Western Wheel: Conservation plan for southern Alberta taking shape

View original article online at: http://www.westernwheel.com/2009/news/local-news/conservation-plan-for-southern-alberta-taking-shape-1038

by Don Patterson – Staff Reporter

Increased conservation efforts for southern Alberta are a good step forward but protecting water supplies and property rights are also crucial, said area residents at an open house on the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan last week.

MD of Foothills resident Jody MacPherson said the framework and process to date have not put enough emphasis on water supply.

“I want to see some kind of recognition that you can’t develop land without having water first,” she said.

MacPherson said conservation initiatives are important and needed, however, they should be based with on solid information.

Okotoks resident Laurie Hodson said there are positive elements emerging in the plan.

However, he said he would like to see more empirical data on how much water exists in the region.

“They have not to date engaged the best scientists in terms of an objective determination of how much water we have to divert as we proceed through a very dry cycle,” he said.

MD resident Rob Lake said he is pleased to see efforts at conservation, but he doesn’t want it to be too onerous on landowners.

“We want to find out the impact it’s going to have on our ranch and our style of life,” said Lake.

The plan will cover southern Alberta south of Calgary as far east as the Saskatchewan border and will include the foothills area.

Duncan MacDonnell, Alberta Sustainable Resources Development spokesperson, said the region is expected to see its population grow by two million people by 2076 with1.6 million people predicted to settle in the Calgary area. The regional plan has not been written yet, but he said it will balance the variety of land uses in the region while ensuring a healthy economy and environment.

“Population growth and water demand versus supply are the major drivers of change in the South Saskatchewan region,” he said.

MacDonnell said protecting the watershed will remain the priority land use in the eastern slopes, along with providing appropriate recreational opportunities.

Once the plan is in place municipalities will have the same authority to make land use decisions, but they will have to be consistent with the regional plans.

“They have to honour the parameters laid out in the regional plan… look at this as setting the goalposts,” he said.

The plan will include a vision for the region as well as identifying economic, environmental and social outcomes and strategies on how to achieve them.

“The final plan is going to explore relationships between urban and rural lands, watersheds, air sheds, conservation areas and tourism and recreation in the South Saskatchewan region,” said MacDonnell.

The Province has created seven regions and has mandated a plan will be created for each area. The Province has also called for the creation of plans for the Calgary and Edmonton areas.

The goal is to complete the regional plan by late 2010 and the Province is aiming to complete all seven by the end of 2012.

MacDonnell said each regional plan can be drafted to meet the unique needs of all areas.

“Each region will be a little different in how they approach things, but as long as they serve that original mandate they’re fine,” he said.

Key elements of the framework are calls to develop strategies for conservation on public and private lands and reducing the human footprint on the landscape.

As part of the Land Use Framework, the province is developing new legislative tools to encourage conservation.

MacDonnell noted a new policy created under the Alberta Land Stewardship Act is a conservation directive, which states, for any land identified to be set aside for conservation measures, compensation will be provided to landowners for any loss of market value.

“The land would stay in place and you’ll be compensated for it. It’s not like we’re taking the land away for you,” MacDonnell said. “The compensation is paid for any loss of market value.”

A second tool is transfer of development credits, which he said would allow landowners in areas identified for conservation to be able to sell the right to develop to other landowners.

The Province is holding open houses across the region to gather input from the public.

All information gathered will be given to regional advisory councils for review and consideration.

The councils will provide advice in a number of areas including future development, how provincial policies can work together, balancing competing land uses, impacts on aboriginal communities and location of major transportation and utility corridors.

Once the draft plan is completed, the councils will go back to the public for more input.

The provincial cabinet will review the final plan before it is ultimately approved.

For more information on the Land Use Framework see  www.landuse.alberta.ca

dpatterson@okotoks.greatwest.ca