Red Deer County council has approved a plan for the municipality to provide subdivision and planning services to the Village of Delburne. The approval came by way of motion during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The Municipal Government Act provides municipalities the ability to voluntarily engage in cooperative initiatives with neighbouring municipalities through a variety of mechanisms, including intermunicipal development plans and mutual aid agreements, county manager Curtis Herzberg said in a briefing note to council. “In the spirit of maintaining positive intermunicipal relations, county administration has offered the village access to subdivision and planning services delivered by the county,” he said.
“The village has welcomed the proposal and has resolved to enter into the agreement and wishes to engage the services of the county.”
As part of the agreement, the village will be required to adopt the same fee structures applied by the county for subdivision and land use planning applications to ensure that the costs incurred during the application process are being paid for by the applicant, he said.
“The village will pay the county $60 per hour for services rendered for long-range planning services,” he said. “The county would retain all fees respecting subdivision and land use planning applications.
“It is anticipated that Delburne will pay the county between $6,000 and $12,000 annually for services rendered. Existing staff can handle this workload, as the additional work represents only two per cent of total staff time.”
Mayor Jim Wood said: “This is a great example of municipalities working together.”
Meanwhile, councillors have approved the appointment of members to a new intermunicipal development plan committee with the Town of Penhold.
The move also came by way of motion during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
“Ongoing discussions have been occurring with the Town of Penhold relative to the creation of an intermunicipal development plan for lands surrounding the town,” said Herzberg.
“Following the joint council meeting held on July 7, it was agreed that a committee be formed for continued discussions and review. In addition to administrative support from both municipalities, these committees consist of the mayor and two councillors from each municipality.”
Councillors passed a motion appointing Mayor Jim Wood and councillors Jean Bota and Don Church to represent the county on the new committee.
In other news, council has given first reading to a bylaw creating a new local area structure plan that would allow the construction of a Sikh Temple outside Red Deer.
The move also came during council's recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The plan would facilitate the future subdivision of approximately three acres approximately 1.4 kilometres south of Twp. Rd. 374 and adjacent to Highway 2 in order for the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar Society to construct a community facility (Sikh Temple-Gurdwara) on the parcel.
The public hearing for the bylaw has been set for Sept. 20.
"In the spirit of maintaining positive intermunicipal relations, county administration has offered the village access to subdivision and planning services delivered by the county."Curtis Herzbergcounty manager
