IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

February 21, 2023 MDP Public Hearing

The Lou Soppit Center was packed with Clearwater County residents who braved nasty winter driving conditions to attend the Public Hearing on the County’s Municipal Development Plan draft review. As of Thursday, February 23, 2023 county staff could not release tabulated results of the exact attendance numbers and the individual support or opposition to the document. Highlights of the day included:

14 people spoke in favor of the current document

59 people spoke in opposition

32 letters of support had been received (1 read out publicly)

30 letter of opposition received (1 read out)

A distinct show of opposition was evident when a speaker asked those in opposition to stand. Almost all in attendance stood up.

Following the presentations, Council unanimously passed a motion to table 2nd Reading to allow them to consider all comments heard during the hearing as well as in letters received. It is anticipated that the 2nd Reading will be held later in March or the beginning of April. We will keep you posted.

Huge thanks 

We send out special notes of thanks to those that made the Public Hearing a great success:

Everyone who braved the weather to attend. Your dedication should send a clear message to Council.

Everyone who spoke or sent in letters. We trust your opinion will be valued.

Gene Henneigh and Joe Cech for generously sponsoring excellent information pages in recent issues of the Western Star.

The donors who have generously supported our CCTA “What’s Up” column and recent ads in the Western Star.

Council and County staff for the great job of organizing the event.

We certainly look forward to the outcome.

Clearwater County/Village of Caroline Amalgamation 

Public meetings are currently scheduled to inform county and village residents about the potential amalgamation. Certainly working cooperatively is a valuable goal, but accepting large financial deficits are a concern.

We encourage you to attend the meetings to gather information and share your opinion. Meeting dates:

· February 27, 2023, 6:30PM-8:00PM, Leslieville Community Hall

· March 1, 2023, 6:30PM – 8:00PM, Butte Hall

· March 6, 2023, 6:30PM – 8:00PM, Crammond Community Hall

· March 13, 2023, 6:30PM – 8:00PM, Caroline Community Hub

· March 23, 2023, 6:30PM – 8:00PM, Virtual Zoom Meeting

Thoughts for March

May the blessings of each day be the blessings you need most… Irish Blessing

May the dreams you hold dearest be those which come true and the kindness you spread be returning to you. … Unknown.

Coming Events 

Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, regular meeting; 

Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, regular meeting.

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

MDP PUBLIC HEARING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023, 9:00AM, LOU SOPPIT CENTRE, ROCKY MTN. HOUSE. 

This is the main opportunity for people to voice their opinions on the proposed revised draft of the Municipal Development Plan. As mentioned numerous times, the most controversial parts of the document are the:

· Increase in allowable subdivisions per quarter from 1 to ultimately 3

· Increase in allowable size of the subdivision from 5 acres to 15 acres in total (This can be 1 subdivision or divided among others that would total no more than 15 acres.)

Concerns have been raised about the negative impact on farming operations and the potential loss of food producing land with these proposed changes.

Concerns are now being raised about the hearing being held at a time when many are at work and unable to attend. We encourage those who can’t come to the hearing to write, email, or call their councillor to voice their opinions. Contact information is as follows:

a. Mail: Send to your councillor at Clearwater County, Box 550, Rocky Mtn. House, AB T4T 1A4

b. Email or Phone: · Div. 1: Deputy Reeve Gennifer Mehlhaff, gmehlhaff@clearwatercounty.ca (403)846-8254 · Div. 2: Sydney Graham, sgraham@clearwatercounty.ca (403)846-3760 · Div. 3: Reeve Daryl Lougheed, dlougheed@clearwatercounty.ca (403)846-5817 · Div. 4: Jordan Northcott, jnorthcott@clearwatercounty.ca (403)895-2649 · Div. 5: Neil Ratcliffe, nratcliffe@clearwatercounty.ca (403)895-3215 · Div. 6: Bryan Cermak, bcermak@clearwatercounty.ca (403)846-5197 · Div. 7: Michelle Swanson, mswanson@clearwatercounty.ca (403)846-5824

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT??

