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Netook developers score small victory

Developers chalked up a small win last week when Mountain View County council agreed to participate in a fiscal impact assessment outlining the costs and benefits of the proposed Netook Crossing projects west of Highway 2 outside Olds.
Herb Styles and Reeve Bruce Beattie talk during a break in Wednesday’s council meeting.
Herb Styles and Reeve Bruce Beattie talk during a break in Wednesday’s council meeting.

Developers chalked up a small win last week when Mountain View County council agreed to participate in a fiscal impact assessment outlining the costs and benefits of the proposed Netook Crossing projects west of Highway 2 outside Olds.Following the recommendation of CAO Tony Martens, council agreed to let administration help frame the questions to be addressed in the study, which will be paid for by Neuroese Properties, a consortium of three development companies that own five quarter sections on the north side of Highway 27.ìI think we should participate to a limited degree,î Martens told council at Wednesday's meeting.The commitment was not the full partnership Neuroese had requested on Oct. 12, when representative Herb Styles told councillors that the aim of the study was to ensure they were ìmore fully informedî before deciding on critical issues such as residential density and servicing plans for the area.Martens said the county's limited participation would be similar to its role with developers when drainage reports or other studies are requested during the application process.At the Oct. 12 meeting, councillors had expressed reluctance about partnering with Neuroese on the study, and Martens said last week that position was shared by county lawyer Sheila McNaughtan, who had attended the earlier meeting for the developer's hour-long presentation.ìOur lawyer also had concerns that we don't become full partners Ö because we could be perceived as taking a biased position ñ biased for or biased against,î he said. ìWe don't have to be part of the work plan.îItems that county administration would like to see addressed in the study include revenue analysis; break-even build-out estimate; timing, cost and payment structure of servicing; analysis of the social, economic and political viability of the development; and an analysis of all municipal operating costs associated with the project ñ snow removal, road maintenance and community services.ìAt the end of the day it would give council good information as to whether they should or should not approve the development,î Martens said, adding that the county could also hire its own consultant to review the study's findings.Prior to the vote, Reeve Bruce Beattie noted that council could consider the information as it would from any other study.ìA consultants report does not bind us,î he said.Beattie suggested the study could also include long-term costs to the county, the project's competitiveness relative to other jurisdictions, and three scenarios based on varying economic conditions.Div. 6 Coun. Paddy Munro said he hoped the county does hire a consultant to review the study.ìThe information provided to date has been very one-sided,î Munro said. ìWe want the truth.îThe motion to follow the CAO's recommendation carried unanimously.In March 2010, the previous council rezoned 138 acres on the northwest corner of the Highway 2/27 intersection for the creation of 38 commercial-industrial lots. Council also adopted the concept plan for Netook Crossing North, which includes 431 residential lots on 287 acres south and east of the Olds Central Highlands Golf Course.Under the plan, revised following two public open houses and referrals from government agencies, no residential development will proceed until regional water and sewer lines are installed. Full build-out within an estimated 10- to 15-year period would accommodate about 1,200 residents, the plan predicts.Future high-density residential development has also been proposed for the quarter situated directly west of the 31-lot Netook Crossing Business Park on the south side of Highway 27, where Federated Co-op's cardlock station and Olds RV are located. Prodev, formerly Proventure Income Fund, owns the west quarter and last year acquired the 25 remaining commercial lots previously held by Opus Building Corp.Last year county administration estimated that four quarter sections at Highway 2/27 would generate $1.34 million in annual property-tax revenue at full build-out, with combined assessment projected at $269 million.

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