Bylaw 13-2016 Municipal Development Plan — full text

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## Town of High Prairie Municipal Development Plan Bylaw No. 13-2016 Adopted: December 13, 2016    Prepared By:   ## BYLAW NO. 13-2016 TOWN OF HIGH PRAIRIE BYLAW OF THE TOWN OF HIGH PRAIRIE IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN. WHEREAS the Council of the Town of High Prairie in accordance with Section 632 of the Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000 being Chapter M-26, deems it desirable to establish a Municipal Development Plan; and WHEREAS the Council of the Town of High Prairie in accordance with Section 63 of the Municipal Government Act, deems it desirable to repeal the Town of High Prairie Municipal Development Plan Bylaw No. 10-2008 and all amendments thereto; and WHEREAS the Council of the Town of High Prairie has held a public hearing in accordance with Section 230 after giving notice of it in accordance with Section 606 of the Municipal Government Act; NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the Town of High Prairie, in the Province of Alberta, duly assembled, hereby enacts as follows: 1. That the Municipal Development Plan attached hereto is hereby adopted as Municipal Development Plan for the Town of High Prairie. 2. That the Town of High Prairie Municipal Development Plan Bylaw No. 10-2008 and all amendments thereto are hereby repealed. 3. If any portion of this bylaw is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the invalid portion shall be severed. 4. That this Bylaw hereby comes into effect upon the date of its third reading.     READ a first time this \_8th\_ day of\_ November -2016. Mayor The Wha-Acting CAO Municipal Administrator READ a second time this 13 day of December \_ 2016 READ a third time and finally passed this 13\_ day of December 2016. Mayor Municipal Administrator ## TABLE OF CONTENTS | ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | ...... I | |-------------------------------------------------|------------| | PART 1 OVERVIEW | ....1 | | INTRODUCTION.. | ....1 | | Purpose of the Plan and Enabling Legislation... | ... 1 | | Interpretation... | .. 2 | | CONTEXT... | ...2 | | Community History ..... | | | Regional Context. | 2 | | PLANNING CONTEXT. | ..... 3 | | Community Profile | 4 | | Planning Process.. | ...12 | | PART 2 DIRECTION.... | ..13 | | GUIDING PRINCIPLES | ....13 | | COMMUNITY VISION.. | ...14 | | PART 3 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES.. | ...15 | | RESIDENTIAL LAND USE | ...15 | | Goal... | ...15 | | Objective... | ...15 | | Policies.... | ...16 | | COMMERCIAL LAND USE.... | ...18 | | Goal. | ...18 | | Objectives.. | ...18 | | Policies.... | 19 | | INDUSTRIAL LAND USE | ...20 | | Goals.. | ...20 | | Objectives........... | ...20 | | General Policie.......c | ....21 | | Design Policies.. | ...21 | | OPEN SPACES, PARKS, AND RECREATIONAL Use....... | ...22 | | Goals... | ...22 | | Objectives.. | ...23 | | Policies.... | ...23 | | INSTITUTIONAL AND PUBLIC USES. | ...25 | | Goal... | ...26 | | Objecti................ | ... 26 | | Policies... | ...26 | | URBAN RESERVE LAND | ...27 | | Goal... | ...27 | | Objectives.. | ...27 | | Policies.... | ...28 | | TRANSPORTATION. | ...29 | | Goal. | ...29 | | Objectives.. | ...29 | | Policies. | ....30 | | INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES. | ....32 | |--------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Goal.... | ...33 | | Objectives. | ....33 | | Policies... | ...33 | | HERITAGE CONSERVATION | .35 | | Goal...... | ...35 | | Objectives. | ..35 | | Policies... | ...35 | | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM.. | ....36 | | Goal... | .36 | | Objectives. | .....36 | | Policies.... | ....36 | | REGIONAL INITIATIVES AND INTER-MUNICIPAL COOPERATION | ...37 | | Goal... | ....37 | | Objectives... | .....37 | | Policies..... | ...37 | | PART 4 IMPLEMENTATION.. | ...39 | | PLANS, BYLAWS, PERMITS, AND PROGRAMS | ...39 | | PLAN CONSISTENC..... | ..39 | | AREA STRUCTURE PLAN | ...39 | | LAND USE BYLAW......... | ...39 | | MONITORING AND REVIEW ... | ...39 | | ANNUAL REVIEW... | ....39 | | PLAN AMENDMENTS. | ...40 | | PART 5 APPENDICES | ...41 | | APPENDIX A - GLOSSARY OF TERMS ... APPENDIX B - MAPS.... | ....41 ...43 | 1. FUTURE LAND USE 2. OWNERSHIP 3. VACANT LOT 4. TRANSPORTATION NETWORK 5. RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES 6. WATER AND SANITARY SEWER SYSTEMS APPENDIX C - COMMUNITY SURVEY REPORT ## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Town of High Prairie would like to thank the members of the Municipal Planning Commission for their commitment and enthusiasm during the development of this plan, as well as their consideration of and direction on many varied and controversial topics that affect the future of High