This diagram shows where the applicant is proposing to develop an outfitter lodge, just within the city limits. (Submitted drawing/City of North Battleford)

By Angela Brown

Discretionary use request

Business looking at developing Outfitter Lodge in North Battleford

Nov 15, 2021 | 2:46 PM

There may be a new hunting Outfitter Lodge site coming to North Battleford in the future.

At its recent meeting, city council authorized administration to prepare an amendment to the zoning bylaw to include the use of an Outfitter Lodge as a discretionary use in the city’s Future Urban Development District development standards.

City assistant director of corporate services Ryan Mackrell said in his report that the business, Feathered Fowl Outfitters Inc., plans to build a 10 to 15 room lodge for hunters’ accommodations.

The site will be located along Railway Avenue West, at the north end of the city, within city limits.

On behalf of the company Feathered Fowl Outfitters Inc., president Tyson Tabler, submitted a letter to the city with the request to consider the application, stating he wishes to build on two parcels of land – at 32 and 42 Railway Avenue West. The proposed lodge itself would be on the north side parcel.

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The new building’s main use would be as a hunting lodge, at about 5,000 square foot in size.

He said Feathered Fowl Outfitters Inc. has already been based out of North Battleford for about 10 years.

“We purchased our current outfitting licence from a Saskatchewan resident back in 2011 and have operated in the area since,” Tabler wrote. “We intend to continue operations out of North Battleford for the foreseeable future, and feel this is a perfect area for us to call home.”

Coun. Len Taylor said he supported administration’s recommendation.

“I’ve been involved in outfitting in the past,” he said. “Hunters come in from out of province, out of country. They want to hunt.”

He said most of these camps are set up in the rural area, and wanted to make sure restrictions were in place prohibiting the discharge of firearms in the urban area as well.

Mackrell indicated that would be communicated to the applicant and the developers at the beginning.

Mayor David Gillan, who was also in favour of the proposal, said he wants to ensure there are size limitations for the development, so it remains small, “to keep it more craft-oriented.”

On the project, Mackrell said there will be many steps before the use can be approved, with an opportunity for public feedback.

“There are several other laws in the province that do speak to outfitter lodges,” he said. “I relied on that information to make the recommendation to council that we amend our bylaw to have this use as discretionary in the Future Urban Development area. That would mean whenever we get an application for such a use, we look at that on a one-by-one basis.”

He recommended council only amend the bylaw first to accommodate this type of use. At a following meeting, the amended bylaw can be given first reading. After that, the city will advertise the application request to notify residents. Then, the city will hold a public hearing to determine if there are any objections. After that, council can decide whether to pass the bylaw.

“Once passed, we will bring forward this application,” Mackrell said. “It is going to be a long process.”

He said if everything progresses, the soonest the proposal could be approved would be January 2022.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow