HomeMy WebLinkAboutMDP_Draft_BoardsCounty of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
WELCOME
Thank you for attending the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) Open House
Our goal is to create an MDP that reflects the changing needs of our community and provides a
vision and framework to guide future land use planning decisions.
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County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
What is an MDP?
Purpose
A Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is a
statutory document required by the Province
of Alberta and adopted pursuant to the
Municipal Government Act (MGA).
The MDP is a high-level policy document
designed to guide the physical development
of the County of Newell to 2045 and provide
clear direction on the County’s social,
environmental, and economic well-being over
that time.
Planning Hierarchy
Provincial legislation, including the Alberta
Land Stewardship Act, the Municipal
Government Act, the South Saskatchewan
Regional Plan (SSRP), establish the planning
context within which the MDP sits. In this
planning hierarchy, plans, bylaws and
approvals that are lower must be consistent
with plans that are higher.
County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
Community Vision and Goals
“To encourage and attract
sustainable growth and support
a high quality of life”
Policy Areas and Local Goals
“Through leadership,
partnership, and effective
policy, the County provides
services, structure, and stability
to its residents”
Policy Area 1 -Promoting Growth
1.Inclusive Communities
2.Healthy Hamlets
3.Thriving Agribusiness & Industry
4.Regenerative Agriculture
5.Stewarding Natural Resources &
Intensive Development
Policy Area 3 -Providing Services
1.Business Innovation
2.Growing Tourism &Agri-tourism
3.Celebrating Natural Beauty
4.Culturally & Socially Active
5.Strong Local Leadership
Policy Area 2 -Making Connections
1.Strong Infrastructure
2.Efficient Transportation Network
3.Recreational Opportunities
4.Collaborative Internal Relationships
5.Mutually Beneficial Regional
Partnerships
Guiding Principles
The County of Newell is a:
A Growing County with
well-maintained infrastructure and
facilities that meet regional needs.
A Prosperous County that has the
capacity to attract, support and
retain businesses and residents.
An Environmentally Sustainable
County with a healthy and natural
environment through responsible use
and protection.
A Socially Responsible County that
uses community engagement to
improve the well-being and diversity
of the region.
A Well-Governed County that has a
sustainable government focused on
strategic decision-making.
Vision
Mission
County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
Policy Area 1 -Promoting Growth
MDP policies to support the physical growth and development of the County in a logical and efficient manner.
Inclusive Communities
a)Lake Newell Resort, Rolling Hills, Scandia, and Tilley are Growth Hamlets.
b)Bow City, Cassils, Gem, Patricia, and Rainier are Rural Hamlets.
c)Prioritize infrastructure investment in hamlets in the following order: Growth Hamlets and Rural
Hamlets.
d)Continue to support all hamlets to be community focal points for social inclusion and employment
opportunities.
Growth Hamlets
e)Adopt Area Structure Plans for the effective planning of Growth Hamlets.
f)Review and update Hamlet Area Structure Plans every 10 years or as required to ensure they remain
current.
g)Support a range of residential development types and densities to provide choices in housing types,
affordability, and opportunities for local services, amenities, and employment.
h)Encourage the development of seniors housing and residential care facilities (i.e., assisted care
facilities, continuing care facilities) to support the ability of residents to age-in-place.
i)Direct industrial, business, retail, and institutional development that requires municipal services and is
compatible with residential development to Growth Hamlets communities.
j)Prioritize locating future municipal assets and services, such as libraries and recreation facilities, to
Growth Hamlets.
k)Require that future multi-lot residential development has sidewalks on at least one side of the road.
l)Consider additional development beyond the existing Growth Hamlet boundaries, if expansion can be
supported by regional or municipal water and/or wastewater systems and other community facilities.
Rural Hamlets
m)Recognize Rural Hamlets as important places within the County fabric and continue to support
existing residents and businesses within these communities.
n)Continue to support community assets over their lifetime.
o)Support industrial, business, and institutional development that does not require municipal services
and is compatible with residential development to locate in these communities.
p)Consider new development and redevelopment of sites in Rural Hamlets if development can be
sustained by on-site water and wastewater services and it does not adversely affect surrounding land
uses.
q)Require a Conceptual Scheme for the development of more than a four (4) lot subdivision.
a)Encourage multi-lot residential development in the following areas:
i.Growth Hamlets,
ii.Existing ASPs, ARPs, and IDPs,
iii.Rural Hamlets, and
iv.Near existing multi-lot residential development.
b)New multi-lot residential development will make efficient use of land and
orderly patterns of development to protect the County’s rural character and to
preserve environmentally sensitive areas, natural features, and high-quality
agricultural land.
c)Recognize that there are areas where new multi-lot residential development
may be more suitable, which include fragmented agricultural lands, lands with
poor agricultural capability, or as identified in an IDP.
d)New multi-lot residential development should support a variety of housing
types to address the County’s needs.
e)New multi-lot residential development shall be serviced by communal water
and wastewater services and/or regional water and wastewater services.
f)Existing residential development shall connect into communal water and
wastewater services and/or regional water and wastewater service if those
services come available.
g)Applicants who are seeking to develop a new multi-lot residential
development with four (4) or more lots that falls outside an approved IDP area
or a hamlet, are required to amend this MDP.
h)New multi-lot residential development that is proposed to contain four (4) or
more lots shall prepare an Area Structure Plan to ensure appropriate service
levels for transportation, water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure
that conform to County standards.
i)Control development adjacent to Lake Newell, Rolling Hills, and Crawling
Valley Reservoirs, including adherence to applicable setbacks, consideration of
low impact development, and control of run-off to protect the supply and
quality of water.
j)Apply FireSmart principles to new multi-lot residential developments that are
located within high-risk wildfire areas.
Healthy Hamlets
County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
Policy Area 1 -Promoting Growth
MDP policies to support the physical growth and development of the County in a logical and efficient manner.
Thriving Agribusiness & Industry
a)Protect the rural character of the County by supporting the agricultural community and protecting its natural assets.
b)Increase public education and understanding of agriculture by promoting the importance of the agriculture industry for
food, jobs, trade, economics, and the environment.
c)Support rural lifestyles by allowing diverse housing types, additional dwellings, and complementary land uses in agricultural
areas.
d)Maintain the rural character of the area by minimizing conflicts between agricultural uses and future development.
e)All lands in the County are agricultural unless otherwise designated by this MDP, an approved statutory or non-statutory
plan, the Land Use Bylaw, or provincial legislation.
f)Protect and retain high-quality (i.e., Class 2 and greater) irrigated farmland for agricultural purposes to support agricultural
operations.
g)Maintain large contiguous areas of high-quality agricultural land to minimize potential land use conflicts.
h)Recognize the “first parcel out” subdivision as vital to the long-term viability of agricultural operations and the rural
population base.
Regenerative Agriculture
a)Continue to recognize agriculture as a valued industry within the County.
b)Encourage traditional agriculture, value-added agriculture, agricultural industrial
businesses and processing, and the development of agricultural products to grow and
diversify agricultural uses and employment opportunities throughout the County.
c)Support and encourage the viability and flexibility of the agriculture sector by
allowing a range of parcel sizes, and different types and sizes of agricultural
operations, where appropriate.
d)Recognize that agricultural operations create dust, noise, odour, and additional
traffic related to the operation and is a normal and acceptable practice in an
agricultural community.
e)Partner with other municipalities, levels of government, the Eastern Irrigation
District, industry, and non-governmental organizations to:
i.Develop a regional approach to food production, marketing, and
distribution,
ii.Create connections from producer to consumer that increase local food
consumption and crop diversification, and
iii.Provide educational opportunities for agricultural operators and the public.
f)New multi-lot business or industrial development that is proposed to contain four (4)
or more lots shall prepare an Area Structure Plan to ensure appropriate service levels
for transportation, water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure that conform
to County standards.
g)Support a range of commercial and industrial lot sizes as a method to attract diverse
industries and businesses.
h)Ensure that adequate buffers or transitional land uses are provided between non-
industrial and industrial uses where there is potential for land use conflicts related to
noise, vibration, dust, odour, environmental hazards, or other safety risks.
i)Encourage agribusiness, business, or industrial development to locate in suitable
areas.
j)Consider the following when locating agribusiness, business, and industrial
development in the County:
i.The compatibility of the proposed development with existing uses in the
surrounding area,
ii.The presence of natural landscape features or environmentally significant
areas,
iii.The impact on agricultural operations in the area and soil capability,
iv.The impact on local roads and the provincial highway network, and
v.The serviceability of the site and ability to meet County accepted servicing
standards.
