2019 BIGHORN NEWS Aerial view of Exshaw In This Issue: Bylaw News........................................2 MD Planning Services..................3 MD Finance.........................................4 MD Information................................5 Emergency Preparedness.........6 MD Information................................7 Community Services....................8 Municipal Calendar......................10 Photo Credit: Paul Ryan Page 2 of 10 Bighorn News Bylaw News 2019 DOG LICENSES Owners in the Hamlets of Dead Man’s PET LICENSE RENEWAL NOTICE Flats, Lac des Arcs and Harvie Heights As we are well into the new year, the M.D. of are also reminded to please keep their Bighorn is reminding pet owners to renew their 2019 pets on a leash! It’s not only a bylaw dog’s licenses. violation but its also safer to have A dog license and accompanying your dog on a leash. Being off leash is identification tag are required for only one offence, but it can lead to a every dog over six months of age in host of others under the Bylaw. Harvie Heights, Dead Man’s Flats, The current fine for this violation (first offence) is Lac Des Arc and Exshaw. Licenses $100.00 are sold for $20 (neutered) or $100 All dog owners are reminded to for intact male/female. clean up after their dogs! Every Key Points year complaints are received that not all dog owners are not cleaning • Dog owners are required to purchase The fine for their dog(s) a license every year. this offence up after their dog. There are health • A dog license acts as a critical piece under the concerns linked to pet waste not of ID. In the event a lost or missing Domestic being properly disposed of. Bags dog is found, the dog’s tag can be Animal and bins are provided by the M.D. Control Bylaw in all Hamlets. used to contact the owner. You can is $75.00 also provide a photo to be attached The current Domestic Animal Control Bylaw states: to the license. “No Owner, whose Domestic Animal defecates on • Dog licenses can be purchased at Municipal any Private or Public Property, other than the property District Building in Exshaw at #2 Heart of the owner, must ensure that defecation is removed Mountain Drive or by visiting our website http:// immediately, and placed into a waste receptacle.” mdbighorn.ca/FormCenter/Financial-Services-7/ Pet-License-Form-47 The fine for this offence is $250.00 Fire Season Alberta’s wildfire season begins March 1, 2019 and permits are required until October 31, 2019. Starting March 1, 2019, all burning activities in Alberta’s Forest Protection Area, excluding campfires, will require a fire permit. All of the MD of Bighorn is part of the Calgary Forest Area. Fire permits are free and can be obtained by contacting your local Alberta Agriculture and Forestry office. Phone toll-free 310-0000 to locate the office nearest you or alternatively you can contact our local Fire Permit Office in Calgary at 403-297-8800. While Burn Permits are not required from November 1 to March 1, burning is limited to woody debris from land clearing only, and cannot include Prohibited Debris, such as animal carcasses or manure, chemicals or chemical containers, combustible material in automobiles, household refuse, non-wooden material, paints or painted material, wood or wood products containing preservatives or laminates, rubber or plastic materials, tires, used oil, or any other material which would result in the release to the atmosphere of dense smoke, offensive odors or substances, which are prohibited, regulated or controlled by the Environmental Protection and enhancement Act, RSA 2000. If you’re ever unsure about the status of fire season, please call the number above or the MD of Bighorn office. If you do plan to burn outside of the required permit season, you should still call the MD of Bighorn so we can notify the nearest fire department; this could avoid a visit from them if someone reports the smoke! Wildfires are to be reported to 310-FIRE (310-3473) Page 3 of 10 Bighorn News MD BUILDING & PLANNING SERVICES CHANGES IN M.D. DEVELOPMENT/BUILDING PERMITS APPLICATION PROCESSES Since 2017, the Planning Department has experienced a marked increase in development and building permit applications. In March 2018 a new process was introduced to streamline how applications are received and processed. This process on the whole has been working well, but we still require applicants to be fully aware and contribute to the success of our new system. When applying for building of development permits please ensure that the checklist for information and supporting documents is completed. Submitted applications that are not accompanied by the required information and/or support documents will be deemed incomplete by the Planning Department. Applicants will be required to re-submit all required information before the M.D. will accept the application. While