Town continues to pressure RVC to support regional planning board

The town wants Rocky View County to commit to becoming a full participant in the Calgary Metropolitan Regional Board (CMRB) before Alberta Municipal Affairs gives them specialized municipality status.

They also want it to see the CMRB's regional growth plan in place before the status of RVC changes.

In his report, Riley Weldon, acting general manager of the town planning and community services, said town administration supports the status change in principle but believes the request is premature because the regional plan has not been completed.

In addition, the administration says there remains an unresolved issue of RVC providing the town additional funds to support regional recreation in light of development plans for the Glenbow Ranch area, just east of town.

Councillor Patrick Wilson also added the condition that RVC supports the town's ambition to establish a rural fringe area leading up the town corporate limits. That's a feature included in the town's long-term planning vision to make the entry into Cochrane distinct. It would also prevent RVC from butting up development to the town boundaries.

Councillor Tara McFadden received unanimous support to amend the original motion to accept the report as information and include the conditions the town would like to see imposed before specialized municipality status is approved by Alberta Municipal Affairs.

She expressed concern over the town-county relationship, no only in planning, but sharing costs of services, such as recreation.

"If they want our support, we need to work together to be good neighbours both sides, and I haven't seen that in recent times," she said.

The county is pushing for the abolishment of the CMRB, believing it's costly and redundant.

As well, it received the support of over 90 per cent of rural municipalities for its resolution to reject mandatory membership into regional planning bodies.

Both of these matters are before Municipal Affairs minister Kaycee Madu.

The county has recently stepped up its opposition by approving the hiring of a consultant/lobbyist to present its case to the Alberta Government.

In contrast, the town's remains a strong proponent of the CMRB.

Cochrane is just one of neighbouring municipalities that have been requested to comment on RVC becoming a specialized county.