Concept Plan

Strathcona County Country Residential Area Concept Plan

June 2010

SCHEDULE "A" BYLAW 19-2010

PDRS ADMIN.113747

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Strathcona County is a unique municipality that offers a variety of urban and rural lifestyle opportunities. As the authority for land use, subdivision and development, the County conducts long range planning to ensure the strategy for the long-term development of the community is documented and implemented.

In March 2005, the County initiated the development of an Area Concept Plan (ACP) for the Country Residential Policy Area, the boundaries of which are indicated in the Strathcona County Municipal Development Plan (MDP).

The planning process included an analysis of background information, the development of mapping materials, research into achieving sustainability, an analysis of development potential on a quarter section by quarter section basis and public consultation.

The plan recognizes that Country Residential (CR) development is not normally considered a “sustainable” form of development; however, it is a land use the County has allowed in the past and will continue to allow in the future. The major focus of this plan is the manner in which future development will occur in the CR Policy Area.

One of the main goals of this plan is to provide the guidance and regulatory framework required to ensure that all future development within the plan area works toward the County’s general goal of being more sustainable. Therefore, the major policy direction provided by this Plan involves consideration of the 12 Themes of Sustainability and adherence to the concept of Conservation Subdivision Design.

This plan was initiated while the Municipal Development Plan (Bylaw 38-98) was under review. The new MDP (Bylaw 1-2007) was adopted in May 2007. Policies pertaining to Country Residential development under the MDP also provided direction in the development of this ACP.

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Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction p.1 1.1 Purpose and Scope p.1 1.2 Interpretation p.1 1.3 Location p.1 1.4 Policy Context p.1 1.5 Municipal Policy Direction p.2 1.6 Considerations and Supporting Studies p.3 2.0 Background Information p.3 2.1 Plan Area Description p.3 2.2 Natural Conditions p.4 2.3 Transportation Network p.5 2.4 Trails p.6 2.5 Utilities p.7 2.6 Land Uses p.7 2.7 Adjacent Land Uses p.7 3.0 Goals and Objectives p.8 3.1 Goals p.8 3.2 Objectives p.8 4.0 Land Use Concept p.8 5.0 Sustainable Development p.8 5.1 Background p.8 5.2 Sustainable Development Tools p.10 5.3 Conservation Subdivision Design p.10 6.0 Public Consultation p.17 7.0 Policy Direction p.18 7.1 Area Structure Plans p.18 7.2 Subdivision p.19 7.3 Sustainable Development p.20 7.4 Environment p.20 7.5 Roads and Trails p.21 7.6 CN Railway p.22 7.7 Agriculture p.22 7.8 Servicing and Infrastructure p.22 7.9 Wildfire Risk Management p.23 8.0 Implementation p.23 8.1 Interpretation p.23 8.2 Capital Region Board p.23

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8.3 Amendment p.24 8.4 Plan Review p.24 8.5 County Initiatives p.24 8.6 Phasing p.24 List of Maps

1. Location Map p.25 2. Beaver Hills Moraine p.26 3. Canada Land Inventory Agricultural Classification p.27 4. Drainage Basins p.28 5. Existing Transportation System p.29 6. Existing and Proposed Trail System p.30 7. Wastewater Servicing and Policy Area p.31 8. Land Use District p.32 9. Priority Environment Management Areas p.33 10. Future Development p.34 11. Fire Risk Model p.35 APPENDIX A: Strathcona County Country Residential Area Concept Plan Development Potential Study APPENDIX B: Discussion of The Twelve Themes of Sustainability APPENDIX C: Summary of Exit Surveys APPENDIX D: Guidelines For Development Adjacent to the CN Railway APPENDIX E: Firesmart Guidelines

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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this document is to provide a sound and sustainable land use planning framework to guide future subdivision and development within the boundaries of the Country Residential Area Concept Plan (CR ACP). The CR ACP builds upon the objectives and policies of the MDP and provides more specific policy direction for existing and future development within the area.

This Area Concept Plan recognizes existing uses as well as the planning approvals and development rights afforded landowners by the current MDP and Land Use Bylaw. These uses and approvals are assumed to remain within the Plan Area.

It is the County’s intent that the Country Residential Area Concept Plan will be a “statutory” planning document, to be approved as an “Area Structure Plan Bylaw” per the requirements of the Municipal Government Act. It will, therefore, require compliance with the MDP and offer opportunities for public input through a statutory Public Hearing of Strathcona County Council.

1.2 Interpretation

The maps and figures contained with the CR ACP provide a conceptual framework for future land uses, transportation networks, potential trail networks, parks and open spaces. Prior to consideration of plans for multi-lot country residential subdivisions and associated Land Use Bylaw amendments, more detailed area structure plans and design briefs (i.e. Traffic Impact Assessments, Geotechnical Reports, Biophysical Assessments, etc.) will be required to be prepared by developers and approved by Strathcona County. 1.3 Location

The subject area encompasses approximately 8,800 ha (22,000 acres) of land and is located south and east of Sherwood Park within the Rural Service Area of Strathcona County (See Map #1) 1.4 Policy Context

This Plan has been prepared in accordance with the Municipal Government Act (MGA), RSA 2000 cM-26 (MGA). Section 633 of the Act enables municipalities to adopt area concept plans as higher level area structure plans which provides a framework for future subdivision and development. Figure(1) below illustrates the hierarchy of planning documents and where area concept plans are situated relative to those documents. The requirements of the MGA have been adhered to in the preparation of the Country Residential ACP.