Prairie. ## MPC Members - James Waikle, Committee Chair - Gordon Olson, Member at Large - Ronald Rose, Member at Large - Brian Gilroy, Council Representative - Michael Long, Council Representative The Steering Committee was supported by staff from the Town and the Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency. Town of High Prairie - Brian Martinson, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) - Marion Glodde, Development Clerk Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency - Havan Surat, Manager of Planning - Thomas Deming, Planning Technician The development of the Municipal Development Plan could only be undertaken with the direction of Council. Thank you to the members of the Town of High Prairie Council for your foresight and for providing the impetus for preparing and completing this plan.  ## Part One Overview    ## PART 1 OVERVIEW ## INTRODUCTION The Municipal Development Plan is the primary planning policy document for local governments in Alberta. The Municipal Development Plan provides direction for future change, growth and development within the Town of High Prairie. ## PURPOSE OF THE PLAN AND ENABLING LEGISLATION A Municipal Development Plan (MDP) provides clear direction for the Town of High Prairie's Council and Administration. The Plan is intended to guide growth and development in High Prairie by defining the vision, principles, goals, and policies of the Town of High Prairie regarding planning matters; by minimizing the occurrence of incompatible land uses; and by providing support and direction for the administration of the Land Use Bylaw, and the preparation of other statutory planning documents. The Municipal Development Plan, in addition to applicable Provincial legislation, will provide the necessary direction to assist Council, the Development Authority, Municipal Planning Commission and the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board in making land use decisions. The MDP provides a foundation for the preparation of more detailed land use plans; is intended to be used in conjunction with the Town's Land Use Bylaw to implement the policies of this Plan and to inform residents and developers of the Town's future land use strategy. The MDP provides a community vision for the residents and property owners of High Prairie. It outlines the anticipated form and character of their neighbourhoods and more generally the entire Town. Furthermore, the MDP informs residents, developers, and investors with respect to what type of development is desired and identifies the preferred locations. This Municipal Development Plan has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 632 of the Municipal Government Act and upon adoption will become a statutory document. The legal framework and process for Council to adopt an MDP is established in the Municipal Government Act. As MDPs are municipal bylaws, they are legislative documents. If Council wishes to allow development that contravenes with the MDP, Council must first amend the Plan, through a process that will provide opportunities for public input. In accordance with the Municipal Government Act, the MDP will address - → Future land use, - → Proposals for future development, - → Co-ordination with adjacent municipalities, - → Transportation, - → Municipal services and facilities, - → School and municipal reserves, - → Protection of agricultural operations, - → Land uses adjacent to sour gas facilities. In addition, the Municipal Government Act allows the MDP to address a number of other considerations, which this plan will consider as necessary for the Town of High Prairie. These include - → Coordination of physical, social and economic development; - → Environmental matters; - → Development constraints; - → Economic development; - → Financing and programming of municipal infrastructure; - → Financial resources. ## INTERPRETATION When interpreting the policy statements within this MDP document, the document should be read in its entirety to provide context. Policies are written using "shall", "should" or "may" statements. The interpretations of "shall", "should" and "may" that follow may provide the reader with a greater understanding of the intent of each policy statement: - Shall/Will/Must - denotes compliance or adherence to a preferred course of action. - Should - denotes compliance is desired or advised but may be impractical or premature because of valid planning principles or unique/extenuating circumstances. - May - denotes discretionary compliance or a choice in applying policy. ## CONTEXT ## COMMUNITY HISTORY In the early 1900s, the Hamlet of High Prairie became a regional service centre and railway town when the Grande Prairie rail line was routed through High Prairie. The Hamlet of High Prairie incorporated into a Village in 1945 and into a Town in 