The Town of Black Diamond can prepare for five decades of growth after receiving the green light to expand its boundaries approximately five quarter-sections.
The Province approved the Town’s application to annex 332 hectares (821 acres) from Foothills County to provide sufficient land for the next 50 years with an anticipated population of 10,232 people. It became effective Jan. 1.
Black Diamond and Foothills County councils both approved the annexation proposal last spring.
“It’s been a long process and I’m pretty excited about this,” said Sharlene Brown, Black Diamond chief administrative officer. “Council worked really hard and diligently coming up with an agreement. It seems like a lot but it just prepares us for the future.”
Brown said the last annexation agreement between the Town and County was in the 1980s.
“There was not much land left for us to develop on,” she said. “We didn’t have much room for growth for residential and commercial.”
The annexation area changed four times throughout the consultation process, which involved open houses, an online survey, one-on-one meetings, mail-outs and public meetings.
While Brown said development won’t occur immediately, she said the agreement allows the Town to look ahead to plan for future infrastructure, developments and land designation.
The agreement states that most of the land is slated for residential development, with industrial development proposed south of Highway 7 at Black Diamond’s east end and some commercial development on both sides of Highway 22 at the town’s south end. The land west of Black Diamond will create a continuous border between the towns in the event of amalgamation.
“It’s very hard to predict when those opportunities will knock at your doorstep,” Brown said of development. “The whole region is growing. Although it’s a slow growth right now it may change where it’s going to increase our growth capacity in the future.”
The agreement states Black Diamond’s water licenses will be sufficient to support 35 to 40 years growth.
It also states the loss of land is estimated to reduce Foothills County’s annual municipal tax revenue by .08 per cent and increase Black Diamond’s municipal tax revenue by .8 per cent. The Town of Black Diamond will pay Foothills County $110,770 over five years, based on land values.
Land involved in the annexation will be taxed and assessed at Foothills County rates for 25 years, or until it's subdivided, rezoned or connected to the Towns’ water and/or sewer services as requested by the landowner.
The Town will not take ownership of these lands, it’s just a change of jurisdiction.
The annexation proposal was disputed by homeowners from two rural properties at a public hearing before the Municipal Government Board (MGB) on Sept. 18. They expressed concerns about having to pay franchise fees on their gas and utility bills.
Franchise fees are charged to Black Diamond property owners, but not those in the county.
The fees currently represent 16 per cent of the distribution portion of each property’s gas bill and 10 per cent of the distribution portion of the electric bill. The percentage is reviewed every 10 years.
The Town proposed a three-year reprieve for the five impacted property owners, yet the homeowners requested 25 years.
Brown said the MGB doesn’t have the authority to make that decision. The board didn’t recommend an extension in its approval of the annexation proposal.
Erna Ference, one of the landowners who requested the extension, said she feels she wasted her time making that request last summer.
“I thought they would consider it,” she said. “When they put that into the annexation proposal, you would think the board would be able to rule on any of those items that the Town and County included. It’s very disappointing because it goes against the whole idea of what annexation is supposed to do for the landowners whose property is being transferred into the town.”
Black Diamond planning and development officer Rod Ross told the MGB at the public hearing that refunding franchise fees paid to utility companies would require the utility company to reimburse the Town and the Town to issue cheques to the property owners.
Also at the public hearing, Foothills County director of planning Heather Hemingway said no allowances were made in the recent annexation agreement with Okotoks and current negotiations with High River explore refunding franchise fees for a year.
Ference had requested her property be removed from the proposed annexation, but the request was denied as the property was completed encircled by other lands in the proposed annexation.
“We appreciate them hearing us out and taking all our points into consideration and weighing them,” Ference said on Monday.
Diana Hocking, who also requested a 25-year reprieve from paying franchise fees, was unable to be reached for comment.