(Figure (1): Hierarchy of Planning Documents)

1.5 Municipal Policy Direction

The Country Residential Area Concept Plan will be a “statutory” planning document, to be approved as an “Area Structure Plan Bylaw” per the requirements of the MGA. This ACP, therefore, must comply with the Strathcona County Municipal Development Plan (MDP), Bylaw 1-2007, as well as offer opportunities for public input through a statutory Public Hearing of Strathcona County Council.

The MDP is the County’s strategic land use planning document, providing high level land use, development, economic development, social and servicing policy direction for Strathcona County. The MDP acknowledges the community’s goals for future development in the County and Sherwood Park. It presents background information, assumptions, planning objectives and general policies, which serve to guide the more detailed analysis and development of land use and servicing principles within the Area Concept Plan boundaries.

Land use within the hamlet of Ardrossan is currently guided under its own area structure plan (Bylaw 3-97). Although the CR ACP includes Ardrossan within its boundaries, it is intended to provide guidance for those areas that do not already have ASPs in place. Therefore, this ACP will not require changes to be made to the Ardrossan ASP or any other existing ASP within the plan area.

Municipal Development Plan (MDP)

“Country Residential” Area Concept Plan

Area Structure Plan

Land Use Bylaw

Subdivision


1.6 Considerations and Supporting Studies

The Plan was developed in consideration of the following: Location (land use, soil conditions, regional influences, etc.);

Federal and Provincial legislation including the Municipal Government Act;

The Capital Region Growth Plan;

Policy direction provided by the County’s Strategic Plan and MDP;

Strathcona County Open Space Recreation Facilities Strategy;

The principles of sustainability and the Twelve Theme “lens” used to assess sustainability as outlined in the MDP;

Public input; and

Numerous studies including:

Transportation Study 2000, (Stantec, 2000); Strathcona County Trails Master Plan, (Strathcona County, 1998); Assessment of Environmental Sensitivity and Sustainability in Support of the

Strathcona County MDP Review (Spencer Environmental, 2005); Beaver Hills Initiative Land Management Framework – Final Report (Spencer

Environmental, 2006); Country Residential Area Concept Plan Development Potential Study

(Strathcona County, 2010); Strathcona County Water Servicing Study (Stantec, 2002); Strathcona County Engineering Servicing Standards; and Strathcona County Open Space Development Standards (2002).

2.0 Background Information 2.1 Plan Area Description

There are approximately 2560 country residential parcels with an average lot size of approximately 1.5 ha (3.7acres) within the plan area. The majority of these lands have been developed for country residential purposes; however, there are a number of quarter sections that are largely unsubdivided. Most of the existing country residential developments are located in areas that have either been previously cleared for agricultural production or on lands that are dominated by natural habitats (i.e. forests and wetlands). The majority of the subject land is privately owned; however, there are a number of publicly owned parcels within the plan area that can accommodate community facilities, various utilities as well as parks, open space, and conservation areas. Water bodies,


such as Boag Lake and Big Island Lake, fall under the jurisdiction of the Province of Alberta. 2.2 Natural Conditions

Topography and Vegetation The majority of the plan area lies within the Beaver Hills Moraine (see Map #2). The moraine is a large geomorphological feature that encompasses a major portion of Strathcona County as well as four adjacent municipalities and one National Park. The hummocky “knob and kettle” topography of the moraine has resulted in a patchwork of wetlands and small lakes. The resulting terrain and soil conditions are not ideal for many forms of agriculture, therefore much of the area has not been cleared and remains extensively forested with aspen and in some areas, spruce woodlands. A detailed description for each quarter section is provided in the Country Residential Development Potential Study.

Soil Soils include Grey Luvisols that are commonly found in woodland areas, Grey Solodized Solonetz that are found in the moraine in general, and Black Chernozem soils that are limited to a few areas in the northern portion of the plan area.

Soil quality also determines agricultural potential. In Canada soils are rated according to agricultural land capability in terms of field crop production. The Canada Land Inventory (CLI) rating system rates soils on a scale from 1 to 7 with CLI Class 1 lands having the highest capability for agricultural uses and CLI Class 7 lands having the lowest capability to support agricultural land use activities. Soils within the plan area range in quality from Class 1 to Class 5 (see Map #3). The majority of the soils within the area, however, fall within the 3 to 4 CLI soil class ranges. Soil quality in general diminishes as you travel further south and east within the plan area. Poor soil quality is a major reason why much of the area has remained in its natural state while the more productive lands that are north of the plan area (north of the CN railway and north of Highway 16), have been cleared and cultivated for agricultural production.

