South West Clairmont Area Structure Plan (picture courtesy of the County of Grande Prairie)

By Liam Verster

Clairmont Area Plan

County asks for public input on South West Clairmont Area Structure Plan

Jan 3, 2020 | 12:00 PM

The County of Grande Prairie is holding an open house, to hear from the public about a new proposed residential development.

Senior Planner for the County, Stuart Wraight, says the South West Clairmont Area Structure Plan would see a residential area built on the 381 hectares of land West of Westlake Village and Whispering Ridge, between Range Road 63 (116 Street), Range Road 62 (108 Street), Highway 43, and Township Road 720 (132 Ave). At this stage of the planning, the six quarter-sections of land would consist primarily of low-density housing.

“The expectation being single, detached dwellings. There’s also medium development, sort of residential development as well that is planned for part of the overall area. There’s school sites that are identified, plus there is proposed commercial development along the North and West boundaries.”

The plan, which is in it’s second of three stages, also highlights green space and trail systems, storm water management facilities, and mixed use areas, which could be used as a combination of retail, housing, or office space.

South West Clairmont Area Structure Plan

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

The area right now is mainly agricultural land, though there are some industrial businesses in the area that would be protected if the plan goes forward.

The open house will be held at the Grande Prairie Alliance Church in Clairmont, on Thursday January 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. The public will be able to view the plan, ask questions, and provide feedback during the open house.

Wraight says he hopes to hear from the nearby residents and business owners on how they feel about the plan.

“It’s a natural extension that meets the County Bylaws, and we just want to sort of see what’s been shown at this stage. It’s a very high level plan, to put it that way, in terms that there will be further applications if this does move forward, that will be more specific and detailed. For instance with the residential and the commercial. But it’s just to see generally how the public feels about a plan of this nature.”

The South West Clairmont Area Structure Plan is in it’s second of three stages, and requires more details to be sorted out before it can be brought to County Council. Wraight says one of those details that still needs to be determined is exactly how many residents the area could house.

“Say for example, the medium density of residential, that could be duplexes, that could be triplexes. There’s also consideration potentially of senior housing in there. So, we wouldn’t know specifically at this stage the exact number of residents that could be accommodated, it just depends on more detailed plans.”

Once feedback is incorporated and the plans specific details are determined, it will be presented to County Council, who will vote on whether to move forward. At this time, no date has been set for when the South West Clairmont Area Structure Plan would be presented to Council.