Rural Alberta County sends Rebel News $2100 bill for records relating to failed bizarre land use scheme

The residents of Thorhild County, population 3000 people, pushed back against proposed land use bylaws that would have retroactively governed fencing, deck placement and food production targets in February. The regulations would have permitted inspectors access to private property on just 48 hours' notice.

Thorhild County’s Reeve, Joyce Pierce, has called a Special Council meeting on Feb. 2, 2023, at 2 pm at the Thorhild County Council Chambers with the intent of defeating the second reading of the draft Land Use Bylaw. https://t.co/cf1sewosSL

— Western Standard (@WSOnlineNews) February 2, 2023

According to reporting by Arthur Green of the Western Standard, residents were outraged at the potential new regulations drafted by a large urban planning company, Green Space Alliance.

Locals told Green:

"The proposed LUB also refers the reader to documents that don't exist or don't exist in the capacity that the LUB suggests that they do. For example, our proposed LUB directs the reader to the 'Urban Hen Bylaw' though council voted against Urban Hens on Jan 14, 2021, and there is no such document. Our proposed LUB also directs us to the Animal Control Act for how to keep animals/livestock; however, our County's Animal Control Bylaw is specific to dogs."

"We have concerns about including the strict limiting of food production, we are an agricultural county"

The county has since reverted to the previous land use rules from 2015 after heated debate at council meetings.

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Thorhild County Council defeated the Second Reading of draft Land Use Bylaw 14-2022, resulting in the draft bylaw being rescinded and stopping the bylaw from coming into effect. 1/2

— Thorhild County (@ThorhildCounty) February 10, 2023

Rebel News filed for access to documents related to the planning, costs and internal communications around the now-defunct proposal.

Instead of documents, Rebel News received two separate invoices totalling $2100 before the trove of files could be turned over.

Read the documents:

To support Rebel News' access to information filings, visit www.RebelInvestigates.com