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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-04-02 Integrated Community Sustainability Plan County of Newell P.O. Box 130, Brooks AB T1R 1B2 Phone: (403) 362-3266 Fax: (888) 361-7921 1 2 / 1 0 / 2 0 1 3 Vision To encourage and support sustainable growth and quality of life within the County of Newell Mission Statement The County of Newell through leadership and policy provides services, structure and stability Integrated Community Sustainability Plan 2 INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY PLAN (2013-04-02) . The Plan – crea The Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) is a multifunctional high level planning document for the County of Newell. The ICSP forms sets out the plan to address development through the Land Use Bylaw, Inter -municipal Development Plans, Transportation Networks, Regional Enhancement Program and the Water and Sewer include a summary of goals as identified through the planning process. ting a framework for future development and change GUIDING PRINCIPLES  Seeking cooperation with individuals, governments and organizations  Planning for the future growth and development of the municipality  Striving for the long-term financial stability of the municipality  Supporting the development and sustainability of a strong infrastructure  Providing services in a consistent and efficient manner  Preserving land for agricultural use  Promoting open communication between staff, Council and the public GOALS  To provide programs and services within the County of Newell  To encourage sustainability for the agriculture and food industry  To foster the growth and development of partnerships  To improve land use planning within the municipality  To maintain and enhance the infrastructure within the County  To operate in an efficient and effective manner utilizing the appropriate human and financial resources  To develop a regional approach to sustainability TIMEFRAME The Integrated Community Sustainability Plan was adopted by Council on December 11, 2008. Updates are provided completed on an annual basis to County Council. 3 COMPONENTS The County agrees to: 1. Review and update the County Land Use Bylaw 1626-07 in the year 2009. (The current Land Use Bylaw was completely redone in 2007). The goal of the Land Use Bylaw is to provide standards and regulations for sustainable development while preserving land for agriculture. ** Land Use Bylaw 1626-07 has been replaced by Bylaw 1755-12. The County of Newell adopted Land Use Bylaw 1755 -12 on October 11, 2012 with the goal of providing standards and regulations for sustainable development while preserving land for agriculture. The County of Newell will be complete amendments as required to this document. A full comprehensive review will take place again in 2017 to ensure that the policies and procedures remain consistent with the goals of the region. 2. Update the Inter-Municipal Development Plan (IMDP) in cooperation with the City of Brooks. ** Bylaw 1656-09, the Inter-Municipal Development Plan (IMDP) between the City of Brooks and the County of Newell, was adopted on March 19, 2009. This document provides a framework and guidelines for dealing with future subdivision and development of lands within the designated intermunicipal plan boundary and promotes the ongoing cooperation, consultation, and c oordination between the two municipalities. Similar IMDP documents are planned for the Town of Bassano and the Village of Duchess with a target completion date in 2014. 3. Implement a 10-year paving plan in 2009, as the transportation network is vital for regional economic development and tourism. The County of Newell uses a 10-year paving plan to ensure that roads are properly maintained on a regular basis, as the transportation network is vital for regional economic development and tourism. The paving plan will set the priorities for both new pavement and any resurfacing required to the County road structures. Annual road tours, by division, will continue to be utilized to prioritize improvements with in the County 4. Duchess and Bassano regional pipeline to provide potable water to those communities will be completed in 2014. The County of Newell: a. will continue to act as the Project Authority as per the Water for Life Program. b. agrees to pay for the 10% local share of all regional water pipelines using funds from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative. 5. In 2011, the County of Newell began an initiative to provide potable water service to all rural homes and businesses within the County via a trickle system. The $54 4 million project utilizes Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding and will be completed in approximately four years. 6. The County of Newell completed sewer infrastructure upgrades in the Hamlet of Rolling Hills and Scandia in 2012 & 13. The Hamlet of Patricia will continue to be a priority to try to find suitable land for the placement of their new system. A five year plan will be drafted in 2013 for the upgrades required in the newly acquired Hamlet of Tilley. This will include: a. the purchase of land for sewage system expansion; and b. the completion of all necessary sewage lagoon upgrades in order to meet Provincial Licensing requirements. 