1. Following the hearing, Council will consider 2nd and 3rd reading of a motion to accept the MDP. If that passes, the document becomes law.

2. They could make a motion to accept the document with changes (such as reducing the subdivisions to the current number (1) and the acres back down to 5.

3. If the motions don’t pass, council will have to review the document and work to hopefully address people’s concerns.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO??

1. Express their opinion by contacting their councillor and/or attending the hearing.

2. If council passes the motion to accept the MDP as is, residents have 3 options:

a. Accept Council’s decision.

b. Organize a petition to have council repeal their decision. That petition must be filed within 60 days after the resolution/motion was passed and must be signed by 10% of the population. 30 days after that Council must give 1st reading to a motion to deal with the matter of the petition.

c. Notify the CAO of their intent to start a petition to recall a councillor/s. Organizers would then have 60 days to gather signatures and submit the petition to the Chief Electoral Officer. The petition must be signed by 40% of the electors in that councillor’s division. This would be followed by a recall vote and if there is a majority in favor of the recall, the councillor ceases to hold office.

WE TRUST THAT COUNCIL WILL LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE AND OPTIONS B or C WON’T BE NECESSARY

Tamarack Transit System Project

The Clearwater Regional Housing Foundation and Steering Committee is looking at ideas to effectively provide a rural public transit solution for seniors, low-income residents, or other compromised residents. They are currently planning Community Engagement Meetings at the Rocky Legion on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 2:00pm-4:00pm and 6:30pm-8:30pm; Leslieville Community Center, Thursday, February 16, 2021, 6:30pm-8:30pm; Nordegg Community Centre, Tuesday, March 7, 2023, 2:00pm-4:00pm, and 6:30pm-8:30pm; and Caroling Legion, Wednesday, March 15, 2023, 6:30pm-8:30pm.

They are also conducting a survey and you may contact Janice Fraser at (587)777-8139 or via email at crhf2016@gmail.com to get a copy of the survey. They will then report back to the community at a Clearwater County Town Hall meeting at the Rocky Legion on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 7:00-9:00pm.

Solar Farm Concerns 

Recent proposals for solar farms in the Sylvan Lake/Benalto area as well as Caroline have raised concerns about their viability, the loss of good agricultural land, and reclamation issues. The CCTA is looking into getting speakers to address these concerns and we will keep you posted on a future meeting once it’s organized.

Coming events: 

Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, Regular meeting 

Tuesday, February 21, 2023, 9:00AM, Lou Soppit Center, Rocky Mtn. House, MDP Public Hearing

 Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall Regular meeting

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

2023 Budget 

At the December 20, 2022 Council meeting, Council passed several motions to approve the 2023 budget. In summary the following projections are highlighted:

· Operating revenue: $56.2M

· Operating expenses: $69.9M

· Funds coming from restricted reserves: $4.1M

· Balance: Minus $9.6M

· Capital revenue: $11.8M

· Capital expenses: $55.1M

· Funds coming from restricted reserves: $36.2M

· Balance: Minus $7.1M

The negative balance of about $16.7M will be overcome with a blend of amortization dollars being added back and unrestricted reserve dollars. It is noteworthy that we started the 2022 year with a restricted reserve balance of $109M and will end the year with a balance of $95M. BUT the projected balance of our restricted reserve funds at the end of 2023 will be $59.7M as these funds will be used to fund specific budgeted projects as well as the above noted deficits.

How long can these reserves last??

Municipal Development Plan Review 

Also at the December 20th meeting Council passed First Reading of the MDP draft by a vote of 4-3. Voting in favor were Reeve Lougheed, Deputy Reeve Mehlhaff, and Councillors Ratcliffe and Swanson. Opposed were Councillors Graham, Northcott, and Cermak. 14 members of the public had braved bitterly cold temperatures to attend this portion of the meeting to witness council discussion and vote.

