A concerned Calgary resident, in a letter to the editor that was published in The Pioneer on July 18th, expressed his condemnation of development work taking place around Whitetail Lake and that it was taking place without the owners having gone through the “political process”, as he termed it (ie. a rezoning application and ensuing public consultation).

The 25 investors who own the lot (located on the east side of the lake, which is located about 28 kilometres west of Canal Flats) had unsuccessfully submitted a rezoning application to the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) in 2010.

In a RDEK Highlights Report issued at the time, the Board of Directors noted “the rezoning application by the Whitetail Lake Land Corporation would have permitted approximately 48 rural residential parcels to be created around the lake” and “that the remoteness of the area from other communities and the lake’s semi-wilderness characteristics did not lend itself to such a

development. “

Now, with an application going through the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure,  a provincial approving officer will be having the final say, and from what Dan Walton reports on page 3, Leslie Elder is using language that indicates she is clearly considering granting preliminary approval.

The question that remains to be answered is how extensive road infrastructure and lot clearing has already taken place (which seems to be the case from the photo to the editor submitted by Max Fanderl — see page 9) when approval of any kind for the proposed subdivision has yet to be granted?

Furthermore, as Mr. Fanderl points out, the 20-plus kilometre road to the development site from the highway is now part of the MOT’s inventory so maintenance of it comes out of the provincial coffer.

Puzzling indeed.

Ms. Elder is open to feedback — if you feel strongly either way, pull out that pen and paper and start writing.