Drainage (Stormwater) The east and central parts of the County are located along the periphery of the Beaver Hills Moraine where the terrain begins to slope towards the North Saskatchewan River. As a result of this topography, surface water collects in a drainage network of small creeks, uncharacteristic of the typical wetlands of the hummocky, central areas of the Moraine. These creeks, which are divided into three main drainage basins converge into either Point-aux-Pins Creek or Ross Creek and ultimately drain into the North Saskatchewan River (see Map #4). Watercourses within these drainage basins overlap with, or are bordered by, additional natural resources such as forested areas, low capability agricultural soils and groundwater recharge/discharge areas.


The environmental sensitivity of the plan area is largely dependent on water resources; therefore, the protection of water quality and the aquatic and riparian environment in general are of utmost importance. Any impacts to surface water quality in this area will ultimately spread to all areas downstream, including the North Saskatchewan River. This is important to note because any land use planning decisions within this portion of the County could potentially have widespread impacts on the region.

2.3 Transportation Network

The plan area is served by two major highways (directly through Highway 21 and indirectly through Highway 16), a number of secondary highways (630, 628, & 824), range and township roads and as well as a network of local neighbourhood collector roads (see Map #5). Highway 21 Highway 21 is a major north-south transportation corridor that runs through the western half of the County. At present the section of the highway that is twinned, four lane divided, is the section from the southern boundary of the City of Fort Saskatchewan to just south of Secondary Highway 628. South of Secondary Highway 628, the twinned Highway is reduced to a two lane, undivided road. Future interchanges have been proposed at Lakeland Drive and Highway 21, at Baseline Road and Township Road 530, at Wye Road (Highway 630), and at Highway 628. Timelines for these interchanges have not been established. Alberta Transportation retains a degree of influence over lands within 800m of Provincial Highways. Alberta Transportation restricts all access and egress to highways from adjacent lands, controls arterial roadway access points within 400 m of highway interchanges as well as directional and commercial signage adjacent to highways. Under the Public Highways Act, Alberta Transportation must be circulated on every subdivision application within 800 meters of a road or interchange. As well, any ASP within one-half mile of a provincial highway must receive Ministerial approval. It is highly recommended that any proposed future developments within these areas take into consideration future development of these interchanges. Highway 628 Highway 628 is an extension of the Whitemud Freeway from the City of Edmonton/Strathcona County boundary. The widening of this highway remains one the County’s top priorities. At the time of the writing of this Plan twinning of a short portion of Highway 628 has occurred as part of the Highway 21 project and the intersection improvements at Highway 628/Township Road 522 with Highway 21. Highway 628 has been twinned from the west Sconaglen subdivision access to west Sherwood Place access. The twinned section of Township Road 522 will be extended to the east of the


Sherwood Place access in 2010 as part of the last phases of Highway 21 project. In conjunction with the improvements at Highway 628, the west Sconaglen access has been closed. A service road connection was constructed to the west subdivision roadway, which remains having access to Highway 628. No interchanges are anticipated to be constructed on this highway at the time of the writing of this Plan. Once completed, access along the highway will be limited to a few specified points. As a result, a few properties will loose direct access to the highway, however, alternative accesses and routes will be developed to accommodate those impacted. Highway 630 Highway 630 (Wye Road), is a four lane divided highway within the boundaries of the plan area. Several properties were permitted direct access onto this highway during the time of construction because the road was twinned before it came under Provincial jurisdiction. The Province does not permit properties adjacent to major highways to have direct access onto highways. Highway 830 Highway 830 is a high standard, paved rural road. Further changes to this highway are not anticipated at this time. Range Roads 225, 224, & 223 Alberta Transportation has identified several access closures along Highway 16 including the accesses for Range Roads 225, and 224 onto Highway 16. It is certain that closure of these accesses will have a significant impact on these Range Roads as well as Township Road 530 and trigger upgrades to these grid roads. A Traffic Impact Study is currently being undertaken to address the required road upgrades. Lakeland Drive Extension It is anticipated that a road will have to be constructed at some point in the future, extending from Range Road 225 just south of the CN rail line to the intersection of Lakeland Drive and Highway 21. This road will be needed in order to provide access for properties located within the surrounding area; to allow for more efficient traffic flow; and provide access to Sherwood Park for properties North of the CN rail line where existing accesses onto Highway 16 will eventually be removed by the Province. There is no time line as to if or when the road will be constructed. However, prior to any further development in the area, the County will have to determine an appropriate alignment and secure the necessary road right of way. 2.4 Trails

In 1998, the County completed The Trails Master Plan. Although this plan was never adopted by Council, it does provide guidance for trail development throughout the County. The Trails Master Plan proposes the development of both mixed use (i.e. walking, cycling, horseback, skiing) and restricted (foot traffic only) trails within the


