Suzanne Oel – Division 4
Greetings! Sharing my News Update…
NEW 24-Hour Complaint Line: 403- 603-6300. Residents can call Foothills Enforcement Services at any time, day or night, to report concerns requiring enforcement attention. All calls will be answered by Foothills 9-1-1, 24 hours a day, and dispatched to the next available, on-duty officer.
NEW Enforcement Administration Line: 403-908-9603. Residents can now contact the Enforcement Office directly for general inquiries, information about Foothills Enforcement Service programs and services, administrative ques-tions, and assistance in reaching office staff.
Balanced Development: Foothills County residents value the benefits of country living, so a balance must be achieved in protecting agricultural land and maintaining our rural character, watershed integrity, wildlife habitat, and valued assets, while accommodating development and providing housing choices. The current Foothills planning docu-ments, which guide development decision-making, were written in consultation with residents: Municipal Develop-ment Plan, Growth Management Strategy, and Land Use Bylaw. Minimal to moderate development is envisioned with-in Division 4. In respect of that, development and business applications are evaluated through these guiding docu-ments, Provincial plans, laws from various jurisdictions, and planning processes which include public involvement. The County may consider applications for site specific unique development, first-parcels out of a quarter section, country residential parcel in-fill and larger-scale developments where deemed appropriate and with resident input. There’s also a Secondary Suite development option, which provides a solution for increasing the housing density with-in all land-use zones, and allows for affordable living, aging in place and income opportunity. The County’s Highway 2A Industrial Corridor is dedicated to current and future industrial and commercial development.
Public Processes: Residents and stakeholders are invited to participate in the public hearing processes regarding mu-nicipal developments. As your local councillor, I am happy to provide information on municipal resources and prac-tices to help residents with their proposed projects and guide impacted neighbours when they wish to participate in the public processes regarding development that affects them. In addition to carefully preparing and taking part in these processes, as a councillor, I find it beneficial to research the project, speak with residents and stakeholders about their perspectives when possible, and then listen carefully to their input during hearing processes to inform decision-making. I believe it is important to be knowledgeable about the impacts and benefits of development, considering ca-pacity, infrastructure, cost recovery and risk, while understanding the local, historical, landscape, ecological and hu-man aspects of the affected area.
Overlapping Dreams & Jurisdictions: In the municipal world, we often face contentious issues in the form of developments that polarize the neighbouring residents or even farther afield, depending on the impacts and scale. In these cases of overlapping dreams, it is important to review all the information about the proposed project and hear from the affected landowners/neighbours/stakeholders/jurisdictions. The County follows public process procedures and protocols, which requires matters to go to Council for discussion and decisions, and also through public processes as determined, such as public meetings, hearings, appeals and engagement. Some complex applications include multiple jurisdictions and require approvals from other levels of government. As these processes intertwine, Foothills endeav-ours to explain process and provide the opportunity for input in the areas that are under municipal authority.
More Development Considerations: As stated in the County’s Growth Management Strategy, residents have ex-pressed concerns about servicing new development, including the impact of added development on their roads and their wells, or the impact of more wastewater treatment facilities on the watersheds. Best management practices must be required for all new development that will protect the future quality and supply of groundwater and surface water. Proposed development must be evaluated with due consideration of accurate municipal cost, including road con- struction and maintenance, provision of municipal services, servicing infrastructure, and cumulative impacts.
Municipal Development Plan Review & Update: Notifications about public engagement will be advertised in the next few months of 2026. Residents will be invited to share perspectives about their vision for Foothills County, rural character, planning, agriculture, environment, development, services, utilities, transportation, and other matters that may be considered in relation to this Municipal Development Plan review. A check-in with residents and stakeholders will keep this decision-making resource relevant and current.
For Other News & Updates:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CouncillorSuzanneOel/
Email: Suzanne.Oel@FoothillsCountyAB.ca
Please visit High Country News online for my previous articles.
With Best Regards,
Suzanne
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