1950. ## REGIONAL CONTEXT The Town of High Prairie is located in the Peace River District of Alberta. The Town is located adjacent to Highway 2, near the west end of Lesser Slave Lake, and is approximately 350 km northwest of Edmonton, 200 km northeast of Grande Prairie, and 650 km northwest of Calgary. Highway 749 travels in a north-south direction through the Town providing links to neighbouring communities. ## PLANNING CONTEXT ## ALBERTA LAND USE POLICIES In 1996, the Alberta Government released its Land Use Policies. All municipalities must implement these policies while undertaking their planning responsibilities. These policies provide direction for the municipality to address general and specific land use planning issues. The Town of High Prairie will ensure that the vision, goals, and policies of the MDP are consistent with the Land Use Policies. ## LAND USE FRAMEWORK The Province of Alberta is currently in the process of developing seven regional plans with two completed thus far (Lower Athabasca Regional Plan and the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan). The seven regions are congruent with the province's major watersheds and are aligned with municipal boundaries. The development of the Upper Athabasca Regional Plan, which will include the Town of High Prairie, has not yet begun. ## INTERMUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN The Town does not currently have an intermunicipal development plan with the Big Lakes County. ## LAND USE BYLAW No. 05-2015 As required by the Municipal Government Act, the Town of High Prairie has adopted a Land Use Bylaw that regulates the use and development of all lands within the municipality. High Prairie's Land Use Bylaw was updated in 2015. The Land Use Bylaw may be updated subsequent to the completion of this MDP to reflect the policy direction therein. The Land Use Bylaw is a key implementation tool of the Municipal Development Plan. ## WEST INDUSTRIAL AREA STRUCTURE PLAN BYLAW No. 02-2011 The West Industrial ASP intends to guide the efficient and orderly development of an agri-business and light industrial development adjacent to Highway 2. The purpose of the agri-business/light industrial park is to meet growing regional market demands. ## GENERAL MUNICIPAL PLAN 1979 The 1979 General Municipal Plan study was presented in the following three main parts: - Part 1 - Regional Role, Economic Base and Population Characteristics - Part 2 - Land Use Analysis - Part 3 - Finances The General Municipal Plan provided a set of policies to address future growth and development. ## COMMUNITY PROFILE ## LAND BASE The Town of High Prairie has a land area of 7.92 square kilometres (approximately 792 ha).. Currently, approximately 202 ha (approximately 30% of lands within the Town boundary) are undeveloped and designated as Urban Reserve lands by the Land Use Bylaw. Land within the town boundaries are either privately owned or publicly owned by the Town. | Land Use | Net Area (ha) | |--------------------------|-----------------| | Residential | 107.55 | | Community and Park Areas | 77.78 | | Commercial | 64.43 | | Industrial Lands | 95.82 | | Urban Reserve | 202.20 | Recent growth in the community has largely focused on single family homes and duplexes in the residential districts. Through one existing area structure plan, the West Industrial ASP, a small portion of the vacant land within the Town of High Prairie has been developed with planning consideration. New development has primarily focused on infill within existing neighbourhoods. ## POPULATION As shown in Table 1, the Town of High Prairie experienced population boom in 1971 and 1996, reaching over 2,500 residents and close to 3,000 people respectively. Since the peak in 1996, the town's population experienced a slow decline, reaching approximately 2,785 residents in 2006 and declining to 2,6002 in 2011. Population growth within the Town since the 2011 census appears to be positive but will not be confirmed until 2017 with the results of the 2016 Population Census. 1 Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population 2 Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population TABLE 1: HIGH PRAIRIE HISTORIC POPULATION TREND  TABLE 2: POPULATION TREND AND AVERAGE POPULATION OF HIGH PRAIRIE  The chart in Table 2 indicates that the average Town population is over 2,500 residents. TABLE 3: HISTORIC POPULATION BY AGE GROUP AND TRENDLINES FOR THE TOWN OF HIGH PRAIRIE  The information from Table 3 indicates that since 1996 the majority of the Town's population is in the Adult age group. Age group trendlines indicate a decrease in children's population while there is a slight increase in the seniors' age group. The average number of people per census family within High Prairie was 2.6 people, slightly below the provincial average of 3 