County’s rural service area. All existing and proposed trails are identified on Map #6. The majority of developed trails exist within the northern half of the plan area. In the southern area there are very few trails that have been identified or mapped. There is limited trail data for the southern half therefore it may be possible that some of the proposed trails indicated within the Trails Master Plan for this area may actually exist. The majority of the existing trail network, particularly in the northern portion includes linkages to adjacent developments. The trail network is, however, fairly disjointed at this point due to the mix of developed and undeveloped areas. In some areas, particularly south of Wye Road, trails do not exist at all. 2.5 Utilities

Water The majority of residents attain potable water by truck haul from municipal water depots, however, a limited number of residents attain water from water wells or from the County’s piped, trickle water system (see Map #7). Sanitary Sewer The majority of homes in the area dispose of sanitary waste through the use of septic fields (or mounds) and septic tanks. There are a few developments, however, that are connected to the County’s municipal waste water system (see Map #7). The MDP envisions that all homes within the ACP area will eventually be connected to the municipal waste water system. Presently the County requires new developments to extend and connect to existing municipal waste water infrastructure. Existing developments are not required to connect to the waste water system. The County is continuing to work on a long term plan that includes the extension of waste water infrastructure into existing developments to allow for existing homes to connect to the system. 2.6 Land Uses

The area currently includes a variety of land uses including country residential developments, large and small agricultural parcels, large rural residential subdivisions, as well as County owned public service, recreational, and natural areas (see Map #8). The most predominate land use is country residential. 2.7 Adjacent Land Uses

The predominant land uses adjacent to the plan area includes urban development to the west (Sherwood Park), agriculture and large rural residential to the south and east, and large, traditional agricultural holdings to the north. Also worth noting is the Canadian National Railway which forms a major portion of the plan area’s northern boundary and which also passes through the Hamlet of Ardrossan and the eastern portion of the Plan area.


3.0 GOALS and OBJECTIVES 3.1 Goals

The primary goal of the Country Residential ACP is to provide a planning framework for development within the Plan Area that is consistent with the policies related to the Country Residential Policy Area within the Municipal Development Plan.

3.2 Objectives

The objectives of the Plan are as follows:

a) Promote orderly and sustainable development within the Plan Area;

b) Provide a mechanism through which future development planning applications can be assessed and implemented; and

c) Provide detailed information regarding potential subdivision capability within the Plan area (provide an indication of future development potential). 4.0 LAND USE CONCEPT The general land use concept for the Plan Area is country residential development. This concept is consistent with the direction provided in the Municipal Development Plan which includes policies indicating that intent of the Country Residential Policy Area is to accommodate Country Residential Development. 5.0 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 5.1 Background

Strathcona County has made a commitment, as outlined in the recently adopted Municipal Development Plan Bylaw 1-2007, to work toward and ultimately achieve sustainability. The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) defines sustainability as follows:

“Sustainability for Strathcona County, means developing in a manner that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, while striking a balance between economic prosperity, social responsibility and environmental stewardship.”

The MDP also states that all new developments must take into consideration and adhere to the principles of sustainable development and the twelve themes of sustainability (Figure 2).


(Figure 2: The Four Principles for Guiding Sustainable Development and the 12 Themes for Evaluating Sustainable Development)

Country Residential (CR) developments are not generally considered a sustainable form of development, because they involve the development of single family residences at very low densities, which in turn result in large scale conversion of natural habitat and agricultural land. However, it is a form of land use that the County has allowed in the past and will continue to allow in the future, albeit under much more controlled circumstances. It is the manner in which CR development occurs that this document is focused upon. The MDP emphasizes that all land uses should be developed in a sustainable manner. Therefore, a primary goal of the Country Residential Area Concept Plan is to provide guidance for all future development within the plan area ensuring that the County is working toward and ultimately achieves the goal of creating a more sustainable community.


5.2 Sustainable Development Tools Two tools have been developed in support of the CR ACP in order to provide assistance for those who may either be considering or are actually proposing development within the Plan Area. These tools include:

The Country Residential Area Concept Plan Development Potential Study (See Appendix A)

A Discussion of The Twelve Themes of Sustainability (See Appendix B). 5.2.1 The Country Residential Area Concept Plan Development Potential Study

The County Residential Area Concept Plan Development Potential Study (April, 2010) was initiated in support of the MDP in 2005 in order to determine maximum lot density per quarter section within the CR Policy Area based on municipal water and sewage infrastructure capacity limitations. Upon completion of the MDP, the scope of the study was expanded to create a more useful tool for developers looking to develop land in the area, as well as County administration assigned to review proposals. It is the County’s intention that the Study be utilized as an information resource to aid in the detailed design of future subdivisions. It should be noted that the information compiled in the Study was current at the time of the adoption of this plan. The County, therefore strongly encourages those using this tool to contact the County to verify the information pertaining to the specific parcel they are interested in. 5.2.2 A Discussion of The Twelve Themes of Sustainability

Appendix A includes a discussion and evaluation of the CR ACP Plan Area through the 12 Themes for Evaluating Sustainable Development lens or filter. This section of the document provides direction for the County in terms of policy development as well as for the development community who will be required to address each of the twelve themes in their individual development proposals.

