While several people are stoked about the proposed expansion of a Turner Valley distillery, the Town’s planning and development co-ordinator says he can’t endorse it.
Following a public hearing on May 28, Turner Valley town council requested Eau Claire Distillery staff and Town administration to work together to amend the distillery’s land use bylaw application to redesignate seven acres of land it purchased last year from urban reserve to direct control.
The decision came after planning co-ordinator Gerry Melenka expressed concerns about the application, which received first reading by council last month.
Melenka told council the document lacks important details like the size and location of proposed buildings and their proximity to each other. Proposed buildings include a conference centre, warehouse, visitor centre, storage, retail store and hotel.
“When we’re dealing with a direct control district, the applicant needs to have that level of detail if they’re going to come in with something unique like this,” Melenka told council.
“We’re dealing with a quasi development permit – it should establish parking permits, signage requirements, which are uses we’re dealing with.”
Melenka told council that Turner Valley has three direct control districts – all of which are residential and minor in nature.
This proposal calls for mixed use including commercial, cultural, industrial and agricultural, he said.
“This is the first we’ve looked at of this magnitude in the town,” he said. “The applicant proposes uses that don’t exist in the land use bylaw (special events, visitor centre, retail liquor store). How do we mitigate incompatible uses?”
Melenka said the bylaw should consider proximity of storage facilities to buildings that will house people due to high fire risks.
He said he’d rather address these now than at the development permit stage.
“We try to anticipate problems that we envision,” he said. “My job is to look into the best interests of the town. It can bite us in the backside if we’re not paying attention to it.”
Distillery owner David Farran said those details will come at the development permit stage.
“Without the ability to have our architect and designers put time and money into it we can’t say exactly what it’s going to look like,” he told council.
“Those are things that will come out as we go into more design detail. Council has the ability to monitor the project to ensure it’s done in a safe and respectful manner.”
Farran assured council everything will meet regulations and code.
“Our engineers would not approve anything that would go to construction or get financing without having done all that,” he said. “We want to be safe.”
Despite submitting his own proposed bylaw, Farran said he received a 61-page bylaw document prepared by the Town the day before the public hearing, which was contrary to discussions he had with Melenka.
“The town planning department has a well-earned reputation for being difficult to work with and I found it a very difficult project to pull off,” he told council. “It just seems like there are so many obstacles put in front of us to make this happen. I just do not feel comfortable with the administrative process.”
The Turner Valley businessman of five years assured council of his reputation, saying the distillery won numerous international awards, entertained movie stars, astronauts, politicians and journalists, was featured in various international publications, documentaries and tourism videos and was named one of the top 10 things to do in Canada in USA Today and one of the top new attractions for Travel Alberta. It also employs 31 people, he added.
Coun. Garry Raab told council the Town has to trust Farran.
“He didn’t get that business by accident, he didn’t get the awards he got by accident,” he said. “I’m pretty confident the business people won’t put storage next to where they will have the guests go for lunch.”
Raab suggested Farran and Melenka amend the initial bylaw to remove any inconsistencies and errors before bringing it back to council’s June 17 meeting for second and third reading.
Residents speak
Four residents spoke in favour of the proposal, in addition to two supporting emails that were sent to the Town before the hearing.
“I really believe Mr. Farran when he said there’s a significant effect on what he’s done already in this community,” said Bill Rowe. “I’m strongly in support of it as a taxpayer. It’s something that’s focused on tourism and hospitality in a town that we like to think of as a gateway to the Rocky Mountains. This is a huge opportunity to draw more people into this town.”
Resident Wayne Lepare expressed disappointment towards the way administration handled the process.
“To me that’s unacceptable,” he said. “We should be working more collaboratively with the developers and make sure that the money we spend on staff salaries is well spent.”
Cougars Sports Bar co-owner Lori Collins submitted an email to express concerns regarding laneway access, increased traffic, safety and the transportation of hazardous goods.
She also addressed council about her concerns of the future of her business.
“I would like to see this carry through, but I don’t need to have another bar basically right behind us,” she said.
“As soon as he opens his business in the hotel, if he is serving liquor, we are finished.”
