A plan for highway commercial, industrial and residential development on the west side of Stettler has been finalized with a vision for major growth.
West Stettler Highway 12 South Area Structure Plan (ASP) was adopted by Town of Stettler council at its regular meeting Jan. 18 following a public hearing.
Recently annexed from the County of Stettler, the 163.4-acre site south of Highway 12 and west of 70 Street will be developed according to the area structure plan by landowner Steve Wilfort.
Lands on the northern portion of the plan area will be designated for commercial industrial development to comply with highway commercial and industrial districts of the town’s land-use bylaw while property on the south will be for residential.
Local resident Garry Kunstman commended the town for the plan with some constructive criticism about the close proximity of residential development to mixed business.
“We will notify Mr. Kunstman that we will consider his concerns,” said Mayor Dick Richards.
Town manager Rob Stoutenberg noted that it is not an immediate issue, but would be considered as that component of the plan is developed over several years.
“It appears the planning and development department has done a good job on the proposed area,” Kunstman stated in a letter to the town.
However, he questioned why the plan designates a wedge of mixed business so close to a proposed residential area.
“The proposed wedge seems to interrupt the smooth transition to a proposed residential area,” said Kunstman.
He noted that there is already an existing separation to business and proposed residential with an access road west from 70 Street.
Overall, the plan features 26.28 acres of existing mixed business, 40.77 acres of future mixed business, 25.29 acres of residential, 29.97 acres of open space (reserves and public utility lots), 24.52 acres of roads and 16.56 acres of agricultural land,
All land-use policies in the ASP comply with the inter-municipal development plan for the Town of Stettler and the County of Stettler.
Access to the north part of the area will be permitted only from 70 Street as regulated by Alberta Transportation.
Lands will be developed in phases, which will start with the stage to create a six-acre site to accommodate an immediate project.
This will be followed by phase 1b to create about six more parcels by next spring.
Future phases will take place at a later date and will depend on various factors such as work to create a storm pond which will enable residential parcels to be created to take advantage of this feature.
Creating this storm pond may involve the landowner, town and Alberta Environment as partners, and may alter the plans to align properties and roads for residential development.