The Area Structure Plan for our area has been approved, it is a guiding document for County Administration to follow when considering applications for Development in our Area. It is reasonably well written by some very good people in the Planning Department at the County, you may have met them if you attended any of the many workshops and open houses they had over the last year and a half or so. They are satisfied that they have produced a good Area Structure Plan and the majority of Council agreed. As I stated at the Council meeting it was approved at, I can work with it and I like most of the text as it is written but there are some shortcomings that I will continue to work on over the next coming years. There was quite a few things I didn’t like about it as well as the process, but I didn’t want to hold it up for the years it would take to get it going again.
These things sometimes take on a bit if a political edge and this one was no exception. I watched it go from what I thought was going to be an all-encompassing area visionary Document to more of a border establishment for a few applications. The area west of Langdon owned by Qualico that was called Painted Sky is included. It involves almost 2 quarters South of Glenmore and East of Valeview Road. The second Area is South of Buy Low, West of Centre Street East of Valeview and down to 232, essentially 2 quarters West of Boulder Creek across the highway. This is owned by Pollyco, a Developer who is currently doing the development on the East side of Strathmore among others. The third one is two quarters directly South of Boulder Creek that had an application for a Conceptual Scheme presented in 2012, which was turned down. I expect we will see applications in soon for these three Developments. The other Area that was included in the Area Structure Plan is directly East of Langdon just South of Glenmore and North of the old Railway right of way, a very wet area that has an accepted plan for a Business Park called Leland Business Park, it was previously approved in 2006, a few years before Weed Lake was redesigned.
During the lengthy process and the 2 Public Hearings I heard a few differing opinions. From development people I heard that the area should be very large and the County should be able to consider applications on their individual merit as they come in. From acreage Residents, mainly East of Langdon I heard don’t include anything near them since the area is wet and shouldn’t be considered, there has been flooding problems and any consideration would make it worse. From some Residents I heard keep Langdon small, they moved here for the small town feel and didn’t want to lose that. From other Residents I heard to allow Langdon to grow as it will, unfettered, so that Business and Recreation opportunities can be realized. I watched arguments form for population limits based on land mass within the ASP borders and the County Plan. I heard a few different storm water concerns along with very different solutions as well as arguments that the ASP is not a storm water management tool. Surprisingly, I heard very little about transportation concerns or plans.
I tried a few amendments that I thought might solve some of the concerns and satisfy others. I tried to establish a very small Hamlet Boundary with a larger ASP Boundary and a future growth area that could be considered down the road but did not get enough support from Council. In the end I did a few amendments that meant very little and the ASP was approved. My concerns are still around flooding, transportation and good development that solves some of our shortfalls, As the applications come in there will be more Public Hearings, please stay involved if you can.
