SUNDRE – Council has officially updated the town’s municipal development plan that had last been revised in 2013.
The high-level strategic planning document outlines a detailed framework within overarching legislative structures such as the provincial government’s Municipal Government Act that provides guidelines on future development proposals as applications for new projects arise.
The MDP was developed over the period of approximately the past two years following multiple consultations with residents and stakeholders to determine what the community wants Sundre to become over the next 25 years.
It does not, however, dictate specific projects for the construction of facilities, businesses, or residential subdivisions, and simply acts as a reference manual that will help to steer the direction of any projects that are proposed by developers until 2050.
“The municipal development plan is a high-level statutory document that provides guidance on the long-range planning and physical growth for the town,” Benazir Thaha Valencia, director of community development, told council on Oct. 7 during a scheduled and advertised public hearing that was unattended by any residents.
“As per the MGA, every council must by bylaw adopt a municipal development plan,” she said.
Factors that must be addressed include future land use and development, growth patterns, transportation and infrastructure, as well as the provision of municipal services and facilities, she said, adding other considerations such as a municipality’s vision, economic development as well as social and environmental objectives or any other matters deemed necessary by council.
Drafted under the umbrella of provincial-level legislation such as the MGA, the Water Act and the Alberta Land Stewardship Act as well as regional agreements with Mountain View County such as the Intermunicipal Development Plan, a municipal development plan itself serves as an overarching document for other town policies and documents such as area structure plans and the land use bylaw.
Throughout the process, plans developed by other municipalities in the region were also looked at for comparison and residents were asked what they envisioned Sundre looking like in 25 years as well as what they most enjoy about calling the community home.
The 81-page document that is available in-full on the town’s website includes sections on growth assessment, community development, environmental stewardship, as well as sustainable and responsible governance with an extensive summary of public consultations that were conducted throughout the process.
“People did want well-planned open space and park systems, a wide range of recreational and cultural opportunities, connectivity and accessibility of trails and natural spaces,” Valencia told council during her presentation.
Council was also presented with a comparison of the 2013 MDP’s land use concept map and the proposed 2024 land use concept.
“We did make a few changes,” she said.
“The changes made in the north to Mountain Springs and Sundre Hills is reflective of the proposed area structure plans,” she said, adding both of those ASPs had already received first readings.
“Other changes in the south are from conversations with landowners indicating that these changes would be more realistic and feasible; we just pared back non-residential a bit,” she said.
There were also some revisions made since the MDP’s first reading that came as a result of feedback from TC Energy as well as Alberta Health Services and Mountain View County.
TC Energy outlined in its response a request to include additional policies on transmission pipelines.
“As the MDP is a high-level planning document that guides development, some of these policies were too prescriptive to include,” she said, adding affected pipeline operators are always factored into other phases of development, especially subdivision referrals.
However, in consideration of TC Energy’s comments, Valencia said some policies were added, including Section 5.1.9 which reads as follows, “To support compliance with Canada Energy Regulator requirements, when a planning, policy, land use / zoning, subdivision or development application is received that involves land within up to 400 metres of an oil or gas pipeline right-of-way, the Town shall refer the matter to the pipeline operator for review and input prior to approval.”
While that outlines existing practices, she said the policy formalized the process on paper.
Also added was policy 8.3.13 to preserve oil and gas pipeline rights-of-way as passive open space.
Feedback from AHS and follow-up conversations also resulted in an amendment to section 5.2.7 that was struck and replaced with the following, “Existing manufactured home subdivisions should be encouraged to be redeveloped to support fixed dwelling options as per the requirements of the land use bylaw.”
In other words, that change was intended to include other housing types, not just single-family dwelling units, she said.
And while Mountain View County expressed support for developments in town that are serviced by municipal water and wastewater systems, it also said that in order to use the land supply within town for high-density serviced development that policy 8.2.3 should be expanded to clearly identify to developers the circumstances and types of uses for which private services may be considered.
So that section, which originally stated private services may be considered with the understanding they shall be connected to town services when available, was amended to read, “areas that are not currently serviced by Town water and sewer may be considered for development with the understanding that they shall be connected to Town services when available.”
Coun. Paul Isaac said he anticipated questions from residents who would want to know what the next steps might be and what kinds of new homes and businesses could be expected.
“Residents are going to say to me … how is this (MDP) going to make those changes?” he asked, recognizing that new projects hinge entirely on developers expressing interest.
Valencia reiterated that the MDP is a high-level document on a hierarchy that guides other development processes such as parks and trails policy as well as all ASPs that come forward.
“It’s not a concept that residents understand,” said Isaac, adding he understands the plan is used as a guideline when developers propose a project.
“But our residents are not as informed or care as much about the process ... they want to know what’s going to be coming; they want to know how we’re going to grow,” he said.
“It’s not a question we can really answer today. But that’s where some of our residents and our businesses are thinking already, because they’re excited about it.”
Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, said the land use bylaw outlines different districts with a variety of businesses designations such as central commercial, highway commercial and industrial, each with a list of permitted and discretionary uses that indicate what types of businesses can go where.
“So it’s really more the land use bylaw that does that, than the municipal development plan,” said Nelson.
After adjourning the public hearing following the discussion, council later on during its regular meeting unanimously passed second and third readings approving the bylaw to adopt the plan.
