Rocky View County’s (RVC) Agricultural Service Board’s (ASB) three-year Strategic Plan includes promoting and developing agricultural policies to meet residents’ needs and to provide educational opportunities for a wide range of citizens.
The updated 2014 to 2016 ASB plan was approved by RVC council on Feb. 11, following discussion at the Jan. 23 ASB meeting. The plan will be taken into account for future budget considerations, and is required by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development for grant funding over the next three years.
According to a County report, the plan is reviewed on an annual basis to allow a broad-range of agricultural initiatives and recommendations from the Agricultural Master Plan to be incorporated.
“RVC is a community where agriculture is valued and respected. The agriculture industry is flourishing through innovation and diversification, and is promoted and recognized as vital to the County’s social, economic and ecological integrity,” the ASB states.
Other goals outlined in the Strategic Plan include enhancing watershed health and environmental sustainability by encouraging responsible stewardship of air, land biodiversity and water resources; providing agricultural producers access to government initiatives, such as the Environmental Farm Plan program; and preventing and controlling agricultural weeds, pests, diseases, and reduced soil degradation.
Council unanimously agreed to approve the plan.
Inter-municipal partnerships
RVC residents can continue to use the Town of Cochrane’s Eco Centre at no charge, as council approved renewing the five-year agreement with the Town on Feb. 11.
According to a County report, the agreement allows all county residents to use the programs and services offered at the facility at the equivalent level as residents of Cochrane. The Eco Centre, which is owned and operated by the Town, accepts many recycling items, from basics such as glass, cardboard and metal to large appliances, household hazardous waste, electronics and motor oil.
Sharon Howland, manager of Waste and Recycle with the EcoCentre, said users can drop off recycling items at no charge, however, fees apply for bags of household garbage and large appliances. The agreement costs the County $45,000 per year, which Howland said helps cover operating costs. The fee is recovered through taxes generated in RVC.
Howland said the facility diverts more than 1,200 metric tons of recyclable and compostable material from landfills each year, and between 250 to 375 vehicles visit the facility each day. According to the facilities annual survey, 11 per cent of users are RVC residents, she said.
“We also operate a Pay-As-You-Throw program, which is our pay per bag garbage program at the centre, and 55 to 60 per cent of the users are RVC residents,” said Howland.
RVC residents have access to 14 waste and recycling facilities located across the County that work in partnership with neighbouring municipalities.
Land transfer
Rocky View County (RVC) transferred a portion of land to the City of Airdrie at no cost to enable a road widening project to go ahead.
The City’s $3.5-million project will see Yankee Valley Boulevard widened to a four-lane divided road from East Lake Boulevard to Kings Height Gate this year.
According to a RVC report, land requirements for the upgrade have been secured from businesses along the south side of Yankee Valley Boulevard, except for a piece of County land where there is a maintenance yard.
About 0.32 acres of the County’s 2.91-acre lot plus 0.22 acres for back sloping will be transferred to the City. RVC has owned the parcel since 1993, and it has been used as a maintenance yard for assembling and mobilizing the County’s maintenance crew and equipment.
The City of Airdrie began discussion for the project in 2013 to accommodate the recent growth in the area, stated a County report.
