Rocky View County (RVC) is unsatisfied with amended draft regulations for the mandated Calgary Metropolitan Growth Management Board, believing it gives Calgary too much authority, provided little opportunity for public feedback and lacked proper consultation with property owners.

Feedback to the draft was accepted for 14 days in the midst of municipal elections and closed Oct. 2. RVC made a submission that in large questions the entire need to add another layer of government.

In particular, they believe Calgary will hold the trump card in any decision reached.

The draft regulations outlines the procedures that will be followed for the new regional growth authority and among them is how decisions will be reached. It requires two-thirds of the municipalities to be in agreement collectively representing two-thirds of the population in the Calgary Metropolitan Region.

"That population requirement means the City of Calgary can veto any decision, even if all other municipalities are in favour, says RVC reeve Greg Boehlke.

He points to a similar situation with the Capital Region Board for Edmonton that saw a proposed plan killed despite receiving support from 80 per cent of the region's municipalities.

In addition, the county takes issue with the lack of an appeal process. The revised regulation stipulates all decisions of the board are final and there is no right to appeal.

RVC has long opposed the idea of a regional growth board even before it was mandated and believes it takes too much control out of the hand of municipalities.

"The problem lies with urban politicians who can't--or deliberately won't--see regional planning as something that can accommodate everyone, urban or rural alike," says Boehlke. "They have an urban focus, and to heck with anyone else."

Boehlke says there has been a lack of public consultation from the start and believes it will erode the authority and rights of landowners.

"At no point did the Alberta Government ask residents and property owners in the Calgary region if they wanted to see autonomy taken away from their elected councils and given to an unelected board," says Boehlke. "Municipalities near Calgary and Edmonton will see their authority and the rights of their landowners eroded, and many people have no idea it's even happening."

In addition to Calgary and Rocky View County, the growth management board membership includes Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, the MD of Foothills, High River, Okotoks, Strathmore and Wheatland County.