City-County Enter New Era of Co-operation

 City and County
   Working Together
   for Growth

 
 Red Deer Plans
   Strategy for
   City of 300,000
 
 Red Deer County
  Creates Plan for
  Gasoline Alley
 
 Major City Projects
   Planned and
   Proposed

 Red Deer County
   Deals with
   Rapid Growth

 The Dynamics of
   Competitive
   Rapid Growth
 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 






 

 
Background Commentary Report --                                           
The City and County Enter New Era of Co-operation
A dynamic relationship that requires trust and respect for future development

Updated July 16, 2007

After about 18 months of increasing conflict over fringe development, the city of Red Deer and Red Deer County have developed a plan to work together and respect each other's desire to grow. This new era of co-operation didn't come easy.

Over the past few years, a bustling economy has led to dynamic growth in the immediate Red Deer area as well as other communities along the Edmonton-Calgary Corridor (Highway QE2).

Although this growth has created tremendous opportunities for municipalities fortunate enough to be in the centre of this phenomena, it has also led to many challenges.

Population has grown faster than anyone anticipated, resulting in residential, industrial and commercial land being developed much faster than plans of even a very few years ago had prepared for. Infrastructure and servicing has lagged behind the demand, in turn raising costs for municipalities, decreasing serviced land and increasing property values.

The focus of this growth has been with the two major municipal players in this expansion -- the City of Red Deer (pop. 85,700) and Red Deer County, which were in a collision course for several months.

The situation was not unique to this area and, without a regional planning mechanism, other Alberta centres are going through similar challenges.

This conflict was a benefit for other municipal players in the region, including Lacombe County and the towns of Lacombe (pop. 11,000), Blackfalds (pop. 4,500), Sylvan Lake (pop. 10,000) and Innisfail (pop. 7,500), all of which are experiencing significant growth as well. Some of it was due to companies moving to these areas as a result of the conflict between the two key players and some of it due to the fact these communities are adjacent to four-lane divided provincial highways in close proximity to the City.

The map above right shows the urban municipalities in the immediate region around Red Deer. The green areas represent land in the process of being annexed. The yellow represents the long term growth area that is expected to be annexed by the city in the future.

For several months, Red Deer County had proposed, or was actively engaged in, several developments on the city's fringe -- light industrial to the west and south, and a commercial/residential growth node at Gasoline Alley, immediately south of the city between Highways QE2 and 2A. Some of this development had been a result of the city running out of industrial land much sooner than they expected. A longer term county residential development was proposed immediately west of the city near the County Centre and close to Red Deer College.

Much of the conflict was borne out of some long-standing beliefs on both sides.

Red Deer County had long held that the City would always expand east of Highway QE2 and never expand west across that busy highway corridor. Most plans by the City prior to 2004 tended to confirm that position.

The City, on the other hand, believed that rural municipalities had no business encouraging urban-style developments, especially anywhere near where the city may expand in the future. In addition, there had been a long-standing belief that the County is effectively a land bank for the city to expand into whenever it sees fit. There was also a strong belief by the City that only an urban municipality could satisfy the service needs of industry. To complicate matters further, the City believed that the only way to integrate the greater Red Deer area is to make it part of the city.

Gasoline Alley in the south developed as a highway commercial zone several years ago when the city boundary was a considerable distance away. Its commercial nature expanded a few years ago when a couple of box stores located there (Costco, Staples). There was also a light industrial component developed and planned.

In the past several months, its character changed dramatically with some car dealerships relocating there and the current construction of a major cinema complex.

The County also developed a long term imaginative vision for the area, in consultation with existing businesses, that includes urban-style residential, commercial and environmental components based on retro themes. The plan calls for a residential population of 5,000 to 8,000 people in a "village" called 'Liberty Crossing'. The idea of a major "town" on the city's outskirts had particularly upset the City administration.

A series of disputes initiated by the City began in 2005 when the City announced its intention to annex eight quarter sections of land west of Highway QE2 for industrial development, immediately followed by a request to purchase two of those quarter sections in order to fast-track some of that development. The County turned down the request, stating that it did not conform to the Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) agreed to by both municipalities in 1999. The County held the position that a revised IDP would need to be negotiated before approving of expansion west of the highway.

In the meantime, both municipalities, in order to deal with increasing pressure from developers and business for industrial land as well as an increased demand for residential lots, were involved in both short-term and long-term strategic planning.

In order to help reduce the tension that was starting to develop between the City and the County, the County offered to the City an annexation proposal that included land for long-term growth all around the city except for an area south-west and south of the City including Gasoline Alley. The proposal included areas west of Highway QE2 including the area that the City wanted to annex. The City turned down the proposal, stating that although they had no interest in Gasoline Alley in the short term, they didn't want to tie the hands of future Councils. They also felt they weren't in a position to annex such a large area (about twice its current size) all at once.

