Banning clustered development is, for me, a near-sighted exercise that will come back to bite the growth pressures that are inevitable. However, planned clustering, over time, may be a more realistic opportunity for both the landowner and the county if binding policies are clearly defined from the get go.For example: if a landowner has a 15-acre area of nonproductive farm land, suitable for development, it could be approved for subdividing providing the 15 acres is sold whole and held for eight years (suggested) with small farm approvals available.After each eight-year moratorium the owner, at the time, could sell all or a portion of the undeveloped parcel but the balance could not be divided and sold for another eight years and only after the conditions are met and approved. The process would continue till the entire 15 acres is developed, but the ongoing agreement would allow the owner, at the time, the rights to sell or will (family trust) the remaining acres under their control.Communal waste disposal reserves, environment reserves, road standards and agreements, optional property lines and maintenance/cosmetic agreements, etc., would be incorporated at the start to prevent disputes and violations going forward and the original small farm approval would be replaced (depending on bylaw policies) with a rural residential land use policy designed to prevent overcrowding as the smaller parcels develop. A maximum/minimum acreage size agreement whereby the original 15 acres could only be divided to a minimum of three acres and a maximum of five acre parcels (suggested) would further define the project to completion.Spreading the inevitable growth over a controlled period of time allows for better planning, higher assessment valuations (pre-approved subdivisions with a processing fee) along with predictable property tax revenue that would eliminate the quick flip developer by offering a solid return on investment for the owners who respect quality development standards as the process unfolds. In the end the cluster policy would have filled the demand with a gentle respect to rural lifestyle along the way. A policy this county has neglected since growth pressure started over 30 years ago!But, before any new development policies are passed, I believe, the taxpayers need to address the health services that are pushed to the limit while our facilities decay. There is no reason why the local residents, who fought hard for a hospital in the Sundre area 40 or more years ago, should be second or third in line for health care because of uncontrolled growth or because someone, from outside the area, wrecked their body in the back country during a wild weekend.Arnie Shea
