The City of Calgary tabled the Rocky View/Calgary Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) at the behest of the Town of Chestermere, Nov. 7.
The statutory document, which will govern about 103,400 acres along Rocky View and Calgary’s shared borders, was tabled until Dec. 5.
“We are extremely appreciative that the City of Calgary recognized our very critical concern about municipal autonomy and the ability to plan for our residents,” said Chestermere Mayor Patricia Matthews.
“It is of utmost importance to Chestermere that we can plan properly.”
The Town of Chestermere’s request, presented and rejected by Rocky View County council on Nov. 1, was to remove some land from the Rocky View/Calgary document to create a tri-party agreement between the three municipalities.
According to Matthews, Calgary councillors unanimously supported her request, despite the fact that Rocky View County council rejected an identical plea six days earlier.
Neil Younger, City of Calgary senior planner, confirmed Calgary council asked City staff to work with Rocky View.
“I think council took Chestermere’s concerns seriously,” said Neil Younger, City of Calgary senior planner.
“I think there is a little more work to do to try to make sure we address Chestermere’s concerns.”
Matthews said the Town is relieved by the decision, as Rocky View’s response, to ratify the IDP and pass a policy to deal with Chestermere’s concerns later, was not “comforting.”
Rocky View still has to agree to the changes put forward by Calgary before the document can be implemented. Once accepted, it will replace the existing agreement approved in 1998. Matthews is optimistic.
“What we are hoping is that with this show of support from the City, it makes the path a little easier for Rocky View to follow and understand,” said Matthews.
“We aren’t asking for anything that any other municipality wouldn’t ask for. The bottom line is this should be a very easy conversation among three municipalities and if the shoe were on the other foot, Rocky View would be the first to say ‘we need to have our autonomy recognized and we need to be able to plan properly for our future.’”
Once passed, the IDP, which has been in the works for three years, will provide policy direction for future land use in the affected areas along the border between Rocky View and Calgary. It also includes conflict resolution strategies.
