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Development plan concerns residents

Annexation plans are moving forward despite some concerns from residents around what will eventually become important entrances to Okotoks in the future.

Annexation plans are moving forward despite some concerns from residents around what will eventually become important entrances to Okotoks in the future.

Okotoks and MD councils both gave first reading to a bylaw for a new intermunicipal development plan (IDP) last week.

The plan outlines referral areas outside the annexation border that will require the two municipalities to consult over future development and transportation improvements.

The gateway areas are identified on Highway 2A north of Okotoks, northeast of town on 338 Avenue and Highway 2, and southeast of Okotoks at Highway 7 and 48 Street.

“The new IDP is limited in scope and functions mainly to support Okotoks annexation,” said Okotoks senior planner Jamie Dougdale. “It ensures the agreed-upon growth corridors are established and also sets a framework to allow the municipalities to continue to communicate and collaborate and maintain a good relationship.”

Foothills resident Ervine Miller, whose property is located within the 338 Ave.-Highway 2 interchange gateway, said he’s not convinced of the merit of the plan for his property.

Miller owns the land where both Integrity Post Structures and Miller Supply are located, and his personal residence is in the same parcel.

The proposed annexation plan could see his businesses remain in the MD, and the balance of his land annexed into the Town of Okotoks.

“I feel we certainly are going to be affected,” Miller said during the MD of Foothills public hearing on June 15.

At the beginning of the month, he had applied to the MD to expand both businesses, which he said are “bursting at the seams.” Council denied his application due to uncertainty with the pending annexation.

Miller said he hoped to get ahead of the annexation to get his plans approved and have the boundaries of the agreement changed slightly to allow the businesses to grow.

“Now I feel we have to wait for the Town of Okotoks to go through with their annexation and we have to apply to them to have that extra land, the nine acres,” he said. “My understanding is that once the annexation takes place, we won’t be able to get anything done until the Town services are at that location. And, because we’re at the far boundary of the annexation area, potentially that’s 60 years, and that’s not good for us.”

He said he’s further concerned by the fact a future interchange is planned for the intersection, which means development on his property could be subject to approval from three governmental bodies – the Town of Okotoks, the MD of Foothills, and Alberta Transportation.

Miller said he feels as though he’s been backed into a corner.

“Those two businesses are in trouble,” he said. “They’ll start building their roads and infrastructure, and we need that. I understand we need that, but allow us to bump the boundaries a little bit and carry life on the way it was.”

In the Highway 2A gateway corridor, landowners weren’t concerned about borders, but curious to know how being located in a “gateway area” could affect their properties.

Many of the properties in the gateway were originally included in the annexation area, but were removed in the final draft that Okotoks and the MD agreed to at the end of March. This includes Okotoks Alliance Church is one property that will remain in the MD.

“We’re glad to be annexed, we’re glad to stay with you,” pastor Terry Lee told MD council during its June 15 public hearing. “We see ourselves serving the community in which we reside and are happy to do that from either municipality.”

He said the language surrounding the gateway area questions and concern, mainly with regards to “high-level standards of development.”

MD of Foothills director of planning Heather Hemingway said the purpose of a high standard of development is for both municipalities to consider what setbacks might be or how signage might look along Highway 2A. A major component would be road improvements, she said.

“The intention is not to encroach on either the municipality’s proposals,” said Hemingway. “We’re trying to make sure there’s somewhat of a seamless transition for the public between both municipalities and onto the major infrastructure of Highway 2A, so there isn’t a lack of infrastructure.”

She said public consultation will take place for impacted landowners in gateway areas to provide clarity and gather resident input.

Outside the gateway areas, landowners within the referral area can still submit development applications to their municipality, but those applications would be forwarded to the neighbouring municipality.

“If something happens within the blue line, the land the Town of Okotoks is annexing, we would refer those proposals to the MD for comment,” said Okotoks planning services manager Steve Hanhart. “Vice versely, if there was a proposal in the red area the MD would provide copies to Okotoks.”

The IDP will return to both municipal councils for second and third reading in the coming weeks, and will be included in the annexation application, which the Town intends to file with the municipal government board by July 31.

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