BOWDEN — A 93-acre chunk of land on the northern edge of Bowden -- currently part of Red Deer County -- could be officially absorbed into the town by the end of this year or early 2025, a Red Deer County planning official says.
Town residents have seen activity there, including trees cut down and backhoes in the property.
The land in question is known as the former home of Bow Seed Nursery, formerly called Alberta Nurseries & Seeds, which began operations in 1928 and closed in 2012.
In 2018, It's A Dog's World Pet Resort opened and then closed a few years later.
Bowden town council began the process to annex the land in the summer of 2023. The annexation was spurred by a request from the landowner.
In an email to the Albertan, Trina Miller, director of planning and development for Red Deer County, said the annexation is not being contested by the county.
“That said, the annexation (won’t) be official/effective until early 2025,” she wrote.
Miller said an area structure plan for the property (ASP) has been approved, which includes a mix of commercial and industrial development.
In an email, Arno Glover, the Town of Bowden’s chief administrative officer, said he’s received “many inquiries about the current development on the former nursery grounds.”
However, he noted that that the land is currently outside the town's boundary.
“I do not (have) either a verbal or written indication from the landowner as to what work is currently being undertaken or what the proposed intentions are,” he wrote in his Oct. 30 email.
“Any current development is subject to Red Deer County bylaws and regulations.”
Glover said negotiations on annexation are currently underway with Red Deer County officials and that a negotiation report has been submitted to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (LPRT).
He said that negotiation report does not have to declare what the intended land use will be.
Miller said as far as the county is aware, no objections to the proposed annexation were filed with the LPRT and the county has not been advised of any hearing in that regard.
Glover wrote that “any future land use or development on the annexed lands (if/when approved) will require a revision to the town’s land use bylaw and area structure plan.
“In addition, there may be a requirement for a contractual agreement regarding infrastructure development.”