Residents, province denounce residential development

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This article was published 19/02/2023 (802 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Residents, businesses and provincial officials in the RM of Ste Anne are sounding the alarm on a proposed development which they say will disrupt the rural nature of the area, complicate agricultural business expansion and potentially interfere with existing pipelines.

In a lengthy public hearing last Wednesday morning a series of written objections and verbal presentations made their case against a rezoning application by Kleefeld Developments to redesignate a parcel of land in the municipality to make way for a future residential development.

The 270 acre parcel of land in question, located north of the Trans-Canada Highway along Provincial Road 46N, was once a gravel pit before decommissioning. Talk of a golf course on the land never came to fruition and the parcel eventually became Country Charm Resort, a “luxury” getaway with 10 cabins and a manmade lake.

The resort eventually ran into financial problems and ultimately shuttered.

In 2016 Gus Hastmann purchased the property with a desire to reopen the resort. In 2018 he made his bid before council to reopen and add a 40-site campground with a plan to appeal to those looking to reconnect with nature.

Residents living nearby opposed the application, citing noise and fire concerns, as well as fear guests would wander into neighbouring properties. Council ultimately rejected the proposal.

Now, nearly five years later the property came back before council with a different plan and a different set of objections.

Developer Abe Bergen presented a proposal for a 43 five-acre lot development on the parcel of land if the redesignation of land to rural residential were approved. The land is currently designated as agriculture mixed use.

Neighbouring resident Janice McKay, a 34-year resident in the RM, told The Carillon the property has gone through many iterations in her time living beside the land, and maybe, it’s best to keep it that way.

“The designation that it has now hasn’t been working, because it’s just been sitting vacant for however long,” she said. “But they’re inviting a small village into the area that for the most part is private.”

Other presenters cited concerns with loss of natural environment, noise, roadwork which residents would have to foot the bill for and residential encroachment on rural properties.

“It’s disappointing that we, as taxpaying residents, need to rehash this application every two to three years,” resident Brad Mason wrote to council.

“Had my family wished to live in the highly concentrated, urban-type community we would have built or purchased closer to town.”

Density isn’t the only concerns.

TC Energy submitted comments to the municipality stating the existence of three underground pipelines which run adjacent to the property in question must be considered in council’s decision.

Michelle Erb, a planning specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, told council in a brief presentation the proposal would affect current operations and their potential for expansion in the area.

“That has impacts to livestock producers,” she told council. Manitoba Agriculture registered an official objection against the application.

McKay said she and other residents don’t want to see the property go to waste, but the plan must be respectful of what already exists.

“It came out loud and clear that they don’t want to see a bunch of homes.”

Bergen, who owns developments in Grunthal, Kleefeld and Landmark, said he’s no stranger to opposition of his plans.

“Usually when people come before to these things it’s not to give you a pat on the back,” he told council.

Council adjourned the hearing to Feb. 22 at 6:30 at the RM office for a final decision.