A much-anticipated cottage development near Nordegg remains on track after necessary zoning changes were recently approved by Clearwater County council.
The 69-lot subdivision on 97 acres in the Nordegg is aimed at seasonal cottage dwellers and is expected to be eagerly sought by those looking for a West Country getaway. There are currently no lots available in the area, where 170 lots have been developed in five phases since 1997.
The one-acre lots will be serviced with individual water cisterns and holding tanks for sewage, a condition meant to discourage lot owners from using the sites year round. Homeowners in the subdivision will be limited to spending six months of the year at their Nordegg property.
Joe Baker, Clearwater’s Nordegg manager, said there is still some work to do before lots are ready for sale. Subdivision plans must be prepared and approved, likely this winter.
The county must also develop a second access road to the site, which is north of Hwy 11 and currently only accessible from the west.
A former Alberta Transportation site with several buildings has been purchased by the county. The new road will run through part of the site and the county plans to use other parts of the land for use by fire and ambulance services and the public works department.
If all goes to schedule, the first phase of cottage lots could be ready for sale next year.
“That’s always been the goal, to get 20 or 25 of them marketable by the summer of next year.”
Baker is anticipating interest will be high, based on the regular inquiries he fields from interested buyers. “We continue to get calls and people wanting to be put on the list. There’s no list — at least right now there isn’t.”
The county will likely start taking names of those interested in updates on the subdivisions process as the project proceeds. A similar approach was taken on other subdivisions and proved popular. The last subdivision up for sale, in 2007, saw 200 people enter a draw for 22 lots.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com