Proposed development on city's west edge draws fire
Another retail-residential development proposed for the city's western boundary is running into local opposition and increasing regional tensions.
Commercial space would comprise just over half of the 115-acre plan, which would also include housing for nearly 1,000 people in Rocky View County at the Calgary city limits, at the Trans-canada Highway and Old Banff Coach Road. The Qualico Communities proposal goes before Rocky View County Council in a public hearing Tuesday.
A week later, county lawmakers will decide on a similar plan proposed for the city limits at Bearspaw. Not only are both plans encountering opposition from neighbours who fear suburban sprawl, they're inflaming tensions between some in the county and neighbouring Calgary. It's doubtful the proposal would be viewed favourably by most members of the three-year-old Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB), which ultimately decides on such applications in guiding economic development, said city Coun. Gian-carlo Carra, who sits on the body.
“I suspect what they're proposing will be in violation of the (CMRB'S) technical requirements and won't be in its spirit,” said Carra, adding the board is viewed by many in Rocky View County as a barrier to its autonomy.
“Rocky View's been around the (CMRB) table because they've been legislated to be there … it's been a challenging couple of years.”
Rocky View County Reeve Dan Henn agreed with much of that assessment, saying his side views Calgary's dominance of the CMRB as a threat to their ability to nurture their economy.
“It pretty much removes the autonomy we have in developing within our own borders,” said Henn.
“This is going to impede the economy of the province, not just the county — this is not good for anybody.”
He said it's clear that Calgary, which has a veto on the CMRB, resents threats to its tax base posed by commercial development outside its boundaries.
Compounding the uncertainty for developers is an interim growth plan that's to be presented for approval by the province in June, said Henn.
That, and questions about the county council's makeup after next October's municipal elections, might be factors in driving a stampede of applications coming in front of county council, which has planned several extra special hearings to deal with them.
County lawmakers are wasting time and money considering proposals that'll likely be shot down by the CMRB, said Coun. Kevin Hanson.
“If we know the likelihood of them being approved is very low, why are we doing this? Just to prove a point?” he said.
But not all the opposition to the projects is coming from Calgary. Some Rocky View County residents oppose them, saying they'll obstruct mountain views, spread suburban sprawl and noise pollution, and snarl traffic.
“When I talk to my neighbours, they see it as pushing a city-style development into Rocky View, it's just huge,” said Roger Galbraith, who lives just south of the proposed site.
“But when you look at the larger perspective on how development in the region will occur, it's a much bigger issue.”
For its part, Qualico Communities says its proposal would mesh well with the area and bring 2,320 permanent jobs.
“The development of commercial uses at this time supports (rather than follows) the growth and needs of surrounding residential communities,” states the company's conceptual document.
“The development will have minimal impacts to views, particularly view to the west (mountains) … and is ideally suited for commercial development, while providing an appropriate transition and interface to residential uses to the east (Calgary).”
They also say the development wouldn't affect traffic on the Trans-canada Highway, nor would it impede vehicle flow in the rest of the area. But Carra said he's concerned about poorly planned, chaotic development in areas surrounding the city.
“We want to place businesses where it makes most sense,” he said. “If we co-ordinate our efforts we will prosper more, avoid extra costs and lessen the urban footprint.”
His Rocky View counterpart Hanson said that collaboration goes both ways, but is worth a try, even through the CMRB.
“If we stop kicking sand and work together, we can get international investment back into the region,” he said.