Town administration and council remain adamant a community in excess of 14,000 on the town’s eastern borders means bad news for Cochrane.
“We know full well that a good chunk of those people will come to Cochrane to use our services,” said Mayor Ivan Brooker, who has a plethora of concerns ranging from the low densities associated with urban sprawl; the notion of adding up to seven intersections along that route; and the potential to open up a can of worms.
“We know it’s just the beginning,” said Brooker, adding that once development of that scale is opened up on the south side of Highway 1A, Urban Star will inevitably push for development on its lands located on the north side of the major highway that runs through Cochrane.
Brooker emphasized that the county only gave up roughly one-third of the town’s contribution request for the new pool/aquatic centre – leaving a bad taste for future recreational considerations.
Rocky View County held its final open house on the Glenbow Ranch Area Structure Plan (GRASP) at Rock Pointe Church on April 3, which drew well in excess of 100 people.
The draft GRASP and proposed changes to the Bearspaw ASP will be presented to council April 25.
Brooker is likely to be the town’s representative to present at the public hearing on the matter, held the same evening.
The Eagle spoke with several people at the open house who had mixed reviews.
Two people interviewed – both Calgary residents who identified as “pro-development” – were in favour of the draft.
Some smaller landowners in the Bearspaw region remain unsettled with the voluntary Transferrable Development Credits (TDC) program that “allows the county to plan for both conservation and development at the same time.”
A few remarked that the county’s determination of the Bearspaw lands as undevelopable put its lands at an unfair disadvantage.
Andy Crooks, chair of the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation, said the foundation is “ecstatic” about the potential development and feels this is the best way to protect the park boundaries, ensure responsible and manageable growth throughout the corridor and boost park tourism.
According to the county, typical ASPs take on a 10 to 15 year vision for the community, although GRASP is not expected be fully developed for “at least 30 years.”
The total density of the development is 1.32 units per acre (upa), which has a centrally-located higher density area of 5.71 upa or around 10,000 people.
The total area in the ASP is 7,359 acres. Of this, 3,078 is part of the provincial park; 1,787 is conservation area; 617 is undevelopable; and 1,877 is build area.
Brooker said this low density poses significant concerns of urban sprawl.
