Badlands Motorsports Resort Applications to Kneehill County
Badlands Applies for Subdivision
January 1, 2020 – Updates pending
June, 2019
In a 4-2 decision Kneehill Council denied another subdivision extension for the racetrack. This is a signal the new Kneehill Council is listening to the concerns of the people of Rosebud and Wheatland County.
May, 2017
This from Three Hills Capital Reporter Grant Alford:
This is the portion of my Council Meeting report that pertains to the Badlands Motorsport presentation.
Agenda item 5.3.2 is termed a “Subdivision Application submitted by Badlands Motorsport Resort”.
Barb Hazelton, Manager Planning & Development presented a 6 page document which included a recommendation that the application be passed on to the Municipal Planning Commission. This has in it 14 conditions that would have to be met.
Council approved this recommendation.
At this time Council went into closed session to discuss a “Legal Matter”.
When open session resumed Council passed a motion that was amended to read as follows:
“Council directs Administration to enter into a development agreement with the Badlands Recreation Development Corporation in regards to the construction of the access road to the Badlands Motor Resort.”
May, 2016
According to news reports Badlands submitted to Kneehill County four applications for subdivision, explained as five splits, four of which would be consolidated into one title for the lower track.
At this time Kneehill County has told us they will not release any further information on the applications; consideration happens in secret.
If Kneehill County finally has all the reports (which in a proper process Badlands should have been required to submit before a Land Use change was passed), now is the time to turn down this development.
Road Access Problems Remain
May, 2016
News reports also state that Kneehill County administration is expecting comments the third week in May, 2016 from WSP Engineering on Badlands’ proposed engineered solution to the access road. A commitment to building according to Kneehill County road standards was included in a change ordered to the Land Use Bylaw by the Municipal Government Board when the dispute between Kneehill and Wheatland Counties was decided.
Kneehill County can legitimately put a stop to this development by refusing to relax road standards. If indeed a threat at a Kneehill County council meeting was made as reported in the Three Hills Capital (February, 2015), we fear that Kneehill Council may be swayed. Given Kneehill County should have required all the comprehensive reports sooner, the dollars spent by Badlands to this point to complete their studies are the risk any developer takes …
Should Kneehill County agree to relax road standards to build the road, a Land Use Bylaw change will be necessary and we will be attending another public hearing.
DIRECT CONTROL LAND USE BYLAW PASSED 3-2 … ONLY DELAYING THE IMPORTANT DECISIONS
January, 2014
In a 3-2 decision Kneehill Council passed the Direct Control Land Use Bylaw establishing a district under direct control of Kneehill Council for the Badlands Motorsport Resort. In reality the actual decision making has now been delayed to the next stage in the process.
Opposition spoke for hours requesting detailed reports like the Traffic Impact Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment, Geophysical, Stormwater Plan, and Comprehensive Site Plan be done by the proponent before Land Use was decided. These reports should have been available to the public before a public hearing for the Land Use Bylaw was ever called (Letter by planner, Patricia Maloney)
As stated in the last paragraph of section 1.1 of the Alberta Land Use Policies “Municipalities are expected to design a decision-making system which ensures that the required attention is given to all sections of the Land Use Policies”
Pat Maloney says:
“If you put the cart before the horse, can you reasonably expect good decisions to result? A good planning process requires that the background studies, the consultation with the Provincial agencies and clear definition of the mitigative measures should have been completed prior to the adoption of the land use designation.”
The next stage will be subdivision and development permits.
CROWD OPPOSES DEVELOPMENT
DECEMBER 4, 2013
Thanks to the 50+ people who showed up before Kneehill County Council to oppose the Badlands Motorsport Resort Development. They presented a thorough, well-organized, well-reasoned argument and are to be applauded for their respect and patience during this lengthy process.