During the discussion Councillor Cermak expressed excellent comments on the need for councillors to listen to the voice of the people. This was certainly reflected in his vote opposing the draft document. In his comments Councillor Northcott expressed agreement with Councillor Cermak’s comments while also mentioning the negative impact this plan could have on young farmers. As such he commended those in attendance for their interest in this matter. Deputy Reeve Mehlhaff mentioned that she has had lots of calls on this issue and wants to pass First Reading so the matter will go to a public hearing, offering people an official opportunity for input. Councillor Ratcliffe also expressed the same need to move forward with a public hearing. As Councillor Graham was in attendance virtually, Councillor Lougheed read a letter she had submitted stating she has heard from numerous people with a strong majority being opposed to the new draft. Councillor Swanson noted that 20 extra subdivisions won’t have a large impact and there is a need to grow our population. Reeve Lougheed mentioned that

Council needs to consider everyone, and that is a difficult balancing act. In addition he feels that we need to be a welcoming community. In summary he said he has faith in what will be presented at a public hearing and he wants to hear everyone’s opinion in order to get the right balance.

Proceeding forward the next steps will be:

Referral letters will be sent to various agencies (local energy providers, oil industry companies, neighboring jurisdictions, and First Nations). These letters would indicate that First Reading has passed and they have 30 days to respond with their input.

A Public Hearing will be held. Planning is now in progress. With the potential for a large public attendance various venues and dates are being considered.

2 week public notice must be given prior to the Public Hearing. This will be done in a variety of ways including local papers, county web-site, social media, and radio. Given the 30 day timeline for response to Referral Letters the Public Hearing will likely take place in February.

The public is invited to attend the hearing to make presentations and voice their opinion.

Council will then consider 2nd Reading. They will have the options to pass the document as is, pass with amendments, table the decision, or defeat passing.

If passed, they can proceed immediately to 3rd Reading and if that passes, the MDP draft becomes an official document. The last two options would require further time and consideration.

In the meantime, you are encouraged to call, email, or write your councillor to express your opinion. This is a significant document that has the potential to not only affect people’s lives for many years to come, but also land use forever.

RANT 

It’s been a while since I felt the need to rant, but it was prompted by a recent email as well as a phone call. Both expressed a concern with a “double standard” being potentially promoted by administration and Council. They noted that recent action (and large legal costs) resulted in one councillor being excluded from discussion and decision on broadband matters because of potential pecuniary interest. Yet, at the moment all councillors, many of them farmers/landowners, are involved in discussions on the MDP review--- and will be voting on it even though they could have a pecuniary interest with the increased opportunity to subdivide.

I feel it is absolutely crucial for councillors to both gather information and express their opinion while making decisions. As such they should ALL have equal opportunity for input. Each Councillor has recognizable knowledge on various topics and this should be equally valued/accepted by both colleagues and administration. Restricting input in one situation but permitting it in another might support the above concerns with a double standard. May open acceptance of all input be a new practise in 2023.

Up-coming Events:

Regular monthly meetings, 

Wednesday, January 11, 2023 and 

Wednesday, February 8, 2023, both at 7:30PM at Arbutus Community Hall.

Letter to Council

Marianne Cole, President Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association RR #1 Rocky Mtn. House, AB T4T 2A1 mcmajic@telus.net

Mr. Daryl Lougheed, Reeve Clearwater County Box 550 Rocky Mtn. House, AB T4T 1A4 dlougheed@clearwatercounty.ca December 13, 2022

Dear Reeve Lougheed and County Councillors:

I am writing this letter on behalf of the Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association as a supplement to my earlier letter of November 15, 2022. We feel it is very important that the points noted here be addressed at the December 20, 2022 County Council meeting as you consider First Reading of the Municipal Development Plan draft.

Facts to Consider

· 78% of the people who responded to the county’s survey were in favor of only 1 subdivision out of a quarter.

· 64% were opposed to two parcels out.

· The majority of comments expressed during meetings opposed extra subdivisions, with a focus on potential negative impacts on agricultural operations as well as community services.

