By rdnewsNOW staff

lacombe and blackfalds adjacent

Lacombe County devises plan for future of QEII West areas

Jun 25, 2024 | 4:45 PM

Lacombe County council has adopted a new QEII West Area Structure Plan with hopes that it will drive economic growth and protect agricultural lands.

The plan accounts for areas to the west of both Lacombe and Blackfalds, on the west side of the QEII Highway.

(Lacombe County)

“The QEII West Area Structure Plan covers the most attractive area for future business development in Lacombe County,” says Reeve Barb Shepherd.

“This plan will guide future development in a way that balances development with agricultural land protection by providing opportunities for commercial and business industrial development at strategic nodes while protecting all other lands in the county for agricultural purposes, ensuring that ‘Success Grows Here!’ for all our community.”

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Council explains further that the plan’s policies and guidelines aim to create a thriving community which attracts high-quality investment.

“The QEII West Area Structure Plan is an excellent example of how land use planning can be used to leverage economic development, leading to high-quality investment in our community,” says Dale Freitag, director of planning services.

“North and South Aspelund Industrial Parks and Wild Rose Commercial Park are well-known for their design quality and ability to integrate ecosystem services into the business park setting. This has been Lacombe County’s approach for decades, and it has proved successful in attracting development at strategic nodes while conserving large tracts of agricultural lands for the benefit of future generations.”

Features of the plan include:

• Identifies where future commercial or business industrial development can potentially occur. The Plan clearly shows the strategic nodes suitable for future commercial and business industrial development while protecting other lands for continued agricultural uses.
• Outlines development standards for future commercial and business industrial development. The Plan outlines the County’s expectations for new business development in the Plan Area, including the requirements for water/wastewater servicing, stormwater management, fire protection, and built form/aesthetics.
• Outlines standards for environmental protection. The Plan requires developers to integrate and preserve large areas of trees, river banks, and the natural landscape character into their developments to protect the environment and preserve significant features. The Plan also requires developers to create site development guidelines for their developments outlining the standards for landscaping, building design, signage, and screening.
• Protecting the right of agricultural producers to continue normal operations. The Plan allows for agricultural uses to continue on any parcel for as long as the landowner desires. Further, the Plan allows existing agricultural businesses, rural residences, and farming operations to continue to expand and thrive.

For more information, contact the County by phone at 403-782-8389 or by email at planning@lacombecounty.com.

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