5.3 Conservation Subdivision Design

Conservation Subdivision Design (CSD) is a relatively new development concept that enables land to be developed while simultaneously preserving community character, reducing environmental impacts, protecting the rights of property owners, and enabling a developer to reap economic benefits from the creation of a high-quality development. Conservation Subdivision Design differs from traditional country residential development in a number of different ways. First, it sets much higher standards for the quantity, quality and configuration of the resulting open space and developable area. CSD also allows communities to exercise greater influence on the design of new subdivisions and also benefit from much more than just dense pockets of housing. Lands protected from development can also be configured, in some cases, to work toward creating an interconnected network of open space throughout the community, linking amenity areas and habitat corridors in adjoining subdivisions and/or providing buffers between new development and environmentally sensitive areas or features.


5.3.1 The Goal of Conservation Subdivision Design

The overall goal of Conservation Subdivision Design (CSD) is to protect as much environmentally significant area and/or important culturally significant features as possible within a proposed development while still allowing for conventional subdivision design densities to occur. The County provides some direction in this area through the MDP and the Prioritized Environmental Management Area Map (See Map #9). This map provides a general indicator of environmental sensitivity based a High, Medium and Low priority rating system. For further information please refer to the Country Residential Area Concept Plan Development Potential Study (2010). 5.3.2 The Conservation Subdivision Design Process

Perhaps the greatest strength of Conservation Subdivision Design is the actual process involved in determining the final layout of the land being developed. The process intends for land conservation to become the central organizing principle around which house lots and streets are sensitively designed. The design process identifies natural, historical, and cultural resources, potential open space corridors, habitat patches, views, etc. that should be protected from development. The development process excludes these areas from development and builds what can be accommodated on the rest of the parcel. The process consists of four steps:

1) Identifying Conservation Areas; 2) Locating House Sites; 3) Aligning Road and Trails; and 4) Drawing Lot Lines.

Step 1 Step 1 involves a biophysical analysis of the overall site in order to identify primary conservation areas or development constraints, such as floodplains, steep slopes, wetlands, streams, wildlife habitat, unstable soils, geology, etc. A plan indicating connectivity between habitat patches would need to be provided. The analysis also includes the identification of development opportunities or cultural features (i.e. an old barn or tree stands) that could be incorporated into the site plan in order to enhance the character of the development. More general features, such as vistas and mature forests, are also identified. External influences such as infrastructure, adjacent land uses and wildlife corridors are also highlighted.

Step 2 Once an analysis of the site is complete the next step is to identify the locations of build- able areas on the site. Houses would be located in areas that are considered developable as identified in the site analysis. The actual number of houses would have to adhere to County policies and regulations up to a maximum density per quarter section.


Step 3 The next step is to identify the location of water resources, existing drainage, required stormwater management facilities as well as alignments for roads and trail networks which would extend logically throughout the area to provide access to all properties and connection(s) to adjacent lands. Consideration must be given at this point to the configuration and number of accesses the development will have to the existing road network, access location, and impacts on existing adjacent public roads. A Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) may be required at this stage depending on the magnitude of the development. It should also be noted that any developments in proximity of provincial highways would have to meet the requirements of the Province (Alberta Transportation), which may exceed those of Strathcona County with respect to the TIA requirement triggers.

Step 4 The final step is the creation of the lot layout which involves the drawing in of the lot lines. The lot layout must conform to land use regulations governing such things as minimum lot area and utilize the information gathered in the previous steps as guidelines to ensure protected areas are not infringed upon. The following is an illustration of the conservation subdivision design process starting with a piece of undeveloped land and ending with a planned CR development based on Conservation Subdivision Design principles.

Figure 3: Example of a potential site similar to existing undeveloped areas within the Plan area (Source: Arendt, 1996)


Figure 4: Step 1 - Identification of primary conservation or non-developable areas (eg. Environmental reserve). (Source: Arendt, 1996)

Figure 5: Step 1 (cont’d) - Identification of secondary conservation areas (eg. High and Medium Priority Environmental Management Areas). (Source: Arendt, 1996)


Figure 6: Step 2 - Identification of potential development areas (Source: Arendt, 1996)

Figure 7: Step 3 - Identification of potential house sites (Source: Arendt, 1996)


Figure 8: Step 3 cont’d - Design of road alignments and trails (Source: Arendt, 1996)

Figure 9: Step 4 - Drawing in the lot lines (Source: Arendt, 1996)


5.3.3 Sustainability and Conservation Subdivision Design

Conservation Subdivision Design achieves many of the sustainability objectives outlined in this plan including:

Conservation of natural features and protection of natural habitat; Conservation of corridors for wildlife migration and biodiversity; Reduced cost and reduced carbon emissions due to reduced infrastructure and

maintenance; Reduced impact to local water quality and natural environment due to reduced

stormwater runoff and natural filtration through natural buffers; Increased sense of place and/or community through the provision of open space,

as well as trails and linkages between neighbourhoods; and Conservation of unique (natural and traditional rural) landscape.