· Serious concerns were expressed over the potential loss of food producing land.

· Our current MDP allows only 1 subdivision per quarter with 5 acres maximum size.

· The proposed MDP draft would allow 2 subdivisions with a total of 15 acres out. That is three times the current allowable land to be removed from a quarter.

· A “recommendation” from administration (as per the What We Heard Report) suggests a maximum of 25 subdivisions be allowed per year. Apparently Council is proposing only 20 be allowed.

· If the number and size (as per the current MDP) were to be maintained, a total of only 100 acres (5 x 20) could be removed from potentially farmable land per year.

· BUT, if the proposed numbers are used (15 acres x 20 subdivisions) 300 acres could be removed each year. Multiply that times the 4 years this plan could be in effect and 1200 acres of productive land could be lost.

Responsibility to Constituents

According to the Municipal Government Act, Section 153, “Councillors have the following duties: (a) to consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole..” This would suggest that you consider the majority of opinion. It is important to note:

· During the review process Council supported various opportunities to gather public opinion, namely in-person town hall meetings, virtual on-line meetings, and a written survey.

· Throughout all of these activities the most common opinion expressed was opposition to an increase in number of subdivisions (along with the allowable size) out of a quarter.

· Rationale supporting that opposition focussed on:

Ø Negative impact on agricultural operations, the primary activity in our county

Ø The loss of valuable food producing land

Ø Concern with negative impact on community services such as road maintenance, school bus safety, and emergency services.

· All of the public engagement activities involved significant costs for hall rentals, consultant wages, staff time, advertising and miscellaneous expenses.

· As these expenses were funded by taxpayer dollars, it is crucial that their voices be heard. If you ignore the majority of public opinion expressed through the above activities, you have not only wasted money, but devalued the input of the very people who placed their confidence in you during the past election.

Questionable Responses

Throughout this whole review process we have heard comments and responses from not only the public but also administration and Council. Some of these have raised the following questions/concerns:

· There is a desire to have more acreages allowed for family members/estate planning. While this may be considered a cooperative action, it was not a majority issue. Furthermore, it is not the County’s duty to be involved with estate planning. That is a personal responsibility to be addressed throughout life.

· We have heard comments from Council that the CCTA is only a small group and does not represent the majority. First of all we generally sell 25-30 memberships per year. There are usually 15-20 people attending every meeting and there are currently 59 on our email list. As such these numbers are greater than any county committee involved in making decisions for the county. Furthermore, our members come from all areas of the county. They are involved in those areas and hear very valuable comments from their neighbors. Consequently, the comments that we make are representative of a large number of county residents.

· We have also heard comments negating the value of farmland in our county. While we may not have a large amount of profitable grain producing land we are well known for our forage production and very valuable grazing opportunities. People from all over central Alberta bring their cattle out here for summer pasture.

· While there seems to be an increasing concern elsewhere with the loss of food producing land, this does not seem to be a matter of consideration by our administration or potentially Council as well. Food is one of the necessities of life and every effort should be taken to ensure

adequate future supply. It would be great to have our county value this need as much as neighboring jurisdictions along with those promoting RAMP (the Regional Agricultural Management Plan) in the Edmonton area.

· We have also heard the financial argument used to promote the need for increased taxes gathered from acreages. While the financial outlook in this county did take a brief downturn, there has been a positive upsurge in the oil industry that will have positive impacts into the future. In addition, as of October 31, 2022 revenues for 2022 were $2,237,397 over budget. I also remind you of the very large amount of taxpayer dollars that are sitting in restricted reserves.

· Finally, we have repeatedly heard the comment from administration that “we get many inquiries for more acreages and bigger sizes.” This is a moot point as they are not going to hear opposing wishes on a daily basis. People are not going to walk into the county office to merely express an opinion about limiting acreage numbers or sizes. The only ones that would come in would be the ones that want something and they are certainly not in the majority.

