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City and County agreed to mediated session on development plan differences

Apr 20, 2018 | 6:09 PM

Both the City and County are optimistic some differences over development plans can be solved locally.
 
One of the sticking points is the City’s ideas for the area around Hughes Lake and potential heavier traffic on County roads.
 
County Reeve Leanne Beaupre says traffic is a concern as this area has seen unprecedented growth.
 
“Traffic is exceeding the actual grids that we have. In discussion with Alberta Transportation, we have looked at long-term planning for some additional high corridors to move traffic from north to south. We want to make sure that we are doing the planning right. We only get one chance to do it, so we want to sure it’s done properly, so it meets the needs of everyone.”
 
Beaupre acknowledges the City and County do traffic assessments differently when it comes to new developments.
 
Meanwhile, the City is wondering about County plans for development on some land along the Correction Line not too far from Flying Shot Lake. Mayor Bill Given says the City feels this is a future annexation area.
 
“The City’s view is that the Intermunicipal Development Plan provides certain limits on how much development can happen in this area that is intended to be (a) long-term growth area for the City. The City’s view is that the Correction Line Area Structure Plan exceeds that. I think, from the County’s perspective, they read the Intermunicipal Development Plan as saying that’s OK if there are good planning reasons to do so.”
 
City and County staff have been asked to organize a mediated session that would take place by mid-June.
 
Given hopes this settles things before the province has to get involved.
 
“Then that would likely end up in front of the Municipal Government Board, which would require each side to build their case, hire lawyers, schedule a meeting and it would provide a significant amount of uncertainty for the landowners in both of the areas.”
 
The two decided to have a mediated session at a joint meeting between the two Councils held Friday.