The combined effect of protecting open space and the grouping of homes also results in an average overall density that, in most cases, would be equal to the density achieved using a conventional subdivision design. 5.3.4 The Application of Conservation Subdivision Design

The degree to which conservation subdivision design can be applied in a given situation is influenced by several factors including site conditions, access, surrounding land uses, and the amount of environmentally sensitive lands on the site. However, perhaps the most influential or biggest limiting factor are the existing legislative and regulatory frameworks that are currently in place. The Municipal Government Act provides municipalities with certain powers or tools that allow them to acquire a certain percentage or portion of land that is subject to a proposed subdivision. These tools include Environmental Reserve (ER) and Municipal Reserve (MR) dedication. Environmental Reserve is generally considered land that cannot be developed because it poses a risk to human health or property. In many instances land that may be dedicated as ER may also be land that would be considered environmentally significant or sensitive (i.e. swamps, gullies, ravines, natural drainage courses, flood plains, and areas immediately adjacent to water bodies). ER, however, is not a tool that municipalities can or should rely upon to protect all the environmentally significant features that may be identified within a site. For instance, a large tree stand which may serve as a habitat patch, may also be considered developable (i.e. on high, flat, well drained ground, no creeks or water bodies), therefore, it would not likely meet the criteria for ER dedication set out under the Municipal Government Act (MGA). Under those circumstances the municipality would have to utilize other planning tools to ensure the protection of these areas. At present the one major tool available, as provided for by the MGA and the Municipal Development Plan, is the required dedication of municipal reserve (MR). The County


currently requires land that is the subject of a proposed subdivision, to dedicate 10% of developable land as MR. In some instances over dedication of MR land can occur however any over dedication is at the discretion of the landowner. Municipal reserve land has and will continue to be used in the Plan area primarily for the conservation of wildlife habitat and open spaces that may include public gathering places, trails and trail connections as determined by the County in conjunction with the Open Space Recreation Facilities Strategy (OSRFS). In many areas, especially within the Beaver Hills Moraine, the amount of Municipal Reserve or Environmental Reserve is usually not enough to protect all the environmentally sensitive areas or features that may exist within the parcel being subdivided. In those situations the County encourages the use of planning tools such as conservation easements and land conservation trusts as a method of conserving additional environmentally sensitive areas.

With a conservation easement, a landowner relinquishes certain rights in order to protect the ecological values of all or part of their land. Those "rights" or that interest in the land is granted to an eligible conservation organization (i.e. Ducks Unlimited) or government agency. That easement is typically negotiated in perpetuity, and is registered on the title of the land. The landowner retains title, and is free to sell, gift or Will that property, but the easement binds future landowners to the same land use restrictions. If the landowner does not want to retain ownership of their land he/she could sell or donate those lands to a land conservation trust such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) which is a charitable organization that works to protect natural heritage through the purchase or donation of land.

6.0 PUBLIC CONSULTATION 2005 In June, 2005 an open house was held at the Ardrossan Recreation Complex. Approximately 225 participants attended and about 100 exit surveys were completed. The following represents the major findings from those surveys:

Over one-half of the respondents felt that piped services for water and sewage should be extended to all new and infill development in the study area although existing development did not want to be forced to tie in;

About 55% of the respondents stated that preserving agricultural land within the plan area was not a priority;

87% of the respondents felt that saving the environment, through such means as reserves was the top priority;

Almost 80% felt that new development should be designed around or in consideration of natural topography, tree stands, and water bodies;


Over half of the respondents felt that higher density development (up to the 50 lot per quarter section) was acceptable; and

There was strong support for the concept of “developer” pay, with 70% responding that they agreed with this concept.

The major conclusions to be drawn from the responses provided were that residents within the plan area value their rural lifestyle and that conserving environmental features is a priority (see Appendix C). 2008 An additional open house was held on May 12, 2008. The intent of the May 12, 2008 open house was to attain public feedback on the 12 Themes of Sustainability and how the Themes could be incorporated within the draft CR ACP. 2010 In the Spring of 2008, the Province announced the creation of the Capital Region Board. A regional plan was to be developed. As a result work on the ACP plan was postponed until the CRB Plan was completed. The plan received ministerial approval in March 2010. A public meeting was held on March 24, 2010 to provide an update on the CR ACP and April 21, 2010, a second public meeting was held to present the draft document to the public. 7.0 POLICY DIRECTION The following policy statements are intended to provide specific planning direction to private landowners and developers when undertaking detailed planning studies for their respective lands. The policies will also guide County Council and Administration in the review of detailed conceptual schemes, rezoning, subdivision and development permit applications within the Area Concept Plan boundary. 7.1 Area Structure Plans

7.1.1 Notwithstanding policies included in the Strathcona County Municipal Policy Handbook pertaining to Area Structure Plans, a detailed Area Structure Plan is required where a proposed subdivision of would result in the creation of three or more parcels within a quarter section unless an area structure plan already exists for that quarter section.

7.1.2 All proposed area structure plan submissions within the Country Residential Area Concept Plan area must adhere to the requirement of the Municipal Policy Handbook.


