The Janet Area Structure Plan (ASP) received first and second reading at Rocky View County (RVC) council’s meeting on Oct. 28, with third reading scheduled for council’s next sitting on Nov. 12. RVC council also gave third reading to an amendment to the Calgary-Chestermere Corridor ASP to remove lands within the new Janet ASP from the outdated ASP.
The Janet ASP boundary contains approximately 5,758 acres of land located south of Chestermere in a portion of central east RVC, an area identified in the County Plan as a Regional Business Centre. This ASP will provide a planning framework for continued business development in the area, replacing the Shepard ASP and a portion of the Calgary-Chestermere Corridor ASP.
Landowner Bruce Ramsay raised concerns with the wording of the ASP – specifically that the land use guidelines for the long-term development area are too restrictive. The objective in the ASP is to “protect lands for future business expansion by limiting development to agriculture and other existing uses until alternate forms of development are determined to be appropriate.”
“This takes away any prospect for establishing new income streams other than agricultural, even those which would not impede or affect the long term intended zoning,” Ramsay said. “My issue is income in the short-to-medium term. I’m hoping for a little bit more flexibility. It’s just rather rigid in terms of not allowing any activities in the area other than agricultural.”
Since there is no proposed timeline for development to this area, Ramsay requested council to commit to a ten year review of the plan to ensure that these limitations are still appropriate. Marko said according to the County Plan, ASPs are to be reviewed every ten years as a general guideline.
Some concerned adjacent landowners voiced an issue at the public hearing about the planned rescinding of the Shepard ASP, as their lands would not be included in the new Janet ASP. Landowner Gary Sutherland said he was in favour of council approving the Janet ASP, but was opposed to the rescinding of the Shepard ASP.
The Janet ASP is to replace the outdated Shepard ASP.
“Ever increasing growth and development of this area will demand consideration of rezoning, subdivision, and development in the short term,” Sutherland said. “The Shepard ASP already provides the implementation framework for the imminent growth, and rescinding this would result in increased costs to Rocky View administration for future planning in this area.”
Councillor Rolly Ashdown proposed an amendment to the bylaw that would allow the Shepard ASP to be rescinded only where it would be replaced by the new Janet ASP. This amended bylaw was given first and second reading, and will be presented to council for third reading at their next sitting.
The plan was developed in four phases, which began last summer. Throughout the development of the plan, input was received from stakeholders and through public engagement. Two workshops and two open houses were held, with a total of approximately 97 people in attendance.
Another concern voiced at the public hearing on Oct. 28 was with the proposed transportation network, Map 7. According to Paul Mercer with Brown & Associates Consulting on behalf of Truman Developments, overlapping studies from the City of Calgary, Town of Chestermere, and RVC show a conflict on Township Road 240, or Peigan Trail.
“Our respectful opinion is that adoption of the Janet ASP with Map 7, as it currently is shown, would be in conflict with the adopted Edgewater Crossing ASP,” Mercer said. He said Truman Developments currently has a submission circulating in Chestermere for land use redesignation north of Township Road 240 and east of Range Road 283. According to Mercer, this application intends to develop the land in accordance with the Edgewater Crossing ASP.
Adopted by the Town of Chestermere in 2013, the Edgewater Crossing ASP identifies the interim classification for Township Road 240 as a two lane half-major, expanding to a four-lane major. Janet ASP’s Map 7 indicates the road would become a six-lane expressway.
“At this stage, we are using this as a starting point to say that perhaps we will need a six-lane, but that may not be the case given future, more in-depth analysis following a development proposal,” said RVC Planner Mike Marko.
According to Marko, the information used to create Map 7 is from Alberta Transportation, who have jurisdiction over some of the affected roadways.
Land planning and development within the Janet ASP will proceed in a staged manner, with business development proceeding in a “logical and cost effective progression” from west to east.
The easterly half of the plan, east of the Western Headworks Canal and Range Road 285, is for long-term development and will continue to function under the present agricultural policy framework provided by the County Plan – until business requirements and stormwater conveyance systems are confirmed and the ASP is amended.
