Mountain View County councillors have given first reading to a bylaw that would establish the updated South Carstairs Area Structure Plan (ASP) and set the related public hearing date.
The moves came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
A statutory document, the ASP is being formulated by a county-authorized multi-stakeholder steering committee.
The plan area is located immediately south of Carstairs, bordered on the north by Twp. Rd. 300, west of Rge. Rd. 10, north of Twp. Rd. 292, and east of Rge. Rd. 14.
Funding for the plan was approved by council in 2016 and work on its development has been underway since then, with information open houses already held in Carstairs on Nov. 8, Nov. 28 and March 6.
Once in place the update plan would establish the general land use, transportation, and servicing framework for specific areas undergoing substantial new development.
The plan has a number of purposes: to provide information to a potential developer regarding the amount and type of development that may be considered appropriate within the plan; provide landowners within the plan are with information on the amount and type of development that may be allowed with the plan area; provide guidance for council when making decisions on development proposals for specific parcels of land.
The plan deals with agriculture, business park, natural resource extraction, infrastructure, water and wastewater, stormwater, and administration.
The agriculture portion of the plan states, in part, that, “The county support agricultural use and agricultural value-added businesses as a priority for the area.
“The municipal development plan stipulates that the protection of agricultural land is not only important for the economic growth of the community, but that farming is a way of life for most of the residents and is important for their livelihood.
“All lands shall remain zoned agricultural until re-designated for use intended by the future land use concept as identified in the plan.”
The agriculture goals of the plan include the following: “To recognize the presence of existing agricultural operations with in the plan area; to allow continuation and diversification of agricultural operations; to ensure agricultural uses are protected and allowed to continue in the plan area; and to encourage specialized farming and other operations which contribute to economic development of the area and the county.”
The business park portion of the plan states, in part, that, “the county supports diversification and business retention by providing opportunities for economic growth. These policies offer a specific area for future development of a range of business/commercial uses.
“The location for these future uses have been strategically located near the QEII/2A Highway corridor for maximum exposure to the travelling public and existing transportation routes.”
Goals in the business park section include to “provide areas for commercial and business park uses in order to serve area residents and businesses, and to encourage business park business that do not generate nuisances such as excessive noise, dust, smoke or odour, and that maintain the character and identity of the area.”
The public hearing for the plan will be held June 27 in council chambers.
