As of last week's M.D. of Foothills Council Meeting, the Big Rock Erratic Site west of Okotoks is an Environmental Protection District.

Planner Coreena Carr says the change will ensure more appropriate use of the land.

"Basically, we had to do it to align with the new land use bylaw that was adopted in December of 2014, but more appropriate uses such as pathways and private amenities space are the uses that are provided under Environmental Protection as opposed to previously under the Commercial Rural. We had restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores as permitted."

She says the change will help to protect and preserve the land.

"The overal intent and purpose of the district is for the preservation and protection of the land. That's any land that's determined to be environmentally significant. So that just solidifies if a little bit more. That, when we are looking at uses that are going to go ahead, it will need to meet that district's purpose and intent."

Carr says there will be some discretionary options as well.

"Service station would be an example of one of the discretionary uses, so people could come in and apply for that on the lands. If we refused it, it could be appealed to a board for decision. So, it just removes the potential of those types of uses that aren't appropriate or aren't compatible with the use of the site."

Carr says the land will be better protected, with the uses of grocery and convenience stores no longer permitted.

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