Stewarding Natural Resources & Intensive Development
a)Encourage the integration of alternative energy facilities with other land uses in the County. These facilities shall submit
applications that include:
i.An accurate site plan showing and labeling the location of the site,
ii.The projected number of panels, towers, etc.,
iii.The location of overhead utilities and access roads, and
iv.Approval from the appropriate provincial authority.
b)The following development is discouraged within 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) from the boundary of a town, village, hamlet, ASP
or ARP boundary, multi-lot residential development, or as identified in an IDP:
i.Wind energy facility,
ii.Sand or gravel resource extraction, or
iii.New or expanding Confined Feeding Operation (CFO).
c)In addition to 3.6.b, Confined Feeding Operations (CFOs) shall not be permitted within the CFO Restricted Areas or within
800m of a reservoir, a provincial or municipal park, or recreation area.
d)Encourage the Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB), in its approval review for CFOs, to consider:
i.The proximity of the operation to open bodies of water irrigation canals and the topography of the surrounding
lands to minimize any negative impacts to drinking water supplies,
ii.The cumulative effect of a new approval on any area near other existing confined feeding operations, and
iii.The proximity of the facility to the provincial highway network, requirements for municipal road use
agreements, and wear and tear on County roads.
e)Require new natural resource extraction operations to identify how proposed activities address the existing land use context
and environmental characteristics, mitigate and minimize adverse effects the development may have on existing residences,
and implement best practices for resource extraction.
f)Discourage new residential development on lands that may be impacted by existing natural resource extraction.
County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
Policy Area 2 -Making Connections
MDP policies to provide the infrastructure, services, and partnerships to support future growth and development.
Strong Infrastructure
a)Identify and support the varying recreational, leisure, and cultural characteristics of
the County’s communities through the development of a Parks, Recreation, and
Culture Master Plan.
b)Encourage local Hamlet Advisory Boards and Agricultural Societies to support the
management of local parks, community facilities, and enter into formal
maintenance and operation agreements.
c)Identify appropriate locations for the development of new campgrounds.
d)Explore the feasibility of developing a County-wide regional trail system with
neighbouring municipalities, County residents, and other stakeholders that
provides connections between residential areas, parks and open spaces,
environmentally significant features, and recreational and public facilities.
e)Seek opportunities to improve walking and cycling in hamlets through increasing
active transportation infrastructure, such as sidewalks and pathways.
f)Recreation development should benefit residents of all ages and abilities and be
near transportation networks.
g)Encourage low impact recreational activities, such as community playgrounds,
interpretive trails and facilities, and parks and community gardens in hamlets.
h)Consider the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)
in the site design for public facilities such as recreation centres, campground, and
playgrounds.
i)Prioritize investment in recreational infrastructure based on population density
and identified resident needs.
a)Continue to support the development of communal water supply and sewage disposal systems in
Growth Hamlets.
b)Protect long-term infrastructure corridors to ensure servicing can be efficiently integrated with
future development.
c)Guide new development towards existing transportation and railway corridors and where
existing infrastructure is in place.
d)Consider extensions of utility infrastructure if they:
i.Support and enhance capacity in Growth Hamlets, and
ii.Align with the overall direction outlined in this MDP.
e)Apply life-cycle development principles when planning future transportation and utility
infrastructure projects to ensure the efficient use of materials and land use when constructing,
operating, and maintaining municipal infrastructure.
f)Require developers to be responsible for on-site and off-site infrastructure and servicing costs
related to new development. The County may, through off-site levies, assist in cost recovery of
oversizing and extension of municipal improvements that accommodate future development.
Efficient Transportation Network
a)Maintain a road network that provides for the safe and efficient movement of people, goods, and
services.
b)Consider existing and proposed local roads and the provincial highway network, future upgrading
needs, and the County’s roadway design standards when locating and designing new development.
c)Direct development with the potential for higher traffic volumes to locate adjacent to roads that
have been designed and constructed to accommodate anticipated traffic volumes.
d)Locate new roads, canals, and transmission lines in a manner that does not unnecessarily fragment
or restrict the use of agricultural land.
e)Create a Transportation Master Plan that identifies priority transportation routes for different
forms of development, particularly those that have greater impacts on roadways.
f)Consider opportunities to reduce visual impact of development that is highly visible from major
transportation corridors through landscaping, fencing, buffers, and other design elements, as
appropriate.
