The Municipal District of Bighorn passed first reading of the Dead Man’s Flats Area Structure Plan (ASP) for potential developable land in the booming hamlet.
A public hearing has been set for July 22 at 7 p.m. at the suggested location of Exshaw Community Hall. Bighorn council unanimously passed the reading at the regular meeting on Tuesday (June 9).
The ASP takes a close look at 29 hectares of ripe municipal land and aims to create policies to suit best future growth practices (recreational areas, infrastructure development), and general polices for all areas, including wildfire and wildlife.
The ASP area is specifically in separated north and east areas of the hamlet. The ASP includes creating potential maps that exhibit development within Dead Man’s boundaries and to assess all of the limits to development in the areas.
In the east portion, potential for light industrial use is better suited to the area as it’s less flood-prone and has road access, while in the north there is potential for a recreational area. The MD plans to consult with residents regarding what kind of recreational amenities could be developed in the area.
“For first reading, my challenge is, is it ready for the public to understand, not agree with, but understand?” asked MD Reeve Dene Cooper. “Because what happens with wild lands, as in Canmore, is if they extend into the development you can have things like hunting activities right amongst the residential housing, so the public will want to know where Bow Valley wild lands parks is and where is other land under provincial control, even though they’re not in the hamlets themselves.”
One of the requirements prior to development would be conducting a Development Impact Assessment (DIA) of the area.
“We actually may do the DIA as part of the land use. We’re getting ready to actually start that process now because the next stage after the ASP is land use, so we want to keep it with that,” said MD of Bighorn director of planning Rob Ellis.
Near the east lands there is a wildlife underpass. According to technical background studies undergone in the area, it will require mitigation measures for any future development.
In late 2013, Bighorn council directed the start of an ASP process at Dead Man’s Flats after the previous PC government had declined to complete a land exchange involving the ASP lands. McElhanney Consulting was hired by Bighorn in spring of 2014 to prepare the ASP.
