The land sits on the east side of Resources Road between 68 Avenue and the Plus II Bottle Depot (Photo: Abby Zieverink / EverythingGP staff)

By Shaun Penner

Between 68 & 76 Avenue

City selling 12-acre parcel of Resources Rd. land to developer

Aug 29, 2021 | 11:32 AM

A 12-acre parcel of land along Resources Road has been sold by the City of Grande Prairie for the proposed future development of commercial retail space.

The sale of the land on the eastern side of Resources Road between 68 and 76 Avenue was ratified at Monday’s council meeting, at a price of just under $870,000.

The sale of the property, which followed a Request for Proposal process, which was initiated in the summer of 2020, with an offer from a developer to purchase the land now accepted.

Economic Development Officer Chad Sheldon told council Monday that the developer, Forum Properties out of Edmonton, was looking to build three commercial units for office, retail, and food service businesses on the site.

What is not a part of the sale is a section of wetland, which was identified on the original parcel of land. Mayor Jackie Clayton says a geophysical study was undertaken prior to the sale to protect those lands.

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“So, the city subdivided off the wetlands from the parcel, and then designated them as Environmental Reserve, based on the information that we received from this study,” said Clayton.

“There was also an additional development buffer of seven metres added to ensure the wetlands were protected in their natural state.”

While council agreed to the sale, they also passed a motion to have the proceeds placed into Council’s Strategic Priorities fund, rather than into General Reserve funding.

“The intent of the motion… was not to see the revenue from this go specifically into just general revenue, so that it could be used in turn to potentially work on future economic development initiatives,” said Clayton. “Or, any strategic initiative that council sets out.”

Clayton says it is expected to take 16-21 months for the developer to market and lease the property before development would begin.