7. The County of Newell partnered with neighboring municipalities to share 1 mill of the linear tax collected for projects of regional benefit in each municipality. The project began in 2012 and will run for a five year period when a full review will be completed. Monies will be provided based on population and will be phased in over the 5 years. 8. Utilize Municipal Sustainability Initiative Funding for regional “operational projects ,” such as Bylaw Enforcement, the Community Peace Officer Program, and Corporate Safety Service or others of regional benefit. 9. The County of Newell completed a thorough analysis of its hardware and software systems in 2011. Most systems will be changed or updated to fulfill the goal of a system that reduces duplication and provides real-time reports accessible on line. The project will take 3 to 4 years to fully complete. IBM was contracted to complete a thorough analysis of systems in 2013. IBM set out 20 projects for completion over the next couple years. 10. The County of Newell completed a full update of the website in 2013 with the goal of proactive information disclosure to the residents. The website will be used in conjunction with social media in order to distribute information to the public using modern channels. 5 THE PLANNING CYCLE 1. The County of Newell held a Corporate Planning Retreat with a facilitator Dr. Gordon McIntosh in April 2011 where 10 Strategic Topics were identified: a. Regional Water b. Technology c. Municipal Relations d. Staff Training/Retention e. Public Communication f. Economic Development/Tourism g. Financial Reporting h. Mini Muni Sustainability i. Service Levels j. Road Standards 2. The topics were then distributed among the various departments and prioritized into 3 items to address “now” and 2 items to address “next.” This list of Strategic Priorities is updated regularly and presented to Council on a monthly basis. 3. The Management Team for the County of Newell held a planning retreat in April 2013 with the assistance of Lawrence Hobbs from Chinook Solutions Inc. Each department provided 6 priorities for execution over the next 3 ye ars. Once the System Integrations Project is complete MTM will begin working on their 6 priorities. 6 4. To advance the goals and objectives of this plan, the County will focus on effective utilization of the current committees and the County’s Management Team. 5. Regular meetings will be held with all municipalities within the region every year to discuss and implement projects in areas of mutual benefit. 6. The Regional Services Committee, which represents the County of Newell, the City of Brooks, the Town of Bassano, and the Villages of Duchess, Tilley, and Rosemary, will be the vehicle used to advance projects of regional cooperation. 7. Meetings will be scheduled on a regular basis with the City of Brooks for the consideration of joint and regional initiatives, projects, and services. 8. Upcoming projects of interest to the public and the audited financial statements will be discussed yearly at the County of Newell Annual General Meeting. 9. Annual meetings will be held with the Eastern Irrigation District to discuss areas and projects of mutual concern. 10. As requested, the County will ensure that we are represented on the Hamlet Advisory Boards by the Divisional Councillor, who will be relied upon to bring problems, issues, and potential solutions regarding th e Hamlet to County Council to consider in the planning and execution processes. 7 OUTCOMES The Integrated Community Sustainability Plan will be a living document for the County of Newell that focuses on regional collaboration and cooperation on projects that will benefit our residents, municipalities, and stakeholders. It is an amalgamation of several strategic exercises starting from the Corporate Retreat through to the Annual Capital & Operating Budget process. The County of Newell and, more importantly, the region surrounding the County have a framework in place that is second to none for addressing sustainability and mutually beneficial outcomes with the stakeholders who reside within its boundaries. EVALUATION PROCESS The ICSP will be evaluated and updated on an annual basis. It is a document that focuses on collaboration, mutually beneficial outcomes, economies to scale, and a shared services approach. It is a plan that is driven by the elected officials, which leads to the development of a new ICSP following each municipal election. This plan is a combination of shared visions, hard work, regional partnerships, and cooperation and it will be the document that pulls the goals and objectives together that will create sustainability within the County of Newell and the surrounding area. It is a true working document for the benefit of all the stakeholders who reside and conduct business within the County of Newell.