Recreational Opportunities
County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
Policy Area 2 -Making Connections
MDP policies to provide the infrastructure, services, and partnerships to support future growth and development.
Collaborative Internal Relationships
a)Recognize that Intermunicipal Development Plans, as adopted by Council, take
precedence over policies contained within the MDP.
b)Continue to develop and maintain strong relationships and collaborative partnerships
with the Federal and Provincial governments to ensure that a full range of services are
provided to the benefit of County residents.
c)Continue to work with municipal neighbours, through joint agreements, on initiatives
that are mutually beneficial.
d)Develop recreation, social, and cultural cost sharing agreements to improve
accessibility, create user fee equity, and avoid duplication of services.
e)In partnership with adjacent urban municipalities, locate new social, institutional,
educational, and community services and infrastructure within County hamlets where
appropriate levels of servicing are available.
f)Work with adjacent municipalities and relevant government agencies to provide an
adequate level of police, fire, and emergency response services for County residents.
g)Continue to cooperate with municipal neighbours, the provincial and federal
governments, and regional commissions in the development of regional water supply
and wastewater collection lines that for the benefit of County residents and industry.
h)Continue to work with urban municipal neighbours to:
i.Extend water and wastewater services into rural areas, and
ii.Establish and manage regional waste management and recycling systems.
i)Collaborate and partner with the Siksika Nation on joint economic, community, and
planning projects that provide a mutual benefit to all residents.
a)Consult with the Eastern Irrigation District to ensure irrigation infrastructure and water
rights are protected from incompatible or inappropriate development.
b)Partner with the Eastern Irrigation District to encourage water body stewardship
initiatives.
c)Maintain and grow existing partnerships (e.g., regional water, regional landfill, regional
recreation committees, regional library, Eastern Irrigation District) to extend County
financial resources, provide a greater variety of services, and extend service coverage.
d)Continue to participate in regional watershed alliance groups (e.g., Bow River Basin and
Red Deer River Alliance) to support regional watershed planning initiatives and
management plans.
e)Consult with other agencies to develop management plans which integrate land use,
development, and recreational planning activities, as required.
f)Seek opportunities to partner with school boards and other educational institutions to
advocate for investment in educational and training programs to locate within the
County.
g)Develop partnerships with post-secondary institutions to increase opportunities for
residents, businesses, and agricultural producers.
h)Collaborate with the RCMP and community groups to promote community policing
across the County.
i)Continue to work with Alberta Health Services to ensure an acceptable level of health
care is available to County residents.
j)Encourage and support private sector donations, private-public sector partnerships and
funding arrangements, developer contributions, endowment funds, and other
sponsorships to develop and sustain community facilities, services, and amenities,
including recreation and tourism opportunities (e.g., fundraising for pathway
development).
Mutually Beneficial Regional Partnerships
County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
Policy Area 3 -Providing Services
MDP policies designed to attract residents and businesses and enhance social well-being and the natural beauty
of the County.
Business Innovation
a)Recognize the importance of maintaining Lake Newell, Rolling Hills, and Crawling Valley
Reservoirs as sources of high-quality water.
b)Enhance the natural beauty of the County through planting trees, landscaping, and
shelterbelts.
c)Require adequate development setbacks to minimize the impact and disturbance to
natural waterbodies, including wetlands and riparian areas.
d)Restrict development within the floodway except for government infrastructure.
e)Restrict development within the flood fringe, with the following exceptions:
i.Essential roads and bridges that must cross the flood risk area,
ii.Flood or erosion protection measures,
iii.Pathways or recreation facilities, provided there are no buildings or other
structures, and
iv.Essential utility infrastructure that must be in the flood fringe area for
operational reasons.
f)Identify, protect, and preserve unique and scenic areas within the County.
g)Promote and encourage water consumption and use practices which do not negatively
impact water quality and quantity.
a)Continue to embody an “open for business” mindset by encouraging and attracting
innovative and emerging technologies, sectors, and industries to locate in the County.
b)Focus the County’s economic development approach on enhancing, developing, and
marketing local amenities and strengths.
c)Explore creative approaches to attract businesses and business growth through available
tools, such as tax incentives, red tape reduction, and development or extension of
infrastructure, in a fiscally responsible manner.
d)Foster a proactive and competitive business climate by taking a Red Tape Reduction
approach in County policies and approval processes.
e)Support the development of alternative/renewable energy industries to facilitate
economic diversification through partnerships with industry and education institutions.
f)Encourage partnerships with industry to transition to alternative energy development by
promoting the adaptive reuse of existing energy infrastructure, including previously
disturbed lands and transmission networks.
g)Encourage the clustering of similar types of industries and businesses to foster
collaborative relationships and synergies.
