The new Cochrane Lake Neighbourhood Conceptual Scheme has been put on hold until land density amendments could be brought back to council.
RVC council voted to amend the language of a proposed bylaw that would provide a more stable framework for developers in the Cochrane Lakes hamlet to follow when they build dwellings in that area.
The original bylaw presentation in October 2023 required amendments to the unit per acre density calculations which allowed for 7.04 units per acre. The new number presented to council by RVC Senior Planner Andrew Chell was 6.00 units per acre.
According to the Conceptual Scheme Overview presented to council as a part of the planning developments council report, development guidelines envision approximately 720 residential lots in the neighborhood of Cochrane Lakes.
RVC’s planning department believed that the new number would allow for developers to reach the desired number of new developments within the land provided to them.
“The Area Structure Plan set minimum units per acre at 6, with the option to go higher and council's direction was to set maximum at six…no more or no less,” Chell said to council.
RVC Division 5 Coun. Greg Boehlke expressed some confusion over why administration landed on six units per acre as the number. It appeared to Boehlke and others on council that a minimum of six units per acre and a maximum of six units per acre were both included in the bylaws wording.
Chell countered that the wording might have been confusing but the analysis provided by administration was sound.
“Our policy analysis is about density, if developers wanted to build less units they could do it on smaller land.”
Everything depended on the developable area, said Chell.
RVC Division 4 Coun. Sammantha Wright proposed a number of 6.25 units per acre be chosen to avoid having to amend the entire Area Structure Plan, which would require RVC having to work with the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board, and would necessitate a lot more work for the County.
“Just pick 6.25 and reduce density to some extent and just be done with it,” said RVC Division 1 Coun. Kevin Hanson.
In the end, council voted to send the amended wording back to administration for a slight reworking. Council will again hear and vote on the bylaw sometime in the future.
