• Farmers often work round the clock (especially during spring seeding and calving and in the fall during harvest). Dairy farmers will milk 24/7 and don’t be surprised to see lights in the fields as hay is swathed and baled at night. There is noise associated with field work – day and night.
• During seeding and harvesting, you will likely see tractors or combines on county roads. Please be considerate of these slow moving vehicles and be sure to pass only when it is safe and you have an unobstructed view.
• Some farming activities will create dust, especially during dry or windy days. Mountain View County’s Operational Services Department has an active dust control program for rural roads.
• One reality of livestock is manure. You may experience odors on windy days. Please be aware, that County farmers work very hard to compost, and recycle manure in an environmentally friendly way and most adhere to an Alberta Environmental Farm Plan.
• In terms of farm animals – please be cautious. Cattle (especially bulls), stallions, rams and boars can attack humans if they feel threatened. Please respect all fencing. Fences and pens are designed to keep animals in. If you own livestock, it is your responsibility to fence your animals in – it is not the responsibility of your neighbors to fence them out.

There are provincial and municipal regulations that regulate all aspects of farming in terms of environmental impact. If you have any questions about farming, or if you want to farm on your rural property, please contact the Agriculture Department.


What Do I Need to Know About Driving Country Roads?
There’s a reason the pace of life is a little slower in the Country – country roads take a little more time to travel on. Please be aware:

• Of road bans and bridge restrictions due to ongoing maintenance
• The County’s Public Works Department is committed to plowing all paved and oil roads within 24 hours of a major snowfall (4 inches or more in a 24 hour period). Gravel roads are cleared within 72 hours. Roads are cleared on a priority traffic basis
• The County does not plow private lanes however there are a number of local operators who can be contracted by residents . Under extreme conditions, county roads may only be passable with large vehicles or four-wheel drives – please exercise caution
• The Public Works Department follows a comprehensive road repair and upgrading program throughout the year.
• Unpaved roads will create dust. You can access the County’s user pay dust control program for your residence frontage if you are on a gravel road
• Be alert for wildlife on the roads – especially at dawn, dusk and night. In the County you can expect to encounter deer, moose, coyotes, and the occasional cougar
• Most rural children Chinnooks Edge are bussed to schools in County communities. Please keep your eyes open for little ones standing by farm gates waiting for buses. Please note you must stop in either direction when school bus lights are flashing.

Who do I call in an emergency?
In Mountain View County all emergency services are coordinated through 911 EMS Ambulance, fire and police services will be dispatched to your residence by the 911 operator. Mountain View County is well serviced with ambulance, fire and police. For major trauma incidents, 911 will dispatch STARS out of Calgary. Please note:

• Your property will have both a legal land location and a rural address. Please post your rural address in a highly visible place on the access road to your property and by your phone. 911 operators need your rural address to ensure service providers can reach you quickly.
• Plan proactively for fire prevention. Do not attempt any burning on your property without a permit (obtainable from the County office) and attend all fires at all times. Ensure your home and property insurance has adequate fire protection (especially for wild land fires). You may experience higher insurance rates in the country.
• Please note that winter and spring run-offs can cause small creeks on your property to become major rivers – quickly! Ensure you have provisions in place to protect your home against flooding

For more information on the RCMP or the County Patrol Division please see EMS.


What do I with garbage and recycling?
There is no residential pick up for rural residents; however you may take your garbage to transfer stations in Olds, Sundre, Water Valley, Reed Ranch and Didsbury. Please phone the Mountain View Regional Management Commission for details (403-556-8120) or see Infrastructure.


How Do I Collect My Mail?
Depending on your location in the County, your mail may be delivered to a roadside post box or to the central post office in the nearest community. If your mail is delivered to a roadside post box, be sure to invest in a sturdy lock. To help keep county roads free of debris, please remove all contents when you collect your mail, and recycle or dispose of unwanted papers in appropriate locations. For more information www.canadapost.ca


How do I pay my taxes?
You have a few choices when it comes to payment of assessments. You can:

• Pay in person at the County office
• Mail in a check
• Pay taxes electronically through your financial institution Electronic payment

How do I appeal or question my property assessment?
The County’s Assessment Department would be pleased to answer any questions you may have; work with you to resolve disputes; and/or show you how to appeal assessments. Your questions or concerns will be answered.


Where can I get help with farming or environmental farm planning?
In Mountain View County, farming is our bread and butter. Check out the Agriculture Division section on this site where all the programs and services of the department and the Agriculture Service Board are outlined.


How Do I Ensure My Pets Are Safe?

• It is your responsibility to keep your pets safely contained on your property. Dogs can seriously agitate livestock and are subject to being impounded (for which you will be fined) if they are found on another person’s property.
• Excess barking or howling can also cause distress to your neighbors. Please be considerate. Repeated complaints can lead to fines. Please see the Dog By Law for more information.
• The County Land Use By-law stipulates the number of dogs you may have on your property. Check out the Planning Department for details.

How do I Get Connected to the Web?
You can surf the web in virtually every corner of the County, however, please be aware that in some areas, access is still based on dial up modems. High speed wireless connection is available to residents within a 16 to 18 mile radius of Olds, Didsbury, Sundre, Eagle Hill, and areas west of Carstairs. Wireless service is dependent upon a "clear line of sight" to one of the towers. See www.airenet.com for internet service in the County.


How Do I Get a Morning Paper?
Be prepared for a trip into town or to your mailbox. There is no home delivery of major dailies, however you can access any of them on-line. Your local community will publish a weekly newspaper which will be mailed to you, along with the weekly Mountain View County Newspaper.

See Communications for a list of local media contacts.


What Do I Need to Do to Subdivide, Build or Renovate?
Before you initiate any development on your property, you must consult the Planning Department at the County office to:

• See what development or subdivision guidelines and/or restrictions are in place for your property (these vary within the County)
• Determine what permits are required and the steps to obtain them (Please be aware these can take some time to obtain)
• Understand the public consultation process (if this impacts your plans)
• You can also consult the web site for a copy of the County’s Municipal Development Plan and for basic guidelines on development permits.

How Do I Get More Information?
Please call us, Monday to Friday, from 8:00 – 4:00 PM at 403-335-3311 Staff Directory or contact us via email at info@mountainviewcounty.com