Red Deer Valley Mennonite Church wants to build a school and church next to Spruce View.
The application was before Red Deer County on Tuesday because an area structure plan for the area needed to be amended before the 21 acres on the hamlet’s southwest boundary needed for the project can be rezoned and subdivided.
Council unanimously approved second and final readings of the amendments, but not before hearing that the project had drawn some concerns from neighbours.
Debbie Papp, who lives on a dead-end street next to the proposed school, was worried that the additional traffic could cause noise problems and lower property values.
Others in the area were concerned that wildlife in a nearby wetland would be disturbed.
Conrad Hollinger, representative for the Innisfail-based church, said access to the school and church site, which will also include a playground, cemetery and parking lot, will not be from the nearby street but from what is known as the Dickson Hwy.
Hollinger also offered assurances that the school and church will be small, serving up to 20 families.
“This would not be a mega church,” he said.
He assured council that the development would not be intrusive. “As far as wildlife and noise, we are not noisy people,” he said.
Some councillors had questions about the availability of water and sewer systems for the development. Early investigations by county staff showed the hamlet’s reservoir was near capacity and may have enough supply to provide fire protection.
The project can go ahead without tying into the hamlet’s services.
Coun. Dave Hoar said the county needs to take a look at the area’s water and sewer capacity because it is considered a future growth area.
County manager Curtis Herzberg said the county is planning to review capacity in the area, whether the school and church go ahead or not.
In voting to approve the area structure plan changes, Coun. Don Nesbitt noted the church had done what it could to address neighbours’ concerns.
“On that note, I’m in favour of it.”