MD OF BIGHORN – Public hearings have been scheduled related to the Exshaw Mountain Gateway development.
At a recent meeting, the MD of Bighorn gave first readings to three different bylaw amendments concerning the project, which is planned for the north and east side of Exshaw, with 25 and 40 lots available.
The public hearing on the area structure plan amendment will be held on Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m.. The public hearings for the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and land use bylaw will be held the next day on Oct. 4. The MDP hearing will start at 5:30 p.m., followed by the LUB hearing at 6:30 p.m.
“I think it is really important we take those next steps with the public input and information before we go much further so we know what everyone is looking for, looking at, and what their concerns are,” said Reeve Lisa Rosvold.
The parcel of land, purchased in December 2018, covers 87 acres, 11.3 of which are in the hamlet boundary. It is expected it will increase the population of the MD by 130 people.
To ensure consistency in policies and regulations, the legislative process for the approval of the Exshaw Gateway area structure plan requires changes to existing statutory plans and the land use bylaw.
A request was put forward on June 27 to amend the MDP to extend the boundary of Exshaw to include the developable areas within the property in a manner consistent with the Exshaw Mountain Gateway Area Structure Plan.
Most of the project is zoned as Hamlet Transition District, with the remainder being part of a Forestry District. An LUB amendment application was submitted on June 27 to redesignate both areas as Hamlet Serviced Residential and Hamlet Multi Residential Districts.
Administration requested that council consider all three amendments to run concurrently to meet the project management schedule for the development.
Coun. Joss Elford proposed holding all three public hearings on the same day.
“I’m thinking that people work, and public hearings are held in the evening, but maybe we try to get as many public hearings based on this in one day,” Elford said.
Administration indicated that the MDP and LUB hearings could be on the same day, but they had to be after the ASP hearing.
“Everything rides on that ASP,” CAO Robert Ellis said.
Council chose to have the MDP and LUB public hearings on the same day.
“Time is going to become important for this project, maybe we just hold those two on [Oct. 4], to make sure this keeps moving along,” said Elford. “Time is going to be important to the developer on this.”
“It is a good idea to have them as close together as possible,” said Rosvold.