7.2 Subdivision

General Subdivision Policies 7.2.1 Strathcona County shall take environmental reserve and municipal reserve

dedications to the fullest extent allowed under the Municipal Government Act.

7.2.2 Within an existing country residential development, no existing country residential parcel shall be permitted to be subdivided into parcels that are smaller than the smallest existing country residential parcel within that development in order to retain the character of existing development.

7.2.3 Where the lands proposed to be subdivided are located directly adjacent to an

existing country residential development, appropriate transitioning in terms of lot sizes and/or buffering between the existing and new development shall be provided to ensure the character of the existing country residential development is not negatively impacted. With regard to transition of parcel sizes, the following will be adhered to:

a) Any proposed subdivision that results in a parcel directly abutting, or within

30m of an existing country residential development, will not differentiate in size more than 10% of the area of the existing parcel it is abutting. Where the proposed parcel abuts multiple existing parcels, the proposed parcel will not differentiate in size more than 10% of the area of the largest existing parcel it is abutting.

b) Section 7.2.3 a) may not apply only where natural features, such as tree

stands, a water body or a hill, exist within 30m of the existing country residential development and the closest proposed parcel and such features provides an adequate buffer between the existing parcels and the proposed parcels.

Parcel Density The plan area has been divided into high and low density country residential areas. The high density area (see Map #10) conforms with the Cluster Country Residential Area density targets as indicated in the Capital Region Growth Plan. The low density country residential area conforms with the Municipal Development Plan Bylaw 1-2007. 7.2.4 The maximum parcel density for the area identified as Low Density Country

Residential as indicated on Map #10 is 50 country residential parcels per quarter section.

7.2.5 The maximum parcel density for lands located west of Highway 21, identified on

Map #10 as High Density Country Residential development, is 129 country residential parcels per quarter section


7.3 Sustainable Development

7.3.1 All new area structure plans must address each of the Twelve Themes of Sustainability as outlined in Section 5 and Appendix B of this plan.

7.3.2 All new country residential subdivisions requiring an area structure plan must

adhere to the conservation subdivision design concept and process as outlined in Section 5.3.2 of this ACP

7.4 Environment

7.4.1 All new country residential developments shall take into consideration and apply the Conservation Subdivision Design process in order to:

a) Minimize or avoid the clearing of natural vegetation, particularly in floodplains;

b) Minimize or avoid watercourse and wetland disturbance, particularly near environmentally significant areas or groundwater recharge/discharge areas; and

c) Limit the removal of vegetation, particularly mature trees, outside of the building envelope subject to Firesmart guidelines.

7.4.2 Development shall be directed to previously cleared, disturbed, isolated areas or of lesser environmental sensitivity (i.e. Medium and Low PEMA) as determined through the biophysical assessment, in order to provide the potential for natural features to be linked through open space and to reduce impacts on environmentally sensitive lands.

7.4.3 Wildlife corridors or habitat linkages between adjacent quarter sections shall be conserved wherever possible in order to allow for the free flow of wildlife.

7.4.4 All new developments shall adhere to the required vegetation buffer distances from lands identified as Environmental Reserve (i.e. watercourses/wetland edges) as determined through the Biophysical Assessment.

7.4.5 Municipal Reserve dedication shall be taken to the fullest extent allowed and directed to areas identified as habitat linkages, habitat patches and riparian habitat areas beyond the required setback distance from lands identified as Environmental Reserve.

7.4.6 Other tools, such as conservation easements or Environmental Reserve easements may be considered where maximum required Municipal Reserve dedication and voluntary Municipal Reserve overdedication may not be enough to protect or provide necessary habitat linkages and/or where increased protection of water bodies may be required (i.e., large streams, lakes).


7.4.7 Lands to be protected and conserved through the use of conservation easements may be managed through a number of options including:

a) Registered homeowner associations;

b) Community associations; or

c) Other agencies or organizations that will ensure that the land is maintained and undeveloped in perpetuity, such as non-governmental organizations and land trusts (i.e. Ducks Unlimited and The Nature Conservancy of Canada, etc.)

7.4.8 The County may choose to purchase lands, as part of the Strathcona County Legacy Lands Policy, that are deemed to be of utmost importance to the County and, therefore, require the degree of protection that public ownership would provide.

7.4.9 All developments must adhere to all federal and provincial regulations including provincial and municipal policies and regulations concerning wetlands.

7.5 Roads and Trails

7.5.1 All new country residential developments must demonstrate the ability to provide trail and road linkages to adjacent quarter sections, where previous land development, man made structures (i.e. railway line) or major natural features would not hinder this ability.

7.5.2 The County may require a Traffic Impact Assessment where a proposed development generates in excess of 100 trips in a peak hour.

7.5.3 Internal roads must adhere to Strathcona County “Country Residential Roadway” standards.

7.5.4 Internal road access must be provided to each of the existing and proposed lots that are part of the subject lands.

7.5.5 Access roads shall be designed to avoid crossing wetlands or watercourses wherever possible.

7.5.6 Lands adjacent to Highway 21, may be required to dedicate road widening and restrict access to either a service road or a single access point, to be determined by Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation at the time of application. Proponents will be required to obtain a Roadside Permit from Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation.

