Chestermere, AB – Today Chestermere officials announced that they will be withdrawing their request to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to annex land in Rocky View County.
Based on comments by Rocky View’s legal counsel at the Municipal Government Board hearing that the appeal under section 690 of the Municipal Government Act will freeze development in the Conrich area, as well as agreement to an Inter-municipal Committee meeting in Chestermere to discuss the Inter-municipal Development Plan (a good neighbour document), Chestermere City Council has renewed faith that Chestermere’s concerns can be met through the mediation process and ultimately a decision by the Municipal Government Board.
“We are entering the mediation process with open minds and open hearts that this will result in a good, sustainable development in Conrich,” said Mayor Patricia Matthews. “We want to give this appeal the opportunity to run its course unfettered by the annexation application and believe that Chestermere residents will be protected by the freeze on development until it does.”
Chestermere moved forward with the annexation request (under section 125 of the Municipal Government Act) when the Conrich Area Structure plan was approved by Rocky View Council on December 8, 2015 without consideration to Chestermere or Calgary’s stated concerns. As it exists currently, the Conrich ASP has the potential to negatively impact Chestermere and its residents but hopefully the proposed mediation process will bring Chestermere’s concerns to light and changes can be made to the plan.
Chestermere had also passed first reading of the Inter-municipal Development Plan while Rocky View Council has not currently, formally reviewed the document.
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Council passed the following motion at a special meeting of Council on Tuesday, March 2:
•That Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to submit a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs requesting withdrawal of the annexation application of Rocky View County lands in order to allow the mediation process, under the 690 appeal, to be completed unfettered.
