Contentious development quashed in Rocky View county

Rocky View County council members rejected a contentious development proposed for the Bearspaw area Thursday afternoon after residents rallied to protest against it.

Highfield investment group had hoped to turn at an area on the corner of Hwy 1A and 12 Mile Coulee Rd. into a residential community with 883 homes and a shopping centre, but in a unanimous decision Thursday afternoon, Rocky View council nixed the plan by a 7-0 vote.

The county’s administration had recommended the plan, which would have seen an urban style density neighborhood in the current country residential community immediately adjacent to the City of Calgary.

Bearspaw residents executed a full court press to oppose the plan. A community group named Protect Bearspaw helped present over 550 objections in-person, written and through submitted video.

By contrast there were only 16 letters in support submitted to the January 24th meeting, and no videos in support. One of those supporting letters has subsequently been withdrawn.

“We knew that this was wrong and so I think our voice was heard I think was resounding loud and clear that you know we don't want something like this,” said Protect Bearspaw organizer Steve Lilly.

“You can see that this this was the wrong plan for this for this area,for this community and that it affected you know so many communities -- you could see that the people were very upset and they voiced their concerns,” Lilly said.

INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS

Residents raised concerns about roads, schools and infrastructure like water and sewage, but underlying every submission was the notion that Bearspaw is a neighbourhood of large country estates and residents want to keep suburban-style development at bay.

“I highly disapprove of this moving forward and getting approved," said area resident Jamie Powell in his video submission. “When we take a look at one of Canada’s premier communities, its something we don’t want to jeopardize. We have been living here as a family, it's something that we plan on being here for the foreseeable future -- and we want to make sure we preserve the current lifestyle we have become accustomed to.”

Residents of the Bearspaw community of Watermark had particular concerns about waste water and sewage. The area’s treatment facility is hidden within the community, built to resemble a large home. If the Ascension development is approved, its sewage and waste water would have been treated in the Watermark facility.  Residents worried it would not be able to handle the added load.

“Expanding the Watermark treatment plant by a factor of three times to handle the sewage from Ascension fails the reasonableness test in all respects” said Watermark resident Dave Collyer in his video submission.

“The proposed density of this development effectively brings city to the county, which is dramatically out of step with neighbouring communities,” Collyer added.

DEVELOPER RESPONDS

Thursday, in its final submission to council, Highfield representative Kathy Oberg told Rockyview council the company would fund all transportation improvements at no cost to Rocky View County, City of Calgary or Alberta taxpayers. Those included a Continuous Flow Intersection (CFI) on highway 1A, and a roundabout on 12 Mile Coulee Road, as well as upgrades to Blueridge Rise Road Upgrades. Oberg said the improvements would have been able to handle the areas' traffic for the next 20 plus years.

Oberg also told council the wastewater treatment facility in Watermanrk is currently on phase one of a four phase build and there is capacity for the Ascension development.

She also told councillors the developer has amended portions of its proposal after hearing area residents' concerns. Those amendments include removing secondary suites as a discretionary use in the area, removing a hotel/motel as a possible use in the area, and reducing the maximum height of a building from 20 metres to 12 metres.

NOT ENOUGH

That clearl;y wasn’t enough for any of the councillors. Rocky View reeve and councillor for the area Crystin Kissel introduced the motion to kill the project. The rest of council agreed that the Ascension project was not in keeping with the area’s country-residential make-up.

“To most people that come here what it means is I have a little bigger yard, I have more access to pathways I have less traffic. I move there knowing that my amenities are going to be 10 or 15 minutes away but I also get to enjoy the wildlife, I get to enjoy a little different less hustle and bustle in the city”  said Kissel.

“When we put something where it doesn't belong, are we eroding the lifestyle that we've already sold?”

Following the meeting a clearly disappointed team from Highfield Investment Group declined a formal interview, but CEO Adrian Munroe did say his company would one day develop the land in question. 

Rocky View councillors also warned area residents that while this proposal was shot down, they expect this piece of land to be developed. But, as Thursday's decision shows, that likely won't happen without the buy-in of a very organized group of Bearspaw residents.