Thorhild, AB… At a Special Council meeting held on February 2, 2023, Thorhild County Council defeated the Second Reading of draft Land Use Bylaw 14-2022, resulting in the draft bylaw being rescinded and stopping the bylaw from coming into effect.

Thorhild County will continue to apply Land Use Bylaw 1194-2015, adopted in 2015, for implementing current land use regulations.

The County began rewriting its 2015 land use bylaw in 2021. Since then, the draft land use bylaw was introduced to the community at two open houses and made available online. The First Reading of the bylaw was passed on November 22, 2022, followed by a public hearing on January 10, 2023. During the hearing, County residents voiced their opposition to specific regulations outlined in the draft document.

Upon receiving a high level of concern from residents, Reeve Joyce Pierce called a Special Council meeting on February 2, 2023, to defeat the Second Reading of the bylaw and halt any plans to implement the proposed regulations.

“By defeating the motion for Second Reading, Council has unanimously agreed that the bylaw does not align with the community’s vision for development,” said Reeve Pierce.