunity for the town to consider”. Approving the bylaw today would signal that council is open to the possibility. It goes not provide the go-ahead just yet.

No feedback was received in response to the bylaw, although an email was received regarding a Sunny South News article about the bylaw, and three phone calls were received from people who were curious about the proposal. An email was also sent to a town council regarding concerns over ensuring 30th Street was upgraded to accommodate increased traffic.

Peter Casurella, CEO of Progressive West Consulting, speaking in favour, had been engaged by the applicant to navigate the process with the NRCB. He said the Stoutjesdyk family has put down roots in the area.

“They’ve been trying to push forward a presentation to council that’s extremely friendly to the fact that they are now within an urban environment, and of course they want to lean heavily into the tourism angle, as is within the presentation before you,” said Casurella, adding that they’ve already been hosting tourism groups. “Agrifood tourism is alive and growing in southern Alberta, and Brian and his family want to be part of that.”

Following closure of the public hearing, council passed second and third and final reading of LUB Rezoning Amendment 889-P-04-24.