Province considers complaints from city on plan for mega mall
The Reeve of Rocky View hopes a $300-million mega mall proposed for his county has survived the city’s objections with a provincial arbitrator, arguing the project will create much-needed jobs and services.
“The city’s criticisms are completely unfounded,” said Greg Boehlke.
“This will serve residents not just in Rocky View, but Calgary too, bringing jobs in building and then in retail. And, it will give people more choices in terms of shopping and other businesses.”
Representatives from the city and county appeared before the province’s Municipal Government Board (MGB) between July 30 and August 3 to debate the OMNI Area Structure Plan — a massive retail and outlet centre with restaurants, boutique hotels, a children’s creative zone, a senior’s living community and a large office campus.
At just over 517 hectares — nearly twice the footprint of CrossIron Mills near Balzac — the plan proposed by the county and Genesis Land Development Corp. also envisions at least 1.4 million square feet of retail and industrial space east of Stoney Trail and south of Country Hills Blvd. N.E., just outside city limits.
In submissions to the MGB, which adjudicates disputes between municipalities, the city argued the mega development would require about $60 million in upgrades to city-funded transportation projects to deal with traffic increases.
The proposed development would also challenge the Calgary fire department, the city argued, generating some 300 emergency calls per year near the northeast quadrant of the city, already the busiest for emergency response, and ultimately delay response times inside city limits.
But Boehlke argued Rocky View has plans to build its own fire station near the mall once development is complete.
“The city has already made it clear they don’t respond in our county anyway.”
Beyond the potential impacts to the city’s traffic network and its emergency services, the city also argued the proposal mega mall is far more intensive than the county’s development plan says.
According to Alberta Municipal Affairs, the MGB ordered both the City of Calgary and Rocky View County to provide written summaries of their arguments to the board by August 8, and any written responses by August 10.
“Once this information has been received, the panel will consider all evidence and make a decision,” said Leanne Stroh, acting communications director with Alberta Municipal Affairs.
“Once a decision is made, it will be posted online.”
City officials also provided minimal comment, saying the process is still ongoing.
“The oral hearing has concluded and the city is currently working on our final statements. Once that has been submitted we will await the board’s decision,” said Kelly Cote, manager of Intergovernmental and Corporate Strategy.
Last fall, the city officially filed a notice of appeal to the county, with Mayor Naheed Nenshi issuing a letter stating: “This plan will introduce significant traffic safety risks as well as far exceed citizen expectations for level of congestion.
“The City is not raising objections with your ability to improve your municipal assessment base and the orderly redevelopment of The County and the region. What we are concerned with is the material detriment that this plan will have to the transportation system that serves the City and the region.
“Furthermore, The City is not aware of any market assessments that demonstrate demand for the range of land uses in the plan area.”
Boehlke estimated now that the hearing process is almost complete, the province could take several months to make a final decision over the city ’s objections.
But he doesn’t expect the plan to be discarded outright, explaining that the province may only make recommendations to deal with some of the specific concerns.