Following a five-hour public hearing for the proposed County Plan, Rocky View County (RVC) council unanimously decided to table the hearing until July 23 to ensure residents affected by the flood have the opportunity to voice their opinions as well.
About 30 residents and stakeholders presented council with their comments, concerns and compliments of the plan, June 25. Upon approval, the County Plan will guide development in the municipality for the next 10 years.
“Our goal has been to make people aware of the process and give them an opportunity to provide input on this important document,” said Richard Barss, senior planner and project manager, in a press release.
He added that the majority of residents who participated in the workshops and surveys facilitated by the County over the last year “fell in the middle of two extremes.”
“They recognized the importance of growth and development, but wanted it to occur at a moderate rate to protect the unique character and quality of life in the community.”
The new plan proposes a “moderate residential growth” amounting to about 2.5 to three per cent annually for the region’s population. This would equal an 11,000 to 20,000 increase in residents in 10 years.
The plan identifies 17 areas of expected growth.
Hamlet developments include Conrich, Harmony and Langdon. Country Residential developments include Greater Bragg Creek, Bearspaw, Balzac East and Cochrane North. Barss said the goal is to make sure the County will be fiscally sustainable by ensuring the growth pays for itself.
Legislative Services also received more than 30 letters from residents, businesses and stakeholders that were either in favour, opposed or suggested amendments to the plan, which were also presented to council June 25.
Speakers thanked Barss and Municipal Planner Amy Zaluski for their work on the plan, but many proposed recommendations.
Those in favour listed several reasons for their support, such as approval of the plan supporting agricultural operations and businesses, protecting natural reserves and maintaining the rural landscape by allowing development that meets prescribed criteria.
“We believe this plan represents the wishes of the majority of resident landowners … This plan needs to work for those residents who intend to stay in RVC, not those who wish to cash out and run,” said Graham Bruce, a resident south of Chestermere.
About 20 people spoke to council opposing the County Plan, and a common thread was the opinion the plan was too limited in scope and does not allow for creative and innovative development ideas.
“RVC surrounds the fastest-growing metropolitan region in all of Canada and many have said in all of North America. Significant growth in RVC cannot be avoided, no matter what growth limits some may wish to create,” said PC Consul, a landowner in Springbank and Bearspaw.
Guy Buchanan, a representative of Western Securities Limited, agreed saying the residential growth should be increased to six per cent, which he said is “more in line” with the County’s 2009 Growth Management Strategy.
“We are also concerned about targeting growth for areas that have been approved for many years that have not seen any development or declining development or have major servicing hurdles,” he added.
Another speaker, Development Manager for Qualico Communities, Garett Wohlberg said minor changes to the wording in the proposed County Plan would allow council greater flexibility for development proposals.
“References to a negative bias in language that should not be considered are additional roadblocks that deter applications from being made or being accepted by administration. Even if these applications were accepted, the negative language could cast a dark shadow on the application from the start,” he said, and provided council with suggestions, in particular, about country residential developments.
Council thanked all those present for voicing their opinions and comments, and reminded those present that councillors are not allowed to discuss the plan until the hearing resumes. The public is also able to submit late letters to Legislative Services.
Councillor Lois Habberfield said she doesn’t think the plan will get third reading until September, but adds it’s important to finish the public input process in July.
“This is the most important plan that has been approved in the county since 1998, so 15 years … I don’t anticipate there will be a lot of people coming to add additional thoughts, but we must do that to accommodate the situation (the flooding),” she said. “At the end of that, I don’t anticipate we will be making second or third reading. I think staff will be sent away to make amendments, and we’ll evaluate the pros and cons”
The hearing will resume July 23.
