An open house on Nov. 2 presented information in broad strokes about future planning in a potential growth area shared between Foothills County and the Town of Okotoks.
Members of the public were invited to the Cavalry FC Regional Field House to provide input for a context study that will help determine how future growth can be coordinated between the two municipalities for lands in Joint Planning Area (JPA) 3.
The study takes a high-level look at potential development and helps set the stage for where industrial or residential development should go, said Town of Okotoks planner Colton Nickel.
Joint Planning Area 3 makes up over 5,200 hectares, most of which is in Foothills County; about 640 hectares fall within the Town of Okotoks. The land largely runs along the Highway 2 corridor from north of Okotoks to Aldersyde.
Future projects that are proposed by developers would need to be reviewed based on development plans, land use bylaws and other statutory plans, Nickel said.
“There'll be subsequent stages of planning to make sure it fits within the neighborhood,” Nickel said.
Julie McLean, deputy director of planning at Foothills County, said lands within the planning area are anticipated to be developed either as employment areas or as urban-density residential areas.
“The boundaries are potentially going to change through this process as we undertake analysis and negotiate,” McLean said.
The timeline for future development depends on market conditions and landowner desire, she added.
The area is expected to see significant future growth, and dozens of residents were at the open house shortly after it began.
Acreage owner Carl Kutz lives in the JPA and described the open house as an early-stage information session.
“They’re just sharing how (the Town and County) they want to try to grow, work together (and) work in harmony with the community.”
He said that in six months or a year from now, the two municipalities might have firmer information on future plans.
“I think it's a little premature, at this point, to have concerns, only because it's just in its infancy stage.”
In addition to the open house, a survey is available on the Town and County’s websites until Dec. 1. After the survey period, a draft plan for the area will be drawn up, Nickel said.
“Then in 2024, we'll be looking to do continued engagement as we work to refine the plan,” he said.
Nickel said he heard early concerns from some at the open house about water and transportation, and said a proposed interchange at Highway 2 and 338 Avenue is a key project that falls in the planning area.
There were also some concerns raised by residents interested in maintaining a rural lifestyle, he said.
One landowner who didn’t want to be named said he hoped there would be a presentation and a question-and-answer session to go along with the information boards.
The Joint Planning Area 3 context study needs to be completed by August 2025 under the terms of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board Growth Plan.
