Friends of Whitecourt Society submit landscape variance application

By Ashley Clementovich

The Friends of Whitecourt Society applied for a landscaping variance at 4716 – 50 Avenue to the Whitecourt Municipal Planning Commission. The Repeat Boutique building expansion and parking lot were constructed last year. Landscaping was completed by the owner which has included the installation of large river rocks in the town-owned boulevard rather than the turf (grass) stipulated by the Land Use Bylaw.  Turf is preferred for safety, maintenance, and aesthetic reasons. Rocks can be hazardous if spread onto the sidewalk and roadway, can be easily overgrown with weeds, and be more labourious to maintain. Furthermore, boulevards serve as snow and utility holding areas.

As the area is slightly sloped, the owner feels it would be more difficult to maintain the grass and applied for the variance to allow the rocks to remain. While the town is in favour of greener landscaping around Whitecourt, the owners have planted several shrubs and a tree in the rocks to spruce up the area.

Some committee members inquired as to why rocks were placed instead of turf in the first place. “I think it comes down more to a miscommunication,” said Manager Wendy Grimstad-Davidson. Other businesses around Whitecourt such as Motor Vehicles, Sunlife, and both medical clinics also have rock landscaping.

As written in the variance application, rocks were chosen by the society as they don’t require mowing which would require more volunteer time on top of the 40 to 50 hours per week that many already donate. As the stretch along 47 Street has snow piled on it during the winter, planting anything such as grass, trees, or shrubs would be superfluous as well as possibly distracting to traffic lines of sight.

Friends of Whitecourt Society President Val Scott, and Boutique Co-ordinator Trudy Dorward noted that volunteers are at the Repeat Boutique every day and will maintain the area. As the volunteers cover the snow removal around the area, the issue of snow removal was resolved.

Council voted to approve the application as shown, and for the applicant to enter into a development agreement with the town with the condition to accept all risk and maintenance of the boulevard landscaping. The motion was carried unanimously.