people (2011 Census). ## DEVELOPMENT CLIMATE Over the last five years, development in the Town has largely consisted of development activities in the Residential R2 land use district (Table 4). There have been more development permits issued during the past 5 years in Commercial (C1) and Industrial (M1) land use districts. L L TABLES 4: NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS PER DISTRICT TYPE 2010 TO 2015  TABLES 5: TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT 2010 TO 2015  TABLE 6: NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENT PERMITS-2010 TO 2015 -  ## TRANSPORTATION High Prairie's road system is connected to Highway 2 (53 Avenue) which runs in an east-west direction, with all of the arterial roads are connected to the highway in a north-south direction. The arterial roads also provide good access to the industrial lands at the western edge and southern portion of the town. Within the town, much of the road system is based upon a traditional 'grid' pattern. The Town of High Prairie has a road hierarchy as follows: Arterial Roads - Are intended to move large volumes of traffic. Collector Roads - Are intended to move traffic and provide land access. They are designed to collect traffic from local roadways and carry it to arterial roadways. Local Roads - Local roads are intended to provide local access. They are designed to provide for small volumes of local traffic only. Parking requirements in the commercial core of High Prairie are accommodated through on-street, angle parking as well as an off-street public parking lot. Larger commercial developments also provide off-street parking, in accordance with the requirements of the Land Use Bylaw. ON-STREET PARKING ON A MAJOR STREET  ## HOUSING The Town predominantly contains single-detached houses with few options for multi-family units. Table 7 indicates the current number of actual residential units by type. TABLE 7: TOTAL NUMBER OF OCCUPIED DWELLINGS BY STRUCTURAL TYPE (2011 CENSUS) | Dwelling Type | # of units | |------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Single-detached house | 660 | | Apartment; building that has fewer than five storeys | 150 | | Movable dwelling | 85 | | Semi-detached house | 70 | | Row House | 10 | | Total | 975 | ## ECONOMY High Prairie is the chief trading community for one of the most productive, mixed farming areas in Alberta. Forestry, oil and gas, and the service industry also play an important role in a growing and diversified economy. The people of High Prairie comprise an industrious, well-trained labour force with experience in a broad scope of operations, creating a strong community spirit. ## LIFESTYLE High Prairie presents an exceptionally attractive living environment with wide grassed boulevards, an abundance of trees and the advantages and amenities of a modern urban community combined with those of a vast natural playground. High Prairie hosts many other activities including LANE POOL WITH MURAL  ## Community RESOURCES The Town of High Prairie has a number of recreational resources available to its residents. The Gordon Buchanan Recreation Centre and the Sports Palace offers a wide variety of recreational options for Town residents. New walking trails in the Jaycee Park have been widely used by the residents from the Town and Big Lakes County. The Aquatic Centre provides water activities for High Prairie and area residents.  AQUATIC CENTRE & WALKING TRAILS IN JAYCEE PARK  The High Prairie Library operates as part of the Peace Library System, a regional branch that provides library services to residents in the Town and the region. HIGH PRAIRIE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY  High Prairie fire station is strategically located in the centre of the town for better service during fire incidents. FIGURE 1:- HIGH PRAIRIE FIRE RESPONSE MAP  ## PLANNING PROCESS ## STEERING COMMITTEE The Town's Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) acted as the Steering Committee for the Municipal Development Plan. The Steering Committee led the development of the MDP by providing direction and feedback on: - → community principles and values, - → survey questionnaire, - → a vision and goals, - → community consultation events), - → municipal policies, and - → implementation strategies. The Steering Committee met periodically throughout the MDP process. Information about the MDP was also available from on the Town of High Prairie website and Town's Facebook page. ## COMMUNITY SURVEY A community survey was developed consisting of a series of questions to gather public opinion on the Town's functionality and resources. The questionnaire was made available to the public in both paper and online format. An online link to complete the survey was placed on the Town's website and also on the Town of High Prairie's Facebook page. More than one hundred responses from households and businesses in the Town completed the survey. Public responses were carefully analyzed and collected for future planning purposes and led to the formation of eight guiding principles and the Town's vision statement for the Municipal Development Plan.  ## Part Two Direction    ## PART 2 DIRECTION ## GuIDIng PRINCIPLES Through community consultation activities and the MDP Steering Committee meetings, key themes and values important to the residents of the Town of High Prairie emerged. They are the basis for addressing the questions 'who we are' and 'what we believe in' as a community. These principles will be used to enhance the quality of decision-making, prioritize actions, and evaluate programs and policy decisions. ## PRINCIPLE 1 - EMBRACE THE SMALL TOWN High Prairie residents value their small community and the relationships they have with their neighbours. Development, land use, and transportation policies serve to maintain the small town feel of High Prairie. ## PRINCIPLE 2 - PROMOTE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES The Town ensures that residents have access to wide range of commercial businesses and activities that create an active and stable community. ## PRINCIPLE 3 - AN INFORMED AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY The Town aims to provide responsible, transparent and well-informed decision-making to its citizens. The Town facilitates residents' participation in all aspects of the community's social life, through strong municipal communication practices. ## PRINCIPLE 4 - ENCOURAGE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES The Town aims to create more employment opportunities with new commercial and industrial businesses in the town to sustain a population of all age groups. ## PRINCIPLE 5 - A CULTURE OF RECREATION AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES High Prairie residents enjoy a variety of recreational pursuits. Town policies and programs facilitate year-round outdoor and indoor recreation, arts and culture programming. ## PRINCIPLE 6 - PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS The Town values diversity in housing types and sizes, to ensure that residents have access to variety of options throughout their lifecycle. ## PRINCIPLE 7 - OFFER QUALITY HEALTH SERVICES The Town works to ensure that its residents have access to quality public health services ## PRINCIPLE 8 - SUPPORT EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES The Town aims to offer excellent educational facilities to the residents ## PRINCIPLE 9 - A DIVERSE ECONOMY The Town aims to sustain local business, foster local prosperity and develop an economic base that is sufficiently diverse to maintain a vibrant commercial core through economic cycles. The Town aims to create and maintain a safe, clean, healthy, and beautiful community. Infrastructure (re)investments in the Town's physical systems will work with nature to maximize effectiveness and minimize costs. ## COMMUNITY VISION The Town of High Prairie will continue to be a livable community by offering wide range of housing choices, business services, recreational amenities, employment opportunities, and community facilities for improved quality of life.  ## Part Three Goals, Objectives and Policies    ## PART 3 GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES ## RESIDENTIAL LAND USE The intent of the "Residential" designation is to ensure the predominant land use in these areas of the Town is for housing accommodation. One purpose of the Municipal Development Plan is to address the many forms of residential development in the Town.  ## FIGURE 2: RESIDENTIAL LAND USE ## GOAL The Town of High Prairie will create more affordable housing options while preserving and enhancing the character of existing residential neighbourhoods. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Ensure future residential development occurs in a manner that allows for the orderly and economic provision of municipal services. 2. Ensure new development areas facilitate a balanced housing mix that provides housing for all residents regardless of life cycle, household size, or income level. 3. Develop in a manner that will lead to compact, low-impact, cost effective, and efficient forms of land use, while enhancing High Prairie's small town atmosphere. 4. Develop a range of tenure options should be available in new residential areas including fee simple, condominium, and rental housing units. 5. Allow sensitive integration of different housing forms in all designated residential areas to promote neighbourhood diversity and inclusive communities. 6. Focus new residential development and ensure that it supports efficient use of Town infrastructure and services. ## POLICIES ## GENERAL POLICIES 1. The Town shall direct future residential development to the areas shown as residential on the Future Land Use Concept. 