The County of Paintearth No. 18 (the County) is located east of Red Deer, Alberta. Three Registered Aerodromes, two Certified Heliports, and several Non-Registered Aerodromes are located throughout the County. In recent years, a wind energy proposal near a private aerodrome led to increasing dialogue regarding how the County’s planning process addresses aviation.

HM Aero was retained by the County in 2020 to prepare a comprehensive Aerodrome Land Use Protection Report. The project objectives were to:

1. Identify the responsibilities of the municipality in the development of new aerodromes;

2. Describe the planning obligations imposed on the County in the protection of aerodromes from incompatible land uses;

3. Recommend changes to the Land Use Bylaw as it addresses aeronautics; and

4. Comment on legal correspondence authored by a third-party with respect to the above-noted matters.

HM Aero completed a comprehensive research program that included the Aeronautics Act, Canadian Aviation Regulations, Advisory Circulars, Aeronautical Information Manual, TP312, and TP1247. By providing a professional review of a contesting legal opinion, HM Aero helped the County make defensible decisions. A series of amendments were recommended to the Land Use Bylaw to protect the County from future challenges, and to reflect the current Transport Canada and NAV CANADA development processes.

To further support the County following the delivery of the report, HM Aero prepared TP312 5th Edition OLS for Castor Airport and Coronation Airport. While neither facility has a regulatory obligation to maintain OLS, this step will help the County to ensure that adjacent and on-airport land uses are compatible with safe and efficient operations when integrated in the amended Land Use Bylaw.