A public open house has been scheduled for Feb. 25 to allow Mountain View County residents a chance to review and make comments on the latest draft of the Water Valley-Winchell Lake area structure plan (ASP).
The plan covers 71 sections of land in the county's southwest corner, and is being developed to combine the two existing Water Valley and Winchell Lake plans.
The plan has two principal purposes: to provide landowners within the plan area with information on the amount and type of development that may be permitted within the plan area; and to provide guidance to Mountain View county council and administration.
The plan sets out land use policies regarding agriculture, residential development, neighbourhood commercial development, business park development, and community recreation.
It also deals with environmentally significant areas, natural resource extraction, and infrastructure, including roads and water and wastewater.
Work on developing the new plan began in 2006 and has included numerous open houses and other information gathering processes, including public surveys in 2009 and 2010.
Work on the plan was suspended for a time while the county worked on the new countywide municipal development plan, which was adopted last summer to provide guidance for growth management and development.
The Water Valley-Winchell Lake ASP will need to conform to the MDP.
The multi-stakeholder steering committee overseeing the development of the Water Valley-Winchell Lake plan met last week to discuss progress and to make preparation for the Feb. 25 open house.
The Water Valley-Winchell Lake area is part of Deputy Reeve Patricia McKean's Division 2.
MVC planner Dolu Gonzalez explained that the Feb. 25 meeting will include a questionnaire that people can fill out giving comments on the current draft plan.
The plans set out 10 key principles to provide a framework for the development policies within the plan and to provide guidance for ongoing planning in the plan area. Those principles include the following:
ï Recognize that agriculture is the primary activity in the Water Valley-Winchell Lake area. Other land uses and development must respect and be compatible with agricultural operations.
ï Ensure management of the natural environment to minimize the impact on water, land, wetlands, wildlife and vegetation.
ï Support the Water Valley hub (4-way stop) as a gathering place for the Water Valley-Winchell Lake area.
ï Ensure that residential development of various activities are accommodated in appropriate areas, while minimizing visual and environmental impacts.
ï Provide commercial recreation opportunities, which are appropriately sited and respect the natural and manmade amenities of the area.
ï Support higher residential densities around the community hub and address existing groundwater supply and private wastewater disposal contamination issues within the plan area.
ï Preserve and promote existing heritage and lifestyle.
There are two so-called growth centres in the plan area, one at Water Valley and one immediately adjacent to the Village of Cremona. Those centres are where "future development will be directed, and may include residential, commercial and business uses.î
The land use policy section states, in part, that: "The conservation of farmland and ranchland is very important to the history, character and economic development of this area and the county. The intent of these policies is to allow existing agricultural operations to continue without disruption or interference.î
The residential development policy section states that when reviewing multi-lot applications, the county will consider the "availability of adequate supply of potable water for each lot in accordance with the provision of the Water Act; serving by an approved wastewater disposal system; adequate drainage; compatibility with adjacent land uses; provision of safe access on to a county road; presence of environmentally sensitive areas and features.î
Under the plan low-density residential designation is intended to accommodate development of up to three titled lots, retaining the balance of the quarter as the fourth title in according with the policies of the MDP.
As well, higher density areas for "clustered development from five up to a maximum of 48 lots shall provide strategies for adequate water and wastewater services at the developers' expense.î
All proposed multi-lot subdivision/development applications will require a concept plan when required by the MDP and will be prepared in accordance with the MDP "to support redesignation and subdivision applications in the residential areas.î
Natural resource extraction section states that all resource extraction proposals (including gravel and sand extraction) must include public consultation, concept plans, supportive studies (such as environmental impact assessment), and reclamation plan.
As well, the county "will place conditions upon development approvals in order to minimize the impacts on adjacent developments, the community and the environment; which may include, but not be limited to: standard hours of operations, setbacks from roads, residential and other developments; buffering and noise attenuation; road use agreements; and environmental protection measures in accordance with approved county policies.î
The commercial recreation section states that it is "anticipated that recreational development will continue to increase due to the area's natural amenities and proximity to major urban centersî and those developments may include "golf courses, dude ranches, paintball facilities, archery facilities and tourist campgrounds.î
The plan states that the number of recreational vehicle sites for a tourist campground or condominium units for a recreational resort cannot exceed 48 units per quarter section.
Following the Feb. 25 open house, administration will review input gathered at that meeting and either schedule another open house or make preparations to present the plan to council, said planner Gonzalez.
The Feb. 25 open house will be held in the Water Valley community centre.
The Water Valley-Winchell Lake ASP is one of several such plans being developed in the county.