With the proposal turned down, the County announced its strategic plan first (January 2006), which included a new land-use bylaw and the Springbrook-Gasoline Alley Area Structure Plan.

Both were disputed by the City as part of a mechanism within the Intermunicipal Development Plan, which effectively prevented the County from adopting those documents. A number of industrial plans south of the city were also disputed.

The West Gasoline Alley Urban Design Plan was released in July 2006 after a great deal of consultation with land owners, businesses and other stakeholders in the affected area.

Meanwhile, the City broke off negotiations with the County over the eight quarter sections of land it wanted in the northwest, deciding instead to go directly to the Municipal Government Board for annexation approval.

The City came out with its strategic concept plan in late September 2006, called 'Future Directions - Red Deer at 300,000', anticipating that the city would grow to a population of 300,000 in 45-75 years, based on current and projected population growth rates.

At first, it appeared that the conflicts with the County could be easily resolved as the plan was similar to the County's proposal to the City, except for an area close to the County Centre that the County had planned to eventually develop. The concept plan included leaving Gasoline Alley and the proposed south industrial zones within the County's jurisdiction for the foreseeable future. The City even suggested that it had no interest in Gasoline Alley as it would be a nightmare to integrate with the City.

The conflict, however, escalated dramatically with the December 2006 release of the City's Revised 'Future Directions - Red Deer at 300,000' Growth Strategy. After public open houses, information meetings and survey results, City administration decided to include Gasoline Alley and the south industrial zones in the plan for future annexation. Furthermore, it announced the intention of annexing the entire plan area within 10 years, even though the plan was for a 45-75 year time frame.

Although the concept plan was logical in that it maintains the downtown as the centre of the city, balances commercial and industrial land use, and preserves a considerable amount of green space, if enacted, it would effectively wipe out 80% of the County's industrial tax base. Gasoline Alley alone brings in 1/3 of the County's total revenue.

The plan also turns Highway QE2 into an internal arterial roadway and brings the railroad back into the city. Annexing land west and south could be very costly in infrastructure development at a time when the city is already faced with a massive debt for infrastructure projects within the current city boundary.

Meanwhile, Lacombe County and the towns of Blackfalds and Lacombe to the north are developing plans for future urban-style and industrial growth with both towns discussing annexation with their county.

In the south, Penhold, Innisfail and Bowden have negotiated annexation proposals with the County. The hamlet of Springbrook and the Red Deer Regional Airport are poised for major growth.

To the west, Sylvan Lake, one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, has completed a major annexation and a new hamlet is proposed between Sylvan Lake and Red Deer.

In a major turnaround early in 2007, the councils of the city of Red Deer and Red Deer County got together, along with a mediator, the result of which was the development of a new respect and understanding of each other's needs. They also came to the realization that the two municipalities were not as far apart as they had originally thought.

In March, the two councils agreed on a memorandum of understanding that formed the basis of a new joint vision and long term plan.

All disputes were immediately dropped. The county gave full support to the first of several city annexation proposals, the eight quarter sections west of Highway QE2 and south of Highway 11A for future industrial development and approved the sale of two of those quarters sections directly to the city that had been denied earlier.

In July 2007, each council gave final reading to a new Intermunicipal Development Plan, a compromise 10-year document that provided for the most important aspects of each other's strategic plans, paving the way to a long term guideline for future planning and identifying areas of growth for each municipality.

The city will annex over 50,000 acres to the west, north and east of the current city boundaries over the next 10 years to provide for growth for the next 50-75 years. The north boundary will be the Blindman River bordering on Lacombe County absorbing a major heavy industrial area. West expansion will include the Burnt Lake and Belich Industrial Parks. The county will lose a large part of its tax base in the process.

Red Deer County will maintain two major growth areas south of the city. Gasoline Alley both west and east of Highway QE2 including Liberty Crossing on the west side and several industrial parks on the east side will be expanded. Liberty Crossing will have a maximum residential population of 8,000 and limited office development will be permitted. The Springbrook/Red Deer Regional Airport growth area will expand both its residential and industrial base and ultimately commercial and recreational.

An agricultural no-growth area is established south of the city between the two county growth areas. A joint buffer/planning area will exist one and a half miles wide on the east and west side of the city growth areas.

Other features of the plan include an annual review, a local and more efficient dispute resolution process, a joint enhancement of highway gateways and guidelines for preservation of natural areas along creeks and rivers allowing for the expansion of Waskasoo Park over time.

The plan and the new co-operative attitude will greatly enhance the region's impact and attractiveness. It also creates predictability and stability for continued economic prosperity.


Note: the 'Future Directions' report, 2004 Red Deer Growth Study and the new IDP can be reviewed at the City of Red Deer website ; the 2006 County Growth Strategy and the new IDP can be reviewed at the Red Deer County website.


City and County Working Together for Growth                                                                    
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