The steering committee overseeing the revision of the Bergen area structure plan (ASP) has decided that the community at large should have another look at the document before sending it to Mountain View County council.
The updated plan's objectives include to “align its policies with the current municipal development plan, deliver the ASP structure plan on budget and on schedule, confirm and validate information collected during the planning process, and create an actionable, measurable and achievable plan.”
The plan area encompasses approximately 171 acres or 66 square miles south of Sundre. Once adopted by county council, the updated plan would replace the existing 2008 plan.
Land use and development objectives of the new plan include to “conserve agricultural land and support agricultural development”, “provide a complementary approach to land use planning within the plan area”, and to “identify commercial and industrial activities that support the surrounding land uses.”
During the committee's regularly scheduled Aug. 12 meeting, members reviewed the latest draft, including a new section regarding aggregate resource extraction.
That section includes a provision that states: “When the natural resource extraction is proposed within an environmentally significant area, the applicant shall submit a detailed environmental site assessment and mitigation plan in support of the proposed development.
“Additional reports and studies may be required by the approving authority to facilitate the evaluation and assessment of the application in accordance with approved county policy.”
During the Aug. 12 meeting, committee members voted to include the new aggregate extraction section in the updated draft.
The updated plan also removes the original plan's reference to the “Bergen Centre” located in and around the former Bergen Store, now closed.
The goal of the centre in the original plan included “to be the community commercial and cultural focal point of the area” and “to remain a small, viable rural community centre.”
The updated draft plan also includes new sections outlining exactly what public consultation went into preparing the updated plan. That consultation included community open houses, questionnaires and workshops.
Also during the Aug. 12 meetings, committee members passed a motion stating that commercial recreational vehicle campgrounds are not supported in the updated plan.
Of the 40 people who attended the June 9 open house at the Bergen Community Centre, 15 filled out the survey.
The purpose of the survey was to gather opinions on confined feeding operations, recreational vehicle camping, possible trail networks in the ASP area, and other things.
Regarding campgrounds, one survey respondent, Sally Banks, said, in part, “We are not opposed to a small number of limited private camping (personal use) on private land – as long as the proper controls are in place, such as number of sites, length of stay, disposal of grey and black water etc.”
The survey featured eight questions aimed at seeking input, including “in your opinion should new or expanded confined feeding operations be supported in the ASP?” All 15 respondents said no.
Committee members instructed administration to set another open house for Oct. 23, where further written public comments will be gathered.
After final comments by committee have been submitted, the draft plan will be made available for public viewing on the county's website starting Oct. 9.
The ASP will need to be adopted by council to come into effect, when it would provide a guideline for future council decisions regarding land use in the area.
Meanwhile, the open house for the Bearberry area structure plan, also being updated, will be held Oct. 15 at the Bearberry Hall starting at 7 p.m.
