A proposed Aldersyde-area development is still facing opposition from some neighbours, while others say they like what is planned.
The Aldersyde East area structure plan (ASP) was shown to Foothills residents at an open house in High River Sept. 14. It was the fifth time the development’s plans were brought before the public.
The proposed development includes 2,056 homes near the country residential neighbourhoods of Ravencrest Village and Silvertip Ranch. The average density of the development would be three units per acre, with lower-density (three-acre) properties on the perimeter and higher-density (0.125 to one-acre) properties in the core.
There are also plans for two school sites, a fire hall, equestrian arena, ball diamond and soccer fields and upgrades to existing roadways, specifically Highway 547.
Gladys Ridge resident Don Pipe said he opposes Aldersyde East.
“That’s a small town, go put it in the town,” said Pipe. “Don’t put it out where we are. There’s enough development there already.”
He and his wife Linda don’t live directly adjacent to the plan lands, but said they’re concerned about increased population and the amount of traffic.
It’s too many people and too many homes for the area, he said.
“A lot of people stand to make a lot of money, and I understand that – I understand business, but that’s not the location,” said Pipe. “It’s too big, way too big. It was farmland, leave it that way.”
Linda added she’s not convinced upgrades to the highway will be done in a timely fashion. It’s a concern because Highway 547 is the only exit route in case of an evacuation, she said.
There are plans to widen the road and bridge and to put in traffic circles and signal lights to help manage traffic, but she said she doesn’t have faith it will happen.
“Look how long it took us to get an overpass,” said Linda. “How many people died at the squirrel cage, as we used to call it, before they put in the Highway 7 interchange?”
She said the entire plan seems deceptive because there are a lot of promises being made that may not be followed through.
Silvertip Ranch resident Michelle Lefrancois doesn’t agree. She said she appreciates how upfront the developers were with their plans and thinks the Aldersyde East ASP looks pretty good.
“I’m pretty impressed, actually,” said Lefrancois. “They’re keeping a lot of green space and I like the horse concept and keeping it equestrian. It’s not going to be like a city, it’s going to be more acreages but in more of a community, like Silvertip and Ravencrest, just 10 times the size.”
Her property is on the Highwood River at the bridge on Highway 547 and will overlook a portion of the proposed development, but she said that doesn’t bother her. The buffer of large country residential properties will make it seem like just another acreage community next door, she said.
She’s also not worried about what may happen when road improvements occur.
“The road might take a bit of our land, because if they have to improve the road and the bridge we might lose a bit, but it’s not a big deal,” said Lefrancois. “We’re on 3.9 acres so it shouldn’t affect us too much.”
The proposed plans make sense to her because it’s the only area in the MD left to put in any kind of density development, she said. With infrastructure down the Highway 2 corridor and services at Aldersyde, it’s a great location, she said.
According to Kristi Beunder, with planner CivicWorks Planning + Design, the location is ideal because of proximity to infrastructure at Aldersyde, access to Highway 2, and it is in the central district of the growth management strategy, which is where the MD is directing most of its growth.
She said the housing density level was chosen to make regional servicing for water and wastewater viable. The plan is to tie in to the treatment plant the MD is constructing at Aldersyde.
“It’s an expensive proposition to have support systems like that and put in deep utility servicing,” said Beunder. “In order to do it effectively and to have a good quality utility customer for the water and wastewater system, you have to have density.”
The proposed density is one of the biggest concerns heard in four open houses on the ASP held over the past year, she said. In response, some sections of the original high-density core were removed and school and sites and extra green spaces added, but it couldn’t all change, she said.
“For us to say, ‘We’re just going to do country residential and service it the same way,’ it’s not possible,” said Beunder. “I’m trying as much as possible to hear what people have to say, I just can’t back away from the density.”
As for traffic concerns, she said the transportation plans are a large part of the proposed ASP and the developers are committed to helping Alberta Transportation make any necessary upgrades to the highway for safety as the community grows.
A traffic impact assessment has identified certain triggers – like population or type of development in each phase – for infrastructure improvements.
“We’re obligated to do those improvements over time,” said Beunder.
The Aldersyde East ASP is expected to come before council in a public hearing before the end of 2017.
