Turner Valley councillors plan to take a closer look at a bylaw that would restrict vehicle access from part of the community to Black Diamond before taking further action.
During its regular meeting on Feb. 17, Town council agreed to look into details of a 2007 bylaw to construct a new road south of Royalite Way to 16th Avenue and close a portion of Imperial Drive following opposition from several Royalite Way residents.
The section slated for closure begins at the villas and goes east through Royalite Way to the Turner Valley Golf Club.
Residents expressed concerns after noticing a new road being built south of their homes in December.
Turner Valley Mayor Kelly Tuck said she wants to go through all information regarding the bylaw before anything further is done.
“I’ve been digging into all of the background information, because it was before my time, and trying to understand the process, what occurred, who were the players, why it occurred and what happened,” she said. “I need to get in there and find out all the information.”
The bylaw was passed eight years ago, but the Town was unable to act on it after a developer who agreed to build the road walked away from the project and the Town wasn’t able to foot the bill.
Last year, the Province approved the project for Flood Recovery Erosion Control funding and work on the new road began last fall. The Town applied for funding after the banks on the south side of the Sheep River close to Imperial Drive was severely eroded during the 2013 flood.
Tuck said Town documented records of conversations with Royalite Way residents in 2006 show several wanted the east portion of Imperial Drive, which is not susceptible to erosion, closed due to concerns of increased traffic through their subdivision. Their concerns were in regard to a proposed housing development south of Royalite Way, which had since fallen through.
Now, the majority of residents are asking council through letters, at council meetings and at the open house held by the Town at the Sheep River Library on Feb. 4 to keep that portion of Imperial Drive open.
Matt Atkinson, the Town planner, told council at last week’s council meeting that approximately 90 residents attended the open house and their opinions for road closure on Imperial Drive west of the subdivision were mixed.
“Some understood the reason why – the bank is sloughing into the river, posing a safety risk,” he said.
“Some wanted the road to be realigned in another way.”
As for closing the road east of the subdivision, Atkinson said a majority of residents don’t find this portion of the bylaw acceptable.
“Most of them wanted it open,” he said. “There were numerous comments. The main points were they were interested in seeing road closure being open which does not align with the area structure plan we adopted in 2007.”
Atkinson said when the bylaw was passed, many residents didn’t want traffic going through their subdivision from the proposed subdivision to the south.
“There was multiple open houses held at that time and a public hearing,” he said. “At first there was quite a bit of public opinion against closure, however by the end it appeared that the majority of people were in favour of closing (it).”
Murray Knowler, one of almost a dozen homeowners who attended last week’s council meeting, said he feels confident council will revise the bylaw to allow the east portion of Imperial Drive to remain open so residents will continue to have direct access to Black Diamond.
“I think the council is listening to us and addressing our concerns,” he said. “To me that’s quite important.”
Coun. Dona Fluter said there are many questions that need to be answered and that council needs to look at the information collected at this month’s open house.
Coun. Barry Crane told council the residents’ concerns must be addressed.
“I want to make sure that comes back to the table for discussion in the future after we have all the information,” he said. “I think that’s what residents want so that’s what I’m going to voice.”