7.5.7 The County shall secure the required road right of way extending from the intersection of Lakeland Drive and Highway 21 to Range Road 225 in order to increase transportation efficiency and to provide adequate opportunity for lands to be accessed within that general area.


7.6 CN Railway

7.6.1 Development of land adjacent to the Canadian National (CN) railway tracks shall be undertaken in a manner that mitigates the impact of rail operations on proposed residential properties adjacent to the tracks. The County may require a noise study or other type of study (i.e. visual impact study), that may, in the opinion of the County, be considered necessary to properly evaluate development proposals. Detailed Area Structure Plans for lands along the railway tracks will describe measures to address the impact of rail operations based on the guidelines described in Appendix E.

7.7 Agriculture

7.7.1 Ensure new country residential developments address potential conflicts with existing agricultural operations by designing subdivisions to mitigate potential offsite impacts from agricultural pursuits, such as noise, dust and odour.

7.8 Servicing and Infrastructure

7.8.1 Development of new multiple lot CR subdivisions shall require extension and connection to the County’s piped water and sanitary sewer systems by the developer. All costs associated with the extension and connection to the County piped water and sewer systems will be borne by the developer.

7.8.2 All new country residential developments (parcels) must be serviced by municipal water and sewer systems, with the exception of first parcels out of an unsubdivided quarter section.

7.8.3 Stormwater must be contained on site to pre-development flows and released at a rate acceptable to the Province of Alberta and the County.

7.8.4 All proposed area structure plans must include a stormwater management plan or study. The size of the study area will be determined by the County with consideration given to existing and future drainage from adjacent quarter sections and the entire drainage basin.

7.8.5 Developments will contain stormwater on site through a number of methods including; engineered stormwater facilities, natural wetlands, or other structures acceptable to Strathcona County as per municipal policy, the Province of Alberta and the Government of Canada.

7.8.6 Stormwater management systems must provide sedimentation and contaminant filtration prior to release to water bodies.

7.8.7 All sanitary sewage will be collected and treated through the municipal STEP sewage system.

7.8.8 All on-site and off-site costs, including offsite levy fees, associated with servicing new developments with roadways, utilities and other infrastructure shall be borne


by the developer through development charges, levies or cost contribution agreements in accordance with specific development agreements. The costs associated with servicing shall be determined by the County at time of subdivision.

7.8.9 Details on the provision of franchise utilities (gas, power, telephone, cable) shall be provided by developers seeking area structure plan approval by the County.

7.8.10 All developments must comply with the provisions included in the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Water Act, the Public Lands Act and Alberta Environment’s Guidelines for Storm Drainage Systems.

7.9 Wildfire Risk Management

7.9.1 Firesmart Guidelines, as per Appendix E, shall be considered as part any proposed Area Structure Plan within the Plan Area.

7.9.2 In areas where the County determines the potential for wildfire to be high further subdivisions of those lands may not be supported until such time as the wildfire risk has been reduced in a manner and to a level that is acceptable to the County, in order to minimize the potential impacts on adjacent lands or fire fighting services if engaged in a fire.

8.0 IMPLEMENTATION 8.1 Interpretation

8.1.1 The adoption and preparation of new Area Structure Plans within the Plan area shall adhere to the policy frameworks in the Country Residential Area Concept Plan and Municipal Development Plan as adopted by Council.

8.2 The Capital Region Board

The Capital Region Board is a decision-making body that affects Strathcona County and the other 24 cities, towns, villages and counties that make up the Edmonton Capital Region. The Board's mandate is to create a comprehensive plan to manage regional growth: the "Capital Region Growth Plan." This plan is binding provincial legislation and all statutory plans and land use bylaws in the Region must conform to it.

8.2.1 The Country Residential Area Concept Plan shall abide by the processes set out by the Capital Regional Board and shall adhere to all decisions pertaining to the adoption of this Area Concept Plan.

8.2.2 All new developments must adhere to the processes set out by the Capital Regional Board and abide by all decisions of the Board.


8.3 Amendment

8.3.1 Any changes to the Country Residential ACP after it has been adopted, must be consistent with the Municipal Government Act and the Municipal Development Plan.

8.3.2 Applicants applying to amend the Country Residential ACP must provide any supporting technical data at the request of the County so that the merits and impacts of the proposed changes can be properly evaluated.

8.4 Plan Review

8.4.1 This Plan may be reviewed:

a) At the request of Council; or

b) Upon amendment of the Municipal Development Plan to ensure consistency; or

c) After a period of five years to ensure that the policies remain applicable, that no new technology is available that may change the direction of the policies and that the overall environment and market remain the same.

8.5 County Initiatives

8.5.1 Strathcona County shall continue to promote green neighbourhood and green building practices with the construction industry through education and incentive programs.

8.6 Phasing

8.6.1 All remaining development shall, wherever possible, occur in an orderly manner by means of logical extension of County piped water and sanitary sewage systems.












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