Still no date for second open house

More than two months after council passed a motion calling for a date to be set, a second public open house for the updated Eagle Valley area structure plan (ASP) is still to be scheduled.

On June 13 council unanimously passed a motion put forward by Coun. Al Kemmere calling for the second open house to be held as soon as possible and that a letter be sent by the reeve to the committee explaining council’s position.

No date for the second open house had been set as of press time Monday.

In a June 27 letter to committee chair Jim Smith – a copy of which was obtained by the Gazette last week – Reeve Bruce Beattie said council wants the committee to hold the second open house as soon as is practically possible.

“The project was contemplated as a review of an existing ASP with the expectation of a relatively short timeline resulting in a more concise document that would provide clear direction for future growth and development in the Eagle Valley area,” said Beattie.

Changes to the Municipal Government Act have “resulted in county resources, both staff and council, being stretched to meet timelines established by the province for completion of inter-municipal agreements with 10 neighbouring municipalities.

“Council therefore asks the steering committee to complete the draft of the document and engage the public as soon as practically possible. Planning and development staff will continue to be available to assist your committee.”

Starting on June 22, 2016 with the adoption by council of terms of reference, the ASP process has so far included 15 steering committee meetings.

One open house was held on Feb. 27, 2017, which included a workshop and survey.

First put in place in 1997, the Eagle Valley ASP is being reviewed and updated by Mountain View County to bring it into line with the current municipal development plan and land use regulations.

The plan is used by the county as a guide when it comes to land use and other development.

The current plan area is bordered on the south by Twp. Rd. 334, on the north at the Red Deer County boundary, on the east by Rge. Rd. 43 and in the west by Rge. Rd 52 on the south and Rge. 42 on the north.

In June county administration requested that council ask the committee to hold a second open house as soon as possible so that staff resources could be allocated to other requirements such as the development of the inter-municipal agreements.

“No additional open house date, presentation of materials or draft finalization has been discussed by the steering committee,” administration said in a briefing note to council.

“One of the three county organizational priorities for 2018-2019 is statutory and policy framework as identified in the county’s strategic plan.

“Planning and development’s capacity is focused and shifting towards the reviews of the existing five intermunicipal development plans and the development of five IDPs over the next two years.”

Several councillors have voiced a desire to see the committee move forward with the second open house.

“We are going around in circles and I’m hearing things from members of the committee that concern me, like saying they have no faith in the open house process,” said councillor and steering committee member Greg Harris. “The open house and public feedback at the open houses is absolutely fundamental to the ASP process.

“What I fear is we are seeing a more representative type, where members, in their view, are engaging the community and saying they know what the community wants but there is a reluctance to take it back to the community.

“We need to take this back to the public, but instead we seem to be taking a lot of time wordsmithing and making minor changes to things. It just seems to be that this will go on forever. It needs to go to the public.”

Deputy Reeve Angela Aalbers, who is also on the steering committee, said, “We need to get this out to the public. We should wrap this up.”

Last week Harris said he “anticipates” committee members will vote on Sept. 13 to set an open house date.

Coun. Peggy Johnson, who is also on the steering committee, said she believes things are moving along adequately.

“I think although we haven’t taken it to the second open house yet, that we are very close,” said Johnson. “I appreciate that this is taking resources. I think the committee is unaware that there is concern at council level for it to get done.”

Reeve Beattie said council wants to see the steering committee’s work move forward.

“We are encouraging them to go back to the public to re-confirm the direction for the committee,” said Beattie. “We want to have that (updated ASP) in place and as one of the members of the committee mentioned, under this review what they really wanted was a short, concise document and it seems like the committee is coming to that short document and is rather expanding the discussion.”

In his June 27 letter to committee chairman Smith, Beattie said there is “no indication from the steering committee that the revised document is near completion or ready for public consultation.”