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Mapping out the future of MD land

The MD of Bonnyville hosted an open house to share the Area Structure Plan (ASP) for lands adjacent to Hwy. 28 and Hwy. 41. The drop-in event on Monday, Sept.
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The ASP open house gave residents an opportunity to learn the about the plan and make comments on it before it’s finalized.

The MD of Bonnyville hosted an open house to share the Area Structure Plan (ASP) for lands adjacent to Hwy. 28 and Hwy. 41.


The drop-in event on Monday, Sept. 10 featured displays that provided information on the project, while encouraging attendees to leave their questions, comments, and concerns.


“We want to make sure that when this plan goes forward to council for adoption that it has support from the people,” explained Bonnie McInnis, project lead and senior land-use planner for Stantec Consulting Ltd. “We’ve had some really good comments, and we’ve had some people suggest some changes and that’s great, that’s what we want to hear.”


Roughly 50 people attended the event. MD Reeve Greg Sawchuk noted it’s an important step in the process for adopting the ASP.


“The company that’s hired looks at it from their point of view, but when you actually dive right into it, landowners may have a very different opinion of what should be going on these lands,” he said.


During her presentation, McInnis explained adjustments made to the previous plan, while detailing the role of an ASP.


“It determines the future general land uses for a large area of land within the MD. It provides a level of certainty for property owners of what could potentially happen on their lands, or on their neighbour’s lands in the future... We assess the developability of the land, and at a very high level, the impacts on transportation corridors and intersections if all of those lands are developed out as planed.”


The ASP was started when the area was identified as needing a more detailed plan, in anticipation of future growth. It will put some planning principles in place to guide future development. The project began in February of this year, with the first open house on     April 5.


The plan will be used to ensure development proposals suit the location chosen.


“If we’ve identified an area for commercial or for industrial, that could be supported subject by doing all of those other structure area plans and other assessments to determine if what you’re proposing is suitable for that section,” detailed McInnis, adding it’s planning land uses for the future that are appropriate for the area.


The ASP is broken up into three nodes adjacent to     Hwy. 28 and Hwy. 41 for development.


“We’ve recommended those nodes because it’s compact land uses and development that makes more rational sense to plan that way, as opposed to just having people come in and having people randomly deciding where they want to have an industrial park,” noted McInnis.


After missing the ASP open house in April, resident Jeff Odowichuk voiced his concerns and questions on the developmental node one plan.


“I was interested, because we’re part of the plan, I wanted to see what it was about, and the impact on us,” he expressed, adding seeing some of the boards made him question what’s being planned.


Sawchuk found the ASP interesting, and said council thought the nodes are a good means for organizing.


“It does allow for a certain focusing of development in those areas, which makes sense, because they’re closest to town, they’re where some of that development is already taking place anyway. It allows those areas outside of the nodes to basically stay the way they are now, and be open to stay agricultural and they’ll come under the same planning rules as anything else,” he noted.


The open house was part of the final phase for the project. The next steps will be to adjust the plans according to any comments or concerns received during the open house, then to make a presentation to council on         Oct. 10.


“We take it forward to MD council for a statutory public hearing. That’s one last chance for the public to comment on the plan, and then it’s up to council to decide on if they want to adopt it or not,” McInnis explained.


Odowichuk plans to attend the hearing, and said “going to the next one in October and understanding the next steps are going to be very important if (residents) do want to have a say.”

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