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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.