Potential Action

At this December 20, 2022 County Council meeting you are provided with the opportunity for 3 possible actions:

· You may pass the current draft as presented. This would demonstrate publicly a distinct lack of value placed on the majority of opinions gathered during the process you promoted to guide you.

ü You may pass the current draft with amendments. We strongly suggest that you amend the sections dealing with subdivisions out of a quarter, reducing the number to 1 and the size to 5. Your survey results indicated 78% support for such amendments.

· You may defeat the motion to pass this current MDP draft completely but this would not be a positive move as it could result in significant delay and additional cost.

In conclusion we sincerely ask that Council pass amendments to the current Municipal Development Plan draft as noted above. These changes could be accomplished effectively, efficiently, and responsibly prior to 2nd Reading.

As you make your decision we trust that your dedication to the majority of your electorate will ultimately override personal opinions or desires, but reflect the true voice of the people.

Yours truly,

Marianne Cole

Cc: Deputy Reeve Mehlhaff, Councillors Graham, Northcott, Ratcliffe, Cermak, and Swanson, CAO Rick Emmons, and Executive Assistant Tracy Lynn Haight.

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

Reeve Returns with New Deputy Reeve 

In a two-person contest against Michelle Swanson, Daryl Lougheed was re-elected as Reeve for a second one year term at the Clearwater County Organizational meeting on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Following his swearing in Reeve Lougheed commented that accepting the position is “less about politics and more about service.” We certainly thank him for his dedicated efforts in that regard.

Subsequently, in another two person contest Gennifer Mehlhafff defeated Bryan Cermak to become our new Deputy Reeve. Newly elected as councillor for Division 1 (south-west of Rocky) in 2020, Deputy Reeve Mehlhaff has been a tireless worker on behalf of all county residents and we congratulate her on her new position as Deputy Reeve.

2021 Audited Financial Statements

The 2021 Audited Financial Statements were finally presented at Council’s October 25, 2022 meeting. Normally presented in late April/early May they were delayed this year due to complications with the dissolution of the Rocky Municipal Waste Authority (a former joint operation with the town of Rocky and Village of Caroline). Notable financial highlights were:

· An increase of $268,792 in revenue from 2020 to 2021

· An annual surplus of $2,717,854 in 2021

· An accumulated “Restricted Surplus” of $109,198,656. These monies are dedicated to 24 specific areas/departments of operation and may be accessed when necessary for over-budget costs incurred there. The 2021 total is down $4.7million from 2020 but is still a significantly large surplus.

· Salaries, wages, and benefit expenses increased $1,358,513 or 9.8% from 2020 to 2021.

Comments made by both county staff and the auditor suggested the county is in a strong financial position. Significant money was collected in concerning unpaid taxes and the Nordegg lots have been selling very well. Maybe with such strong reserves and good financial position, we can look forward to reduced municipal taxes as the 2023 budget is prepared/passed.

MDP Review 

In recent conversation with the county’s Planning Department it was noted that a summary of “What We’ve Heard” is being prepared and discussed with Council. A meeting on the matter was held Wednesday, October 26, 2022 and there is an up-coming meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 3, 2022. Unfortunately these meetings are not being videoed.

Following these meetings a summary of information will be presented publicly. We will keep our fingers crossed that the re-draft of the MDP is reflective of the voice of the people.

Up-Coming AGM 

The Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 7:30PM at the Arbutus Community Hall. Special guest speakers will be RCMP Staff Sgt. Carl Dinsdale and RCMP Cst. Harold Smits. We sincerely welcome them and invite everyone to come and hear information on rural crime concerns and future policing matters.

Coming Events 

Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, Annual General Meeting with guest speakers from the RCMP

Wednesday, January 11, 2023, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, Regular Meeting

Thoughts for November: “There can be no dedication to Canada’s future without a knowledge of its past” John Diefenbaker

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” John Campbell

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

Broadband Information

Broadband Survey: A survey set up to gather public opinion on the county’s Broadband Business Plan was available on-line earlier this summer and closed July 18, 2022. Unfortunately there were only 43 responses. Of those, 36 expressed a negative viewpoint on the plan, while only 7 had a positive opinion.

