Skip to content

Calgary Court of Appeal reserves decision on Paradise Shores development

Paradise Shores development north of Stettler along Buffalo Lake controversial from start
15286564_web1_180821-STI-M-lj-hearing-Paradise-shores
Stettler County’s SDAB hearing on Paradise Shores Aug. 16 was adjourned until Sept. 18, 2018, after legal counsel for RV Sites Canada requested the delay to give them time to go over almost 4,000 pages submitted by nine appellants. (Lisa Joy/Black Press)

The decision for the appeal heard in Calgary Court of Appeal into Paradise Shores development along Buffalo Lake was reserved.

The hearing was held Jan. 23 in Calgary. Developer David Hamm filed the appeal Nov. 30 after Stettler County’s Subdivision Development Appeal Board’s (SDAB) November 2018 decision to slash the size of its development from 750 to 168 sites.

The Court of Appeal office in Calgary said the decision could take “a week, a month or up to a year.”

READ MORE: Appeal into Paradise Shores development in Stettler County delayed

Hamm filed the appeal Nov. 30 citing a lack of procedural fairness into Stettler County’s SDAB decision as one of the reason’s.

In his affidavit to the court, Hamm said he had invested millions into buying the land in Stettler county for the RV park, as well as having various reports prepared and doing site preparation work. He said Paradise Shores will lose “half to two-thirds of the expected revenue from the loss of rentals of RV sites as a result of the reduction.”

WATCH: Paradise Shore’s lawyer granted adjournment of SDAB hearing

The proposed high-density RV park was controversial from the start. The Summer Villages of Rochon and White sands filed objections to the development. The counties of Lacombe and Camrose sent Stettler County letters of concern saying the development didn’t comply with the environmental requirements of the Buffalo Lake Inter-municipal Development Plan.

In March, about 400 people attended a public hearing for the proposed development. Twenty people spoke against. Only the developer spoke in favour. The county received 32 letters of support and 121 submissions against.

The proposed development was also opposed by a grassroots group of Buffalo Lake area residents that got more than 1,000 signatures.



lisa.joy@stettlerindependent.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter