Town bringing proposed growth plan to citizens

The Town of Black Diamond anticipates absorbing 614 acres of MD of Foothills land as it prepares for future development. Black Diamond town council has been in annexation discussions with the MD of Foothills for six months to secure opportunities for residential, commercial and industrial development in the next 30 to 40 years in the community of more than 2,500 people. The public is invited to provide comments and ask questions of elected officials and administration from both municipalities at an open house in the Black Diamond council chambers Oct. 15 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. “I expect there’s going to be a lot of interest in town,” said Rod Ross, Black Diamond planning manager. “I think we will have a good showing of interested public and landowners. We have a very engaged public and I think there will be a lot of people coming with questions.” Ross said the town’s last annexation took place in 1981. “We felt it was time,” he said. “We do have some vacant land remaining in town but we felt it was important to be able to plan for the future. Securing land for future growth is necessary for us to be able to plan for land use and infrastructure with confidence that the town will be able to grow.” The proposal includes approximately four-quarter sections. A quarter-section north of Highway 7 is intended for a business park, and the sections south of the highway and east of Highway 22 are intended primarily for residential development. Land west of town is to achieve a contiguous border between Black Diamond and Turner Valley to help facilitate possibly amalgamating the two towns, if they choose. “The land is mostly undeveloped,” said Ross, adding six residences are in the annexation area. Ross said the Town and MD have met with all of the property owners and, while most are receptive to the proposed changes, some have concerns about the impact on their taxes and the impact development could have on their lifestyles. “We’re trying to do everything we can to minimize any impact that the annexation will have,” he said. “We’re still trying to meet with all the owners and address any concerns they might have.” Provincial agencies, school boards, the health authority and utility operators have also been informed of the proposal. Property owners aren’t required to develop or sell their property. Annexation only changes the jurisdiction from one municipality to another. To support the proposed growth, Ross said the Town’s water and sewer systems will require expansion and upgrades. He added that the Town is undertaking a study to determine the extent, timing and cost of improvements. “We don’t have enough water licences to service the full build out of the entire annexation area, but we do have a lot of licences for a considerable amount of it,” he said. “It’s a long period of time and the Town, in conjunction with its partners in the Sheep River Regional Utility Corporation, will be working to address water issues in the future.”