Camrose County MDP and LUB Review and Update

Update #7

Thank you to everyone who submitted comments on the MDP/LUB we had over 50 people attend the last open house, over 100 surveys submitted, several emails and letters, and numerous conversations with staff, council and the consultants.

We are in the process of compiling the information so we can report What We Heard back to Council and the community.

Survey Link – Now Closed

Update #6

Thanks to everyone who attended our Open House on June 20th. We had over 50 participants and lots of great feedback on the proposed amendments and planning in the community.

We will be compiling a ‘What We Heard’ report with the information from the Open House and the Community Survey, once the survey closes.

If you couldn’t attend the Open House we encourage you to submit comments through the online survey.

Survey Link – Open until June 30, 2023

Update #5:

Survey Link – Open until June 30, 2023

Update #4:

Our next round of public engagement will take place in June 2023 with an Open House on June 20, 2023 from 5-7pm and an online survey from around June 12th to June 30th. More information will be available closer to the release date.

If you would like updates on the Open House and survey please email: planning@county.camrose.ab.ca and request to be added to the mailing list.

Update # 3:

Camrose County has completed the first round of engagement for the MDP and LUB updates. A total of eight (8) interviews were held with representatives from residential and industrial developers, residential associations, food and agriculture associations, chambers of commerce, and recreation boards and 93 respondents completed the online survey. Thank you to all the stakeholders who participated in interviews and to everyone who provided their feedback through the online survey.

We received feedback that will help inform the MDP and LUB updates. As a reminder, these updates are targeted to specific topic areas selected by Council in February 2022 and do not involve re-writing the documents. The review is focused on ways to improve specific policies and regulations by addressing stakeholder and landowner comments, namely those related to the following topics:

• Accessory buildings
• Alternative energy (such as bio-fuels)
• Agri-tourism
• Confined Feeding Operations (CFOs) adjacent to recreational lakes
• Emergent industries (such as crypto currency)
• RVs and camping in agricultural areas and the Lake Resort District
• Signage

A summary of community feedback gathered from Phase 1 of the project is now available for viewing.

Next Steps

There are currently no draft documents to share. We are now working to update specific policies and regulations of the MDP and LUB based on feedback received from County Council, key stakeholders, and the broader community.

The draft updates will be shared with County Council, stakeholders, and residents in late spring through community open houses and an online survey, where you will have the opportunity to review the draft updates, ask questions, and share your comments. Your comments will help us finalize the policies and regulations before the updated MDP and LUB go to Council for approval.

Update #2

Camrose County has engaged ISL Engineering and Land Services (ISL) to assist with a review and update of its Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB). The MDP and LUB are the most important land use planning documents for a municipality. The MDP sets the future vision for the County, while the LUB guides day-to-day review planning and development activities.

The County’s last major update to its MDP and LUB was in 2016. Over the last six years the document has been revised and amended in response to emerging issues.

County Council and Administration now want to update the MDP and LUB to create clear and concise documents that reflect current community needs and provides Council, Administration, developers, builders, and the public with continued confidence in the development process.

This review is targeted and does not involve re-writing the documents. The review is focused on ways to improve specific policies and regulations, namely those related to the following topics:

• Accessory buildings;
• Alternative energy (such as bio-fuels);
• Agri-tourism;
• Confined Feeding Operations (CFOs) adjacent to recreational lakes;
• Emergent industries (such as crypto currency);
• RVs and camping in agricultural areas and the Lake Resort District; and
• Signage

As part of Phase 1, ISL will be conducting stakeholder interviews, background research, and an online community survey.

Get Involved

Throughout the process of review the MDP and LUB, residents and stakeholders will be provided with opportunities to share their input through various engagement methods, including online surveys and open houses in Fall 2022.

Community Survey

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on the key focus areas for the MDP and LUB review and update through the Phase 1 Community Survey. The survey is available from September 20 to October 4, 2022.

Update #1

In March 2022, Camrose County administration put out a Request for Proposal to update our Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaws. These documents were last reviewed in full in 2016. Administration likes to review these documents every 5 years to ensure that they align with any changes to the County’s strategic plan, community values and to update any emergent planning issues and legislative changes.

In response to the RPF we received submissions from 6 planning firms offering to carry out the work. The RFP outlined a weighted evaluation criteria based on 5 separate factors. Administration reviewed the proposals using the evaluation matrix and ISL received the highest score, so administration recommends that Council select ISL.