Basically the Plan lays out a 6 phase process to install a fibre optic backbone network throughout the county. Once installed, individual Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) could connect to this “framework” as they proceed further to install services to the homes.

The biggest concerns focussed on questionable returns on investment as it is difficult to assess what the response/usage of the system might be from ISP’s.

A Broadband Committee Meeting, involving all of Council minus Councillor Ratcliffe, was held on September 20, 2022. It featured a well-prepared presentation by the County’s Tech Department on an “Open Access” network operation. Basically, “An open Access network is open to be used by multiple service providers simultaneously and on equal terms, enabling choices for customers.” The OAN may be compared to a road system. A network owner (the county) builds and maintains the “road” and any user (ISP’s) would then pay a “toll fee”. While profits from investment may be questionable, especially in rural areas, it does help create a more attractive community for residents and businesses through the availability of improved broadband access.

Great discussion took place among councillors with some of the following comments highlighted:

· A need to get more information out to the public about the potential benefits/risks involved with the Broadband Plans and encourage public engagement in the process.

· Estimated cost of the work on the backbone project Capital budget for 2023 is $3.5M.

· Core backbone work out to Nordegg is now complete and there is interest by ISP’s to complete hook-up to the residences.

· Continuing questions about the necessity of installing fibre optic cable all the way to Olds.

Council has asked for more information on the project and another meeting is planned to discuss broadband issues and plans. It may be helpful to discuss this matter with your councillor and urge that in-person information meetings be held.

Agricultural Recreation Facility 

The development of an Ag. Rec. Facility was discussed at the September 27, 2022 Council meeting. This project had previously been discussed in 2015. At that time 2 phases were presented: Phase 1 would include the “development of a new indoor agricultural recreation facility (indoor riding arena) to meet basic community program and event need.” Phase 2 would include the “Addition of a banquet/exhibition facility in order to increase the event hosting capacity of the site and better meet community need. Existing indoor riding arena (Phase 1 development) also enhanced with additional amenities (e.g. increased spectator seating, box stalls).”

At that time various stakeholder groups (4-H clubs, Ag. Society, Stampede and Chuckwagon Associations, Gymkhana, Town of Rocky, and Chamber of Commerce) had been surveyed to gather opinions on the project. Information from the survey suggested that, “While the majority of participants were generally in favour of developing a new agricultural recreation facility, a number of important factors and considerations were shared with regards to operational models, facility components and amenities and the need for continued stakeholder engagement and involvement.”

At that time the anticipated capital costs for Phase 1 were $12,031,500 and for Phase 2 were $10,071,000. Operational costs for Phase 1 indicated a revenue versus expenses deficit of $129,800/year while Phase 2 projected a deficit of $63,150.

Certainly costs for both capital and operations have risen significantly in the last 7 years. Excellent discussion by Council on this matter took place, including a desire to gather input from all county residents and a strong need for more current information on financial aspects of the project.

MDP Review 

Planning has been working to summarize comments and input gathered at the various meetings held in August and emails sent in. On September 29, 2022 Council held a closed information meeting to hear a presentation from the Consultant and Planning on, “What we have Heard”. A summary of those comments, along with possible changes to the Municipal Development Plan will, hopefully, be available early in October. A “final” draft may be released in November and it is anticipated that a special Public Hearing on the document may be held in January.

Coming Events:

Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, regular monthly meeting 

Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Thanksgiving Thought: “You ought to be thankful a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you’re lucky you’re not.” Dr. Seuss.

IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

MDP REVIEW 

The Municipal Development Plan review’s public input activities are wrapping up. So far 7 in-person meetings and 2 virtual (on-line) meetings have been held. People have also had the opportunity to fill in a survey that was printed in the Western Star and the Mountaineer as well as being available on the County’s website. Paper copies were also available at the meetings. Opportunity for input wrapped up on August 19, 2022.

