Okotoks town council will again ask residents their opinion on whether it should scrap the 30,000 population cap.
The question of growth has been looming large over the Okotoks community in recent years. The Town of Okotoks last consulted the public on the growth issue in 2009 when they held a community survey on the issue. It revealed 55.9 per cent wanted to keep the cap, 25.2 per cent preferred growing to a population near 45,000 and 15.9 per cent supported growing to 60,000 people. Town council of the day went on to vote to retain the population cap and work with the MD to formulate a growth management plan and leave the door open to more growth if water could be found.
It came to a head one again last month when town council postponed a decision to annex land around the community in order to consult the residents. It’s been a divisive issue on council with Coun. Matt Rockley leading the charge in favour of growth, while Coun. Laurie Hodson has been a staunch defender of the population cap.
This year council will do a household survey and hold a community debate. All information gathered will be presented to council on June 25 when it will decide how to proceed with the issue.
Nancy Weigel, Okotoks communications manager, said the Town wants to ensure as many people as possible participate in the process before council makes its decision.
“I hope that all residents will get involved, it’s an important question for the future of our community,” she said.
Town council budgeted $50,000 this year for public consultation on the growth question, all of which will come from provincial grant funding.
A household survey will be held in May in conjunction with the annual municipal census where residents will be provided a secure code to access an on-line survey.
“We thought it was efficient to have [census takers] deliver the household survey at the same time, that way we can guarantee personal delivery,” said Weigel.
She said the Town has not determined what the final question will be, but it’s possible there will be more than one choice. The Town will hire a company to work with town council to develop the question and the survey.
The Town will lead an awareness campaign through the month of April with advertising in the local media, a social media campaign and an open house will be held on April 25 followed by a public debate on May 9.
Weigel said the Town wanted to get the information back to council before the start of the summer break.
“We didn’t want to get into the summer months when families are getting into summer vacations,” she said.
While the information will be brought to council on June 25, this doesn’t mean a decision will be made that day. Council has the ability to decide whether or not it wants to make a decision, hold a plebiscite or postpone the issue.
Some residents have already made up their mind on the matter.
As much as he would like to see Okotoks stay small and not grow dramatically, Okotoks resident Lindsay Loudoun said the Town can’t stop people from moving to the area.
“It’s going to happen,” he said.
Loudoun said the Town needs to be prepared with good regulations to be able to manage development into the future. He noted the Wind Walk development and said the Town can’t stop developers from building outside its borders.
Loudoun doesn’t think council should hold a plebiscite on the issue.
“It’s a free society and I don’t think there should be a plebiscite,” he said.
Okotoks resident Brittny Etheredge said the town should lift the population cap and allow growth to proceed.
“Whether or not you put in a population cap, people will develop around Okotoks,” she said.
Etheredge said residents deserve to have a say on the issue before a decision is made. She said a survey is a fair way to get feedback and the Town doesn’t need to hold a plebiscite.
