The final open house for the Glenbow Ranch Area Structure Plan was held at RockPointe Church on Monday (April 3)  evening and was well attended by area residents; this was their final opportunity to review the draft prior to its presentation to Rocky View County Council.

Richard Barss, Intergovernmental Affairs Manager for the County, says that he heard comments running the spectrum of opinions regarding the final plan. "Some people don't believe we should be developing in this area at all, some people are supporting the development, there was a number of people who have questions about how it might affect their land if they are not in area, how do you put higher density against lower density, some people would like it to be retained as 4 acres".  

The Area Structure Plan (ASP) has been in the works since January 2015 and was released publicly in July 2016.  Barss says that the planners have attempted to achieve a middle ground in the proposed  development, with less density than larger urban areas, while achieving conservation in and around the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.  

The County has worked closely with The Glenbow Park through the ASP process, and have incorporated protection for the Park as well as opportunities for the Park to expand their boundaries through a unique feature called a Transfer Credit.  This program would allow credits to be purchased from a conservation area and moved into higher density areas. The concept has been successful in other places in North America, but is relatively new to this area.  

Barrs says that through the ASP process, the Planning Department has worked to create a unique community so that " when you leave Calgary you come through some country residential lower density, you come to a higher density hamlet, then you'll go through some lower density country residential and then to Cochrane." 

The draft ASP will be presented to Rocky View County Council on April 25.  Prior to that, the County's Legislative Services will receive written comments from the public up to April 12.  Area residents also have the opportunity to speak to council through the public hearing process at Council on April 25.  Following this process, Council will either approve the plan, refuse it, or send it back to the Planning Department for amendments.  

For more information about the hearing process at Council, check here. You will find updated details on the Area Structure Plan here.