About 45 people attended an open house at Sundre's West County Centre last week to have a first look at a draft of the new Southeast Sundre Area Structure Plan (ASP).
Bob Nerrie, the chairman of the multi-stakeholder steering committee overseeing the development of the plan, said committee members are committed to seeing a final plan that reflects area-resident input.
“As a committee we don't want to sit back and make decisions on our own,” said Nerrie, a Sundre-area resident. “We are not going to take this ASP to council until we are absolutely convinced that everybody has been listened to. You can't please everybody, but we are trying to please the majority of the people who live in the area and come up with something that makes sense.”
The new plan outlines development guidelines and conditions for eight sections of land immediately southeast of the Town of Sundre.
Once adopted the plan will replace the existing 2007 ASP, which contains a number of inconsistencies with the new countywide municipal development plan (MDP), which was adopted in July 2012. The Sundre plan must conform to the MDP.
The steering committee overseeing the development of the plan also includes Sundre mayor Annette Clews and Mountain View County (MVC) councillors Paddy Munro and Bob Orr.
Questionnaires asking for comments on the plan were distributed during the meeting (and are also available on the MVC website).
Questions include: “Should more or less subdivision and development be allowed within the plan area?” and “There is a 300 metre setback or buffer for natural resource extraction sites. Do you feel this is adequate?” and “In part of the ASP we are proposing up to 48 country residential lots, three acres or larger. Do you agree with this?”
The questionnaires must be returned to the county by April 19.
MVC councillor Munro said residents should be encouraged to get the questionnaire and send in comments.
“We are hoping we get many written comments,” said Munro. “We will listen to the input.”
The plan outlines 10 main objectives, including “to develop a plan that will guide future development”, “to provide for future land use that is sensitive to agriculture and rural surroundings and environment” and to “encourage recreational development that recognizes natural physical features in collaboration with the Town of Sundre Recreation Plan.”
The ASP area contains a number of existing businesses, including two bed and breakfast operations, two campgrounds, a gravel pit and several other businesses.
Regarding agriculture, the plan states that “confined feeding operations as defined in the MVC land use bylaw is not considered appropriate within the plan area”, that “agricultural land uses should be promoted and encouraged to continue within the plan area”, and that “adjacent uses shall respect existing agricultural operations, including their hours of operation, their odours and noises and the traffic they create.”
Regarding residential development, the plan states that “the number of lots allowed to be subdivided from a quarter section shall be a maximum of 48 parcels” and “all subdivisions shall provide strategies for adequate water and wastewater solutions at the developer's expense” and “future lots for residential development with individual servicing on site shall be a minimum of three acres” and “all residential architecture must be sensitive to the rural/country nature of the community.”
Regarding commercial development, the plan states that “all proposed highway commercial should be compatible in form and scale to existing residential and non-residential uses” and “highway commercial development must not exceed a maximum of two storeys or 10 metres in height” and must “incorporate surface drainage and stormwater control measures that could include roof top storage, reduced lots grading, reduced hard surfaces, grassed channels, and/or other approved surface and stormwater retention facilities.”
The plan also states that all applications for subdivision of more than one additional lot within the infill area (the northwest portion of the plan area immediately adjacent to the Town of Sundre) “must submit the density and predicted population for future development, future layout with local roads and utility corridors, and demonstration of buffering from adjacent uses.”
Regarding natural resource extraction, the plan states that “residential development is prohibited within 300 metres of a natural resource extraction site including gravel pits” and that “any future gravel extraction in and around the plan area will require appropriate approvals from government and non-government agencies and proper development setbacks.”
Regarding transportation and access within the ASP area, the plan states that “all proposed local subdivision roads must meet current county standards at the time of subdivision including the dedication of road widening at time of subdivision. All costs for construction and improvements to county roads will be borne by the developers.
“Applications for multi-lot subdivisions resulting in four or more additional lots on a quarter section or large scale development that is within 800 metres of Highway 27 or Highway 760 shall be supported by a traffic impact assessment.”
Under the plan developers would be required to prepare and submit wildfire hazard assessments with initial proposals, prepare emergency plans with all concept plans, and provide fire service access routes in developments with treed areas.
Comments gathered during last week's Sundre meeting, as well as those made on the questionnaires, will now be reviewed by the steering committee.
Further open houses will be held before a final draft is ready for council consideration, said chairman Nerrie.
The draft ASP, including maps and other documents, is available on the county's website.
Reeve Bruce Beattie says he would like to see the Sundre ASP in place before the October municipal election.
The Sundre ASP is one of several such plans being developed in Mountain View County, including the Highway 2 and 27 ASP for immediately east of Olds.
