MD of Bonnyville council held a public hearing on Aug. 25 to hear concerns about developments in the area. Around 25 people attended the hearing, expressing concerns and offering suggestions to developers and council.
Council decided not to pass second reading to adopt the Wood Creek area structure plan (ASP) on the south side of Moose Lake after a resident brought concerns were brought forward at the public hearing.
Speaking in favour of the development, James Burrows, a St. Albert city councillor and homeowner at Bonnyville Beach, requested widening Township Road 645 to accommodate increased traffic and raised concerns of the impact of traffic during construction of the development and sale of lots. He also said more parking would be needed for future residents.
Council heard concerns for Bylaw 1468 for Fawn Ridge Estates ASP from Ken Rogers, manager for planning and development with the City of Cold Lake. He said the project might need minor changes to accommodate possible future expansion of the City's landfill transfer site.
Regulations require a minimum 300-metres distance between a transfer site and any facility with a kitchen, and although the residential development would not be built within that distance, Rogers said the development should accommodate possible future expansion of the transfer site to the south.
"The 300-metres is met today, but if the City requires future expansion of its facility, we will be basically handcuffed into limiting our southern expansion at that site to a 300-metre buffer from wherever a residential, single-detached dwelling is built," said Rogers after the meeting.
The City planned to meet with consultants to identify a "failsafe point" from which development would permit future expansion, which might affect two or three lots, Rogers said.
Steve Engman from SE Design and Consulting spoke in favour of the Fawn Ridge ASP. "We may have some minor adjustments to a couple of our lots but it's nothing significant," Engman said after the hearing.
Glen Johnson spoke against Bylaw 1469 for the Riverhurst Subdivision ASP. He expressed concern for the environmental impact of introducing new homes and the increase of traffic at the intersection at Highway 55.
Engman spoke in favour of the ASP and said the developers completed a traffic assessment and topographical and water surveys. He said the water study showed the type of soil is not conducive to more water wells, and that the current plan calls for cisterns. He added that a waterline could be extended to the area in the future.
Engman agreed Highway 55 is a busy road, but said that the intersection currently satisfied Alberta Transportation's requirements. In the future, the line paintings would need changing to add a turning lane, which could be accomplished with the current width of the road.
After the public hearing council gave final reading to Bylaw 1470 to adopt the White Rose ASP adjacent to the Bonnyville Municipal Airport, after it was amended at the Town's request to accommodate airport expansion in the future. Council passed LU 491 to rezone the land from agriculture (A) to country residential (CR).
Council also gave final reading to the Hills of Cold Lake ASP, Bylaw 1459, located along the northwest boundary of Cold Lake. Council passed first reading of Bylaw 492 to rezone Hills of Cold Lake Country Residential Estate (CR3).
Council also passed first reading of Bylaw LU 493 to amend the Aspen Grove ASP to develop 8.5 acres into two CR1 lots, two miles east of Highway 892 and one mile north of Highway 55. First reading also passed for Bylaw 494 to change the land from A to CR1.
Council gave first reading to Bylaw 495 to rezone Signature Estates to CR3.
Bylaw 1473 also passed first reading to close and lease a road allowance north of Manatokan Lake.