Celebrating Natural Beauty
Growing Tourism & Agri-Tourism
a)Encourage a diverse rural economy which supports the agricultural community through
ventures such as:
i.Tourism,
ii.Supplemental farm business activities,
iii.Agricultural support services, and
iv.Indigenous enterprise.
b)Promote and showcase provincial and regional parks, campgrounds, and the Dinosaur
Provincial Park UNESCO World Heritage Site.
c)Protect assets in the County such as natural, cultural, heritage, and archaeological
features, agri-tourism sites, and Indigenous architectural and archaeological resources.
d)Encourage and facilitate the development of tourism attractions, services, and
infrastructure by private and non-profit groups.
e)Support agri-tourism opportunities throughout the County to encourage agricultural
diversification, promote agricultural products, and highlight rural lifestyles.
County of Newell
DRAFT Municipal Development Plan
Policy Area 3 -Providing Services
MDP policies designed to attract residents and businesses and enhance social well-being and the natural beauty
of the County.
Culturally & Socially Active
a)Demonstrate fair and equitable decision-making in County initiatives and processes.
b)Support governance that is open, responsible, and transparent.
c)Implement the County’s Public Engagement Policy and requirements under the
MGA for public engagement for County planning projects, initiatives, and processes.
d)Continue to implement the County’s Asset Management Plan to identify the life-
cycle of County infrastructure and building assets and determine, as part of the
annual budget process, both annual and long-term investment priorities.
e)Encourage the cost sharing of studies that provide regional benefit, where feasible,
provided these studies have intermunicipal benefits, and are subject to agreement by
the affected municipality.
f)Ensure that infrastructure servicing has been identified and planned for, and that
full cost recovery methods are in place to capture the capital and interest cost of
development, prior to approving a development proposal.
a)Foster the County’s cultural identity by:
i.Celebrating multi-culturalism, including new Canadians, Rural,
Indigenous, and Western heritage,
ii.Identifying and conserving significant historic resources, and
iii.Marketing local assets to the broader community.
b)Recognize the value of culture as an economic contributor to the County and the
role it plays in enhancing residents’ quality of life, health, and sense of well-being.
c)Support and promote projects, activities, and programs that develop a sense of
community, empower residents, and encourage social inclusion.
d)Support and encourage volunteerism and community-based initiatives to build
connections between residents and manage community amenities, programs,
and services.
e)Support age-friendly initiatives, such as completing an Age-Friendly Plan to
promote inclusive communities for residents of all ages and abilities.
Strong Local Leadership
MDP Implementation Policies
a)Review and update ASPs to reflect the policy direction contained within the MDP.
b)Identify actions and partner with municipal neighbours, local organizations, groups, and associations to implement the MDP at the community level or scale.
c)Assess all development, subdivision and rezoning applications based on the policies set out in the Municipal Development Plan, policies of all Intermunicipal Development Plans, if applicable, and
the regulations in the Land Use Bylaw.
d)Undertake a major MDP review every five (5) years to ensure the goals and policy directions reflect current growth forecasts,market trends and community values.
e)Ensure the Land Use Bylaw aligns with the MDP. Amendments to the County’s Land Use Bylaw may be required to ensure alignment with the MDP.
Future Land Use Map
County of Newell
Draft Municipal Development Plan
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Village of
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Town ofBassano
Patricia
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Resort
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Rolling H ills
Bow City
Rainier
Gem
Cassils
Tilley
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Integrated E xpertise. Locally D elivered.
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MUN ICIPAL
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County of Newell
Urban Muni cipality
IDP Area
Area Structure
Plan/Area
Redevelopm ent Plan
Highway
Rail way
Water B ody
Reservoir
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"Grow th Ham let
Existing Land Use
Agricultur e
Residential
Business
Industr ial
Parks and Instit uti onal
Future Land U se
Agri business and
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