The most contentious issue has been the proposed change to allow 2 subdivisions (3 titles) per quarter with the potential for a 3rd subdivision (4th title). The maximum size for a subdivision on a quarter is up to 20 acres (currently 5 acres). This may be from one 20 acre parcel or other small ones totally up to 20 acres. (Currently we allow one parcel out at a maximum size of 5 acres along with the possibility of a fragmented parcel being subdivided.)

Throughout the meetings (most notably the larger attended in-person ones at Leslieville and Caroline) the majority of the people were strongly opposed to the extra subdivisions per quarter. The following comments were expressed:

Significant concern over the loss of valuable farmland. This was the Number 1 concern overall.

 Increasing difficulty for young farmers to remain viable or expand

Increased problems between acreage owners and farmers

Increased weed problems on acreages and the spread to adjoining farms

Extra cost of providing infrastructure services with increased subdivisions

Concern over impact on bus routes with increased stops and more approaches with more acreages

Concern over impact on increased demands on first responders

Concern with increased crime

Concerns with water and sewer issues with increased acreages

Concerns with dropping fragmentation as a possible subdivision opportunity

Those supporting increased subdivisions wanted them basically for personal reasons (estate planning and financial gain). They also thought it might bring in more tax dollars for the county but the concerns with various increased costs as noted above put a negative spin on that.

What our neighbors are doing with subdivisions

Brazeau County: 4 titles per quarter (3 subdivisions) and they will consider a fragmented parcel if the resulting subdivision doesn’t exceed 4 titles.

Wetaskiwin County: “Subdivision of an unsubdivided quarter is discouraged.” (Quote from their MDP.) A parcel of land may be subdivided to create a farm site or two 80 acres parcels. No more than one subdivided lot per quarter and the maximum parcel size is 5 acres.

Ponoka County: Depending on the land quality rating, a single residential lot may be subdivided and fragmented/segregated parcels are allowed.

Lacombe County: “There is no automatic right to subdivide.” The subdivision of a first parcel out of an unsubdivided quarter may be considered if the habitable permanent residence has been there for 5 years or more and the parcel is not greater than 4 acres (unless there are shelterbelts and outbuildings). Fragmented parcels are allowed but must not result in more than 3 titles.

Red Deer County: A maximum of one agricultural parcel out of a subdivided quarter (2 titles) is allowed if a farmstead, severance, or valued added agricultural operation. “The approval of a bare agricultural parcel subdivision will be entirely a discretionary decision on the part of the subdivision authority.” In that case the subdivision authority would be Red Deer County. Parcel size would be according to the Land Use Bylaw.

Mountain View County: The first parcel out of a previously unsubdivided quarter may only be supported by the County for the creation of one additional parcel subject to a re-designation and subdivision application, and provisions of the LUB and MDP. It has 2 categories of assessing the number of subdivisions/titles allowed: Agricultural Preservation Area: The maximum number of titles per quarter is 2 and with a farmstead separation the allowable size is 2 – 9 acres. Multi-lot Residential Areas allow up to 4 titles per quarter with sizes varying from 2 to 5 acres.

Where do we go from here??

Step 1. All comments received/heard at the meetings will be reviewed and a report prepared by Planning Staff to present to Council.

Step 2. Council will review the report and decide to either proceed with approving the document or make changes.

Step 3. A final draft will be created as is or with changes.

Step 4. A public hearing will be held to present the final draft to the public. Potentially in November.

Step 5. Council will approve or not approve the Municipal Development Plan that has been developed.

Note: Questions were frequently asked about who makes the decisions on the MDP. Administration replied that it is up to Council to approve/not approve the document that is presented. In return, concerns were expressed if Council would actually listen to the people.

Certainly this is a very large issue and, as was mentioned at one of the meetings in Rocky, councillors need to put personal opinions aside and listen to the people. We hope and trust this will happen.

Coming Events:

Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, Regular meeting. 

Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 7:30PM, Arbutus Community Hall, Regular meeting.