On November 6th, 2012 at the Land Re-designation Hearing seven out of nine RVC Councillors agreed that this land is NOT farmland.  Here is the rationale for the Councillor’s Decisions for creating Bylaw   C-7188-2012:  Due to the rocky outcroppings, wetlands, and general westerly slope, this land is classified (CLI) as 4H and 4T. meaning it has challenging topography and lacks heat for crop harvest.  Specific parts of the land are too damp for large machinery to traverse, unlike the quarter to the west which has an easterly slope and catches plenty of sunlight.

 

While the Stone family owned the entire section prior to the two owners below and made a living from the full section.  When he and some neighbors cleared the land – they found they shouldn’t have.  This quarter had no water for livestock and too challenged (CLI) to farm.  He stopped clearing and left the NE 1/4 primarily wooded – as this one should have been.  Add to that two subsequent farmers bought it and lost it.  It was not farmland nor ranchland.  It was the local lore that the land had no water so local farmers didn’t want to buy it.

Two previous farmers failed in their attempts to farm it.

 

I purchased it in 1988 when Eddie the Eagle was flying down
the Olympic Ski Jump at COP

 

My neighbor tried farming it and wrote of his experiences.

Huge slabs of sandstone hit with his equipment referenced in the letter above.

These slabs and boulders could only be moved with a large track-hoe.

 

These run throughout the land 3 to 6 inches below the surface,  The slabs shown below are half-buried in the soil to stabilize them.  They are about 8″ thick and 4 to 6 feet long, and 3 to 5 feet wide.  Lovely for landscaping but not good for farming.

 

I purchased the land in 1988

I bought the quarter in a foreclosure sale from AADC in 1988 knowing there was enough water to run my household of up to 8 people at a time.  The payments were made primarily with off-farm income until I could find a higher and better use and the time to implement it.

It wasn’t until 2010 that I started seriously looking for water though I had suspicions earlier.  High-quality potable water was located and the commercial registration process thru Alberta Environment and Parks began.  Ironically, once the neighbors found out there was water – offers for the land also surfaced.  Further details regarding the water can be viewed under that tab.

Taken from the Rocky View Weekly
(originals can be viewed at www.airdrietoday.com/rocky-view-weekly-archives)

Redesignation Hearing November 6, 2012               

I was also approved for a Development Permit in the spring of 2013.  Unfortunately, I had to attend to personal family matters and let the Development Permit lapse.  I did not resume plans for the project until 2018 and I am still at it.

 

More on the history of the Redesignation & Development Permits can be found on the Blog.