Morrin Council: Concerned about aesthetics of proposed development

Morrin village council voiced concern about the aesthetics of a proposed self-storage facility as they passed first reading of a land use bylaw (LUB) amendment at their regular meeting Jan. 15.

Councillors were considering first reading of the LUB amendment that, if passed, would allow Bluming Prairie Development’s self-storage facility proposal on Main Street to move to the development permit phase.

However, as Palliser Regional Municipal Services Planner Devon Diano noted in his presentation to council, Morrin’s LUB doesn’t permit a self-storage facility so an amendment to the village’s planning regulation is needed.

Diano presented councillors with a draft bylaw he’d written based on work he’d done with the village and applicant, plus research.

The planner stated Bluming Prairie presented their request to offer a self-storage service, including an “open storage” option for recreational vehicles (RVs) plus other storage options including sea cans and rental options available through U-Haul.

The planner stated the draft bylaw notes the facility, if approved, would require an appearance that would be uniform in nature.

Councillors voiced concern over sea cans and the possibility they may be various types with different appearances, colour schemes or markings.

Councillors also discussed the length of sea cans and stated several times they didn’t think everything Bluming Prairies proposed to do would fit on the lot in question.

Mayor Chris Hall stated he didn’t think all of the proposed units would fit on the parcel in question, especially with a road proposed to run around the development.

However, Diano pointed out councillors were considering first reading of the bylaw, whereas some of the details mentioned were actually details to be discussed later in the development permit phase, if the bylaw is adopted.

Councillors shifted to the “open area” part of the application, which they noted proposed hosting RVs up to 30 feet in length. At this point councillors mentioned they had been told the applicant intended to rent U-Hauls at that location.

Diano responded the draft amendment councillors were debating only dealt with land use bylaw issues, observing that some specific details are unknown at this time and could change by the development permit stage if the application reaches that point.

The planner also pointed out councillors can amend the draft bylaw at each of the document’s proposed three readings; he reminded councillors the reason an amendment was requested is because Morrin’s LUB doesn’t include “self-storage facility.”

During discussion, councillors unanimously passed several resolutions changing details in the draft bylaw, for example, limiting the length of structures to 20 feet; Coun. Lorraine MacArthur stated she wanted the open storage area of the proposal removed and that was done by resolution.

Councillors also voiced concern about sea cans being stacked, so they prohibited that option as well.

Councillors then pondered what amounts to a precedent of a sort: that is, they wondered if they approved this self-storage facility, would Morrin be vulnerable to a flood of them?

Diano clarified that “self-storage facility” was being created as a discretionary use, meaning the village’s Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) would hear applications for any such facility. The planner stated “discretionary” uses are different than “permitted” uses, as those considered “permitted” may be approved directly by the development officer.

At this point, councillors and staff discussed Morrin’s MPC; there was some confusion over whether Morrin has an MPC or contracts that service out.

Diano lastly offered councillors another option for considering Bluming Prairie’s proposal: introduce a new type of zoning called Direct Control (DC). Such a zone is under direct control of the council and hosts developments that may not fit into other zones.

Both Hall and MacArthur stated it was important that a self-storage facility be aesthetically pleasing.

Councillors closed the discussion by passing several resolutions: they passed first reading of the revised bylaw, they instructed Diano to contact the applicant to discuss changes to the proposal and they set the public hearing for this bylaw for Feb. 11.

Stu Salkeld
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
ECA Review

About the author

Stu Salkeld

Stu Salkeld, who has upwards of 28 years of experience in the Alberta community newspaper industry, is now covering councils and other news in the Stettler region and has experience working in the area as well.

He has joined the ECA Review as a Local Journalism Initiative Journalist.

Stu earned his two-year diploma in print journalism from SAIT in Calgary from 1993 to ’95 and was raised in Oyen, Alta., one of the communities within the ECA Review’s coverage area.