Rocky View County (RVC) council voted unanimously to authorize administration to begin the process of collaborative negotiations with the Town of Cochrane for the potential annexation of a quarter-section of land on the town’s northwest boundary, east of Horse Creek Road.
With the permission of RVC, Cochrane purchased the land for a future school and other public service opportunities, and would like to include the land within the town’s boundaries in order to provide proper servicing.
Administration also noted the annexation would provide a reduction in County council and administrative resources, and costs of managing site development.
“The Town has provided a rationale for the annexation, which includes an unwillingness to commit the financial resources to purchase, service and develop these lands unless the land is under its jurisdiction and control,” said Richard Barss, manager of intergovernmental affairs with RVC.
“Town administration has committed to limiting the annexation discussion to the identified quarter-section, and has confirmed it is not in need of additional land for residential development.”
An extension was approved unanimously to allow administration time to further assess a Notice of Motion presented by Councillor Bruce Kendall in September, regarding funding options for necessary upgrades to the Langdon Wastewater Treatment Plant. The item will be brought back to council at a meeting Jan. 10.
“(The report) will include a combined financial model and review of the County’s current water and wastewater off-site levies, so that options can be generated for an integrated project delivery framework,” said Byron Riemann, general manager of operations and infrastructure with RVC.
According to Riemann, the report will specifically target issues like moving the County toward a 65/35 per cent residential/non-residential revenue split, improved project delivery timelines, cost recovery within a reasonable time period and feasibility of municipally financed capital projects.
Dates were selected for the 2017 council meetings and Policy and Priority Committee meetings. These dates will be available on the Meetings and Hearings section of the County’s website at rockyview.ca
