Announcement for Division 4 and Highway 22 Travellers: MLA Miranda Rosin shared the good news in April that the Priddis Bridge is included in the 2021 Provincial Capital Plan, to the tune of $11.1 M. The County has noted this as our top Alberta Transportation priority and have been lobbying persistently for over 10 years. We are very grateful to see this project move to the funded list. This bridge is located along Highway 22 at the intersection of Priddis Valley Road, where widening and improvements will be done in order to create a safer flow of traffic near the main access to the Hamlet of Priddis. This major route has seen a lot of concerning incidents and traffic increase. We look forward to a solution to these concerns and hearing more about the project soon. Many thanks to Alberta Transportation and our MLA Rosin for coming through for us on this!
Foothills County Northwest Wildfire Mitigation Strategy: On April 14, 2021, Council adopted the new Northwest Wildfire Mitigation Strategy developed by the Foothills County Fire Department. This Strategy was developed to provide practical and operational wildland/urban interface risk mitigation strategies to reduce the threat of wildfire to development. The planning area includes lands within the northwest corner of Foothills County, east of the Forest Reserve boundary, south of the Tsuu T’ina Nation, west of Highway 22 and north of Highway 546. The area includes mostly private lands with some municipal and provincial lands. Results from the wildfire hazard and risk assessment indicate that there is potential for intense wildfire behaviour with the highest hazard to structures with combustible exterior materials without adequate clearance from wildland fuels. The study shows that the majority of Moderate-High/ Extreme wildfire risk would affect developed areas that are privately- owned. Therefore, the highest priority of suggested action is that vegetation management be conducted by residents on their private properties. The Foothills Fire Department is planning various activities and, along with County Councillors, will host a meeting with residents to provide a full explanation of this report and information about taking FireSmart action on properties. More information TBA. Meanwhile, you can read the report linked on our website: www.mdfoothills.com/residents/protective_services/fire_department.html
New Foothills County Fireworks Bylaw & Public Engagement: Also on April 14, 2021, Council gave first reading to a Fireworks Bylaw. Next up, the County will ask for your input on the Bylaw through online engagement, which will be open for four weeks. Check out our website for more information. While the fire code is in place guiding the use of fireworks, the County did not previously have a Bylaw to match. This Bylaw would allow us to enforce through the use of fines, for example, against fireworks being set off during a fire ban. To make it easier to obtain a permit for the use of fireworks, we have created an online system to obtain permits. This is similar to our online Burn Permit system. There are no fees to obtain either a Burn Permit or a Fireworks Permit.
Land Use Bylaw Review – Invitation to Participate: Just a reminder that our online engagement is still open for you to provide comment on a few areas we have opened up for review of our Land Use Bylaw. Our Public Hearing on this is scheduled for June 2, 2021. The main topics are: Multiple-Use and Tenancy Change Permits, Abattoirs, Home-Based Business, plus a few other smaller proposed revisions. We open up our Land use Bylaw for updates often and welcome your input. Check out our website: www.mdfoothills.com/services/planning-and-development/municipal-plans/land-use-bylaw-review.html
The Calgary Metropolitan Region Board – Growth Plan Update: Thank you for your response to our Call-to- Action, which was highlighted in the April edition of the High Country News. We are grateful that many residents sent in letters and participated in the CMRB online engagement. Your strong support will help us fight for a fair deal for the rurals in this regional plan. During the month of May, the next step for the CMRB is to discuss the Growth Plan and vote on it. The online engagement initial results show that many respondents were concerned that this plan does not demonstrate a balanced approach. We hope there will be consideration given to the rural perspective and those who voiced their opinion. This Growth Plan is due to be sent to the Province for approval on June 1, 2021. Please check our website to access more information on this topic: www.mdfoothills.com/services/planning-and-development/calgary-metropolitan-region-board-.html.
Best Regards, Councillor Suzanne Oel
For Other News & Updates:
Please visit my website: suzanneoel.com
www.facebook.com/councillorSuzanneOel
Suzanne.Oel@FoothillsCountyAB.ca
