Red Deer County council has given first reading to the new Gasoline Alley west major area structure plan (ASP). The approval came during a recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
For use in future land use planning, the ASP covers approximately 627 hectares of developed and undeveloped land in the county on the south side of Red Deer between highways 2 and 2A.
The plan outlines policy directions for such things as residential development, commercial development, parks, open spaces, schools, water services, sanitary sewer services, stormwater management, transportation, and oil and gas wells.
General design principles in the plan include the following:
• conserve important environmental area, natural areas and retain open space where possible.
• promote energy efficiency through building design and infrastructure.
• provide for the development of a variety of land use.
• foster distinctive and attractive development that promotes a sense of place.
• develop complete, compact, walkable communities.
• minimize the impact of development on adjacent lands.
• ensure appropriate transitioning between land use.
• ensure safe, efficient and effective municipal infrastructure.
The ASP provided direction for the creation of lower level plans including local area structure plans that will later facilitate the process of creating various residential, commercial and industrial developments, county manager Curtis Herzberg said in a briefing note to council.
The public hearing date for the new ASP is scheduled for May 24 at the county office.
Meanwhile, council also approved an amendment to the land use bylaw's notice and validity of decision section. The approval came by way of third reading at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
Prior to the amendment, the section stated that an applicant who had a development permit, re-designation or statutory plan that was refused by the development authority, council or by decision of the subdivision and development appeal board, had to wait 18 months before making another application for the same property.
The amendment added the following to the bottom of the section: “Unless a resolution is passed by council to waive the waiting period.”
In a briefing note to council, county manager Herzberg said the amendment will “allow the development officers some discretion to accept a similar application for development permits, if the application has been sufficiently revised or corrected.
“This would allow council the ability to pass a resolution at their discretion with respect to the waiting period of 18 months, if the request is deemed reasonable, in order that some applications could be reconsidered in a lesser time frame.”
