DIDSBURY - Council has approved the Townof Didsbury's updated municipal development plan following stakeholder consultations and a public hearing.
The move came by way of motion at the Nov. 26 council meeting, held in person and online.
Including growth strategy policy areas and related maps, the plan was updated at the direction of council.
The provincial Municipal Government Act requires all municipalities to have MDPs in place to provide a policy framework for long-term growth and development.
The purpose of Didsbury’s MDP is to guide the future growth and development of the town through the inclusion of a set of broad goals and policies to guide decisions made by the town.
“Through this plan, the town commits to a growth management approach that attempts to respond to the needs of the town’s current residents while at the same time not compromising the ability of future residents to meet their needs,” the document states.
“The MDP gives substance to elements of the Town of Didsbury integrated community sustainability plan. This plan has the secondary purpose of implementing the future vision of the community. It is expected the plan will be reviewed and updated as necessary.”
The former MDP was put in place in November 2012.
The updated plan includes town-wide policies in areas such as growth management, economic development, open space and connectivity, mobility, servicing, area structure plans, heritage preservation, emergency and protective services, and intermunicipal cooperation.
According to the document, the plan “establishes a vision for the future growth of the town, ensures compatible development, provides a framework for efficient growth management, and supports economic growth.”
While the former plan identified areas within the town by specific uses – such as residential, commercial, light industrial, industrial, open space and institutional – the new plan identifies more blended use areas for growth, including live-work neighbourhood, mature neighbourhood, core and entrance, and future neighbourhood.
The new plan also “provide a visual representation of areas within town that require more detailed planning in the form of area structure plans.”
Specifically, the live-wok neighbourhood are areas “intended to be mixed use areas and have typically been associated with industrial uses and development, but they nature of industrial land use has changed.
“While industrial development fits within the area, the intent is to identify space for growth and expansion of large employers.”
The mature neighbourhood represents “traditional core neighbourhoods of the town. While the oldest neighbourhoods were established around the central core and contained many of the town’s historic resources, this category also represents the early suburban development pattern that came within the preliminary expansion of the town in the 1970s and '80s.”
The central core is applicable to the traditional downtown and represents the greater mix of uses throughout the town.
New neighbourhoods represent the “future land base intended to accommodate housing for the future population growth of the community and the intent is to restore traditional neighbourhood development patterns, with a focus on pedestrian-oriented design that emphasizes multi-modal transportation connectivity.”
In a briefing note to council, administration said, "During the public engagement opportunities, the most common questions were related to pathway connectivity. Administration did advise people of the pedestrian connectivity plan.
"Generally, the public is encouraged with the current level of development activity and would like to see the town continue to grow. Members of the public want to ensure that the growth is completed in a responsible manner and continues to provide a benefit to the community as a whole."
The complete 48-page updated MDP, including maps, is available for viewing on the town’s website.
