Rocky View County's Glenbow Ranch Area Structure Plan (ASP) cleared first reading and has been sent back to consider lower density ratios in two areas following a 12-hour marathon public hearing, Apr. 25.

The plan that sets out the framework for future development along the Hwy. 1A corridor between Cochrane and Calgary got the thumbs up from seven of the nine county councillors but will not return for a possible second reading until June 27. Councillors Margaret Bahcheli and Jerry Arshinoff were opposed.

Division 8 councillor Eric Lowther got the nod from all nine councillors to send it back to RVC's planners to examine the possibility of reducing area "I" to two units per acre (UPA) from 2.4 UPA and area 'J"  to both one and two UPA from 3 UPA.

The decision followed a lengthy public hearing that Division 2 councillor Jerry Arshinoff tried to short-circuit. He was unable to garner any support for his motion to postpone the public hearing after citing the strenuous objections from both the Town of Cochrane and City of Calgary and expressing concern over not having access to the as-of-yet available financial impact analysis of the ASP.

In addition to these concerns, opponents expressed concern over traffic, population density, water services, conservation land designations and considered the development credit system to be flawed, monetarily worthless and unconsequential, believing the developer already has enough credit to proceed. Some also questioned how the ASP jumped the cue over other projects on the books in the county and believe it would have been better to simply update the existing Bearspaw ASP that partially overlaps this new ASP.

Proponents view it as an opportunity to bring about an orderly, environmentally friendlier development in the area and pointed to how it provides a large variety of housing options, from multi-housing to acreages. It also takes into account agricultural needs and enhances environmental protection for the popular Glenbow Park Ranch Provincial Park.

Reeve Greg Boehlke believes it's a good plan that offers better options for landowners, although it might be a little heavier in population density in areas "I" and "J"  than those residents want.

"I understand where the people are coming from, so we'll see what those scenarios come out like," says Boehlke.

He believes there is some bad information and misconceptions floating around about timelines and the involvement of residents in the process down the road.

"It's funny how people believe you pass a plan today and all these folks move in tomorrow. These plans are long term and I would say it would be a minimum of five years before you see anything major happen out there," says Boehlke. "With the planning process, it takes so much to get anything moving now. So this is just the first step."

"People are involved in every step. I believe there's misconceptions and misinformation spread in so much as folks have choices. You don't have to develop your land at any point if you don't feel like you want to and if you do there are better options there today than there were yesterday . Once this plan be approved, should everything work out, people will have more options with what they can do with their land."

Councillor Bahcheli joined Arshinoff in opposing first reading and was convinced the people in area didn't want it.

"There's almost unanimous opposition to this ASP," she said. "There's zero community support. The only one who supports this is the Harvie Family, who have enough credits to develop their own land."

Lowther, who made the motion for first reading, believed in the value of the ASP and was particularly pleased it would have the county's stamp on it; not Calgary or Cochrane.

"Only Rocky View can do this and we should be proud of what is in front of us today," said Lowther.

First motion was also granted to bylaws to basically remove land in the Glenbow Ranch ASP from the Bearspaw ASP.

The draft of the Glenbow Ranch ASP estimates it would include 5,263 homes to accommodate an estimated 15,700 people.