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City council will review a proposal for a land rezoning request from a developer who would like to build a new seasonal and year-round campsite that would be located near the Medalta Museum and Strathcona Island Park.
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Councillors will review an application to develop a new campsite located east of the Medalta Museum and consist of approximately 70 fully serviced and limited serviced campsites and allow for seasonal and some year-round camping.
The proposed campsite, located near Ross Creek, Seven Persons Creek and the South Saskatchewan River, would take advantage of large natural open areas and would incorporate nearby public trails close to the Heritage Pavilion and McDonnell Park.
The campsite would also utilize undeveloped lands that are likely not suitable for development due to the amount of slopes.
Members of the city’s municipal planning commission reviewed a re-zoning application submitted from the developer that would require council approval before moving forward.
At this time in the development process, council will only be approving the development permit application to re-zone the use of the land and will not be looking at technical details of the campsite itself.
Currently the proposed campsite is split into three different land zones and would require a re-designation of the land located at 620 Porcelain Avenue SE.
“The application has advised that their overall vision for the site includes this business industrial district to facilitate commercial or light industrial development,” said Rebecca Arabsky, planning and development services.
The site is partially located within the historical clay district which contains the Medicine Hat Brick and Tile Factory. As well the campsite expands into the business industrial district that contains motor vehicle service station, Bad Guy Motors. A portion of the campsite is also located on a district of land reserved for future urban development.
City staff are recommending council to rezone the proposed campground to a “direct control” district that will allow council to manage the unique considerations to the project.
“The direct control district over the subject site will allow council to manage the unique considerations, including the absence of a definitive long term vision for the mixed use general area of the River Flats area redevelopment plan and the interface between the site and the Medicine Hat Brick and Tile heritage resource and the various environmental constraints,” said Arabsky.
Policies of the area redevelopment plan would ensure that the development of the campsite would be compatible allowing the continued use of low intensity industrial and commercial spaces to operate.
Environmental constraints include a future risk of flooding in the area as it lies within the cities flood fringe zone indicated by the Alberta Flood Hazard Identification Program.
During a site assessment that was conducted earlier this year, the level of environment risk ranges between low to moderate but does not pose a significant environment risk or contamination from previous industrial use.
“These types of technical aspects of a development would be addressed fully at the time for development permit application in terms of liability,” said Coun. Andy McGrogan.
Moving forward, council would also have to consider the site’s proximity to nearby environmentally sensitive areas and consider vehicle access to the MH Brick and Tile heritage resource before any applications are approved.
The total area of the proposed site is 74.1 hectares and would be partially bordered by Cypress Country. According to the tri-area Municipal Development Plan, the city will also be obligated to refer development proposals with the County for comment.
The City would also be required to hold a public hearing and send out notification letters to adjacent landowners before the campsite could receive a green light.