general questions regarding the planning process may be answerable by reception or the planning staff, when dropping off a complete application, anyone needing answers on site specific questions or information pertaining to the Land Use Bylaw or the Safety (Building) Codes will need to contact the Planning Department and schedule an appointment with planning staff. Drop-ins are being discouraged given that the time taken by unscheduled meetings is reducing staff’s ability to process completed applications. The onus is on the applicant to submit a completed application. Please note that planning staff and the Safety Codes Officer are not consultants; their role is not to give technical assistance but rather to review applications to ensure that all statutory requirements are met and the M.D. is safeguarded from liability. Applicants who need technical assistance should engage their own professional services (architect, planner, contractor, etc.). When both a development and building permit are required, the two applications cannot be submitted at the same time. Planning staff will only accept the completed building permit application once the development permit application has been processed and a development permit issued. Applications that are complete when submitted to the M.D. will be placed in the queue for processing. Incomplete applications will not be accepted! As per the requirements of the Municipal Government Act, a decision to approve or refuse an application must occur within forty (40) days of the date the application is deemed complete. If Planning staff come across any concerns with an accepted application, the applicant will be contacted and a meeting arranged to address those concerns. The M.D. appreciates the new application process may impact plans and expectations of those looking to develop or build. However, by following our building and development process, applications can be processed more efficiently and decisions rendered sooner. To schedule a meeting with a Development Officer or the Safety Codes Officer, please contact the M.D. Office and ask for Planning Assistant Katy Stewart at 403-673-3611 ext: 249 Page 4 of 10 Bighorn News MD FINANCE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT NOTICES The annual Property Assessment Notices have been mailed. If you have not received your notice, please contact the office and we would be happy to send you another copy. Please note: 1. The deadline to file an appeal of your assessment will be 60 days after notices are mailed. Forms for filing an appeal are available on our website or can be picked up at our office. 2. An advertisement that assessment notices have been sent is placed in three local newspapers, which constitutes as mailing, whether the owner actually received the notice or not. We make every effort to ensure that notices are sent to all property owners, but sometimes the addresses we have on file are incorrect. *Please remember to update our office and Land Titles Alberta (through your nearest registry office) when your mailing address changes.* 3. The fees for appealing 2019 assessments are $50.00 for each residential/farmland and $650.00 for each commercial/industrial appeal. If your appeal is successful, your fees will be returned to you. 4. The M.D. encourages you to contact Kelly Larson to discuss any concerns you have with your assessment before filing a formal appeal at: 1-844-354-8484 [email protected] A list of all assessed values and complaint forms will be available on our website, www.mdbighorn.ca or at the M.D. offices PROPERTY TAX NOTICES The annual Property Tax Notices will be mailed in May 2019. Property taxes will be due Friday, June 28, 2019. Please note: 1. Be sure to put the correct date on your payment, to avoid the application of a 9% penalty on June 29, 2019. 2. Consider signing up for our monthly tax installment payment plan (TIPP). Contact our office for more information. Ways to Pay: • 24-Hour Drop-Off - After hours your payment and the accompanying top portion of the tax notice may be left in the secure drop box to the right of the front doors at the M.D. office • In Person - We are happy to accept payment by Cash, Cheque, or Debit Card at our office during normal business hours • Internet and Telephone Banking - We have made arrangements with the Royal Bank, BMO, CIBC, and the Bow Valley Credit Union for payment of taxes using Internet and Telephone banking. Please contact your bank for details on how to use these services • Monthly TIPPS Payment Plan - We can take a monthly payment directly from your account. Please fill out and submit a TIPPS Form (PDF) • One Time Automatic Payment - We can take a payment directly from your account on the due date or • Send a Cheque Via the Mail - Mailed cheques with post marks on or before June 28th will be considered to be on time.