By rdnewsNOW staff

moving forward

Lacombe County, City of Lacombe revise Joint Economic Area Agreement for shared development areas

Feb 23, 2021 | 8:40 PM

Councils for Lacombe County and the City of Lacombe have approved an updated Joint Economic Area Agreement (JEAA).

Initially adopted in 2007, the discussion around updating the document was initiated as part of the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework signed between the municipalities last year.

Officials say in a release that the revisions made to the agreement “encompass the long-standing history of collaboration between the City and County and provides updates necessary to reflect our current situation in.”

The bulk of the original 2007 agreement has not changed significantly, according to officials, with the main changes of note being:

• The tax sharing revenue pool will be reduced by the County’s cost of providing services such as snow removal, road maintenance, mowing, fire services, and other work related to ongoing municipal servicing requirements.

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• The area covered by the agreement will expand slightly to reflect additional lands in the County that can be serviced with City water and wastewater. In return, the County will share a portion of the municipal taxes generated from these lands as they are developed.

“This updated Joint Economic Area Agreement reflects the desire of both municipalities to ensure both the City and the County benefit from current and future development and economic growth in areas located on our borders,” said Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law. “The updated JEAA continues to encourage sustainable economic development in the region and builds on the strong relationship between the communities.”

“Lacombe County and the City of Lacombe have a long history of working together to provide positive economic development opportunities for our citizens,” Mayor Grant Creasey said. “By updating the Joint Economic Area Agreement, we are carrying on that history, while prudently planning for the positive future of our region.”

The new cost-sharing addition to the JEAA not only factors in the revenue generated by the area, but now incorporates the costs incurred in sustaining services.