The Summer Village of Norglenwold is proceeding with plans to annex 428 acres on its doorstep.
The bid to add the Red Deer County land is meant to ensure the summer village maintains control over the kinds and densities of development that would be allowed on nearby farmland.
Three years ago, the summer village of about 240 filed a notice of intent to annex with the neighbouring county and Town of Sylvan Lake. However, the effort was put on hold until recently because the province was examining whether summer villages should be allowed to annex.
Norglenwold Councillor Michael Dawe said the summer village never dropped its plant to pursue annexation.
“We just didn’t push it ahead while the province was reviewing whether they would accept applications from summer villages again.”
The annexation issue was put on the front burner again after the town and county released a draft of a proposed intermunicipal development plan meant to map out growth for the next 50 years.
Dawe said some residents were taken aback last September to see lands within the proposed annexation zone identified as short-term annexation targets by the town. Since then, the summer village and adjacent municipalities have discussed the issue and additional clauses were added to the intermunicipal development plan.
Recognizing that both municipalities have designs on some of the land north of Hwy 11A and west of the town, the plan suggests the town and summer village jointly develop a detailed land-use plan for the area to determine long-term boundaries.
Initially, the summer village had asked that it be part of the plan committee, but was told the process was too far advanced to add another municipality.
Dawe is confident the issues will be resolved. She said the landowners who would be affected by annexation have not opposed it, although not all have given it their full support.
Planning consultant Bill Shaw said the summer village just wants some say over who its future neighbours are.
“They realize (development) is going to happen. What they are now saying is we just can’t turn a blind eye to it, we want to responsibly be part of directing growth in that area.
“It’s now always going to be a quiet summer village with agricultural land behind it. There are going to be land-use changes.”
Sylvan Lake Mayor Susan Samson said the town will continue to work with the summer village to chart out future land uses.
The intermunicipal development plan has been given first reading by the town and county councils and will go to a joint public hearing on July 6 at Sylvan Lake Community Centre.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com