2. The Town will encourage the separation of residential uses from incompatible land uses where possible, and where not possible, to be separated by an adequate landscaped buffer and/or fence. 3. The Town shall direct new residential development to existing built up areas and new areas that are adjacent to developed areas, to optimize the efficient extension of infrastructure networks. 4. The Town shall require residential development be connected to the municipal sewage and water systems. 5. The Town may support and/or partner with other organizations to ensure that there is adequate provision of low income and special needs housing within High Prairie. ## DESIGN POLICIES 1. The Town shall require that sidewalks be provided on at least one side of all residential streets and that utility lines be located underground in all new subdivisions. 2. The Town shall require new street networks, to the extent possible due to geographical considerations, to be a logical extension of the existing road network using a modified grid pattern to provide connectivity while minimizing through traffic. 3. The Town shall support the development of a mix of housing types and forms in all residential neighbourhoods, and through the process of developing a Terms of Reference for future Area Structure Plans, shall establish a minimum requirement for semi-detached, duplex, and townhouse development in new neighbourhoods. 4. The residential land uses shall encourage a range of housing types, densities, lot widths, and building heights are accommodated. 5. Manufactured homes shall conform to the aesthetic standards and architectural design treatments of surrounding residential buildings. 6. The Town shall ensure that new manufactured home communities are attractively designed and developed with an equivalent level of services and open space as conventional neighbourhood developments. 7. The Town shall encourage the redevelopment and/or upgrading of existing manufactured home communities as a means of ensuring that these developments are sustainable residential environments. 8. The development of medium density residential use shall be supported in cases where: - a. the proposal is identified for such use in an approved Area Structure Plan (ASP); - b. the site is adjacent to arterial or collector roads; - c. is in convenient proximity to community amenities, schools, recreation opportunities, and commercial areas where the greater amenity and infrastructure capacity can afford to sustain higher densities; - d. there is an appropriate transition between lower density housing; and - e. the aesthetic quality, including massing, scale, building form, view, and shadow impacts is compatible with the surrounding development. 9. When the expansion of new residential development within established residential neighbourhoods is proposed, the Town will consider the following: - a. The visual impact of the new development on the established residential neighbourhood. - b. The zoning of the area in order to ensure housing types are compatible in appearance and density. - c. The buffering and landscaping of new development in a manner suitable to the character and appearance of the established residential neighbourhood. 10. The Town shall permit one legal secondary suite within a single detached dwelling as a way to increase housing choice and affordability. 11. The Town supports the provision of residential-based services for persons with special needs as an integral part of the fabric of each neighbourhood. 12. The Town will encourage the development of a variety of housing styles and types. However, the Town will also ensure that there is compatibility between housing types being located in the same area. 13. The Town will encourage infill housing in older, established neighbourhoods. 14. The Town will consider allowing neighbourhood convenience-type commercial uses and other compatible uses, such as churches and home-based businesses in a residential area. 15. The Town will allow for home-based businesses in residential areas provided that the home-based business use is subordinate to the principle use of the dwelling as a residence. 16. The Town will encourage the development of energy efficient housing structures, and may set minimum standards of energy efficiency in any Town development and in any privately developed land through the development agreement process. ## COMMERCIAL LAND USE Much of the commercial development has located along the Highway 2 corridor. The trend for commercial development to continue to seek these locations will likely continue to occur and the Town recognizes the importance of the corridor for the future growth of the municipality. FIGURE 3: COMMERCIAL LAND USE  ## GOAL The Town will encourage the creation of more commercial businesses that would offer more services to the public and the community in a cost effective manner. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Encourage compatible commercial developments and retail areas that support and provide access to nearby residential neighbourhoods. 2. Enhance the pedestrian-friendly environment and mixed-use ambience in the Downtown Commercial area. 3. Ensure commercial development occurs in a manner that is efficient and beneficial to both the community and business. 4. Minimize conflicts between commercial and non-commercial land uses while ensuring that commercial lands are linked to and part of the surrounding neighbourhood. 5. Ensure commercial and retail development and redevelopment provide adequate pedestrian connections on site. 6. Support commercial building and site design standards which support both the small town feel as well as modern design elements. 7. Encourage the use of low impact development, environmental design, green building techniques, and recycled construction materials in commercial development. 8. Promote commercial development that generates opportunities for local employment. ## POLICIES ## DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL 1. The Town should encourage the Downtown revitalization and adaptive reuse of underutilized or Brownfield sites for future mixed use developments. 2. The Town will allow for commercial, residential, institutional and business uses that support the development of a vibrant, multi-functional downtown area. 3. Development within the Downtown area should incorporate universal and barrier-free design features that enhance accessibility for low mobility and disabled residents whenever possible. 4. The Town may encourage mixed-use development (residential and commercial) and medium density residential development, including seniors housing, in the downtown area. 5. The Town shall ensure that parking areas for commercial development provide for pedestrian circulation, landscaping, and architectural elements to enhance the safety and comfort of pedestrians. 6. The Town shall ensure new commercial development is compatible with the adjacent neighbourhood in terms of size, scale, use, and overall design. 7. The Town shall ensure the design of commercial uses adjacent to residential neighborhoods are more pedestrian oriented and are connected to the larger neighbourhood through trail and sidewalk connections while still providing adequate vehicle access and parking. ## HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL 1. High visibility commercial development along major roadways should be enhanced through attractive building and landscape design. 2. The Town will promote commercial development that incorporates pedestrian-oriented frontages. 3. The Town will ensure that new commercial development would benefit in bringing feasible amenities to the residents. ## INDUSTRIAL LAND USE Industrial development is an important part of the economic activity that occurs in the High Prairie area. The Town wants to continue to develop its industrial land base and provide similar development opportunities.  ## FIGURE 4: INDUSTRIAL LAND USE ## GOALS - The Town will ensure that there is sufficient, suitably located and serviced industrial land available to attract and facilitate a wide range of industrial development in the future. - The Town will build on its industrial strengths and examine new opportunities appropriate for the Town ## OBJECTIVES 1. Ensure that internal roads for industrial parks and industrial areas are designed in a manner that allows for easy access and turning space for large vehicles. 2. Require appropriate screening of all storage areas in industrially designated areas. 3. Encourage the provision of industrially designated land that corresponds to market needs. 4. Protect industrial land from the encroachment of non-compatible land uses and to minimize conflicts between adjacent land uses. 5. Ensure the nature and design of any future industrial operations are such that the community's quality of life and environment are not adversely affected. 6. Encourage industrial development that conserves energy, water, materials, and other resources. ## GENERAL POLICIES 1. The Town should ensure that industrial developments mitigate visual impacts from public roads. 2. Access to new industrial developments will not be routed through residential areas. 3. Industrial areas are required to have a full range of municipal services and developers must pay for the upgrading and extension of the services required for new industrial developments. 4. Locate new industrial areas where traffic and related impacts on non-industrial uses are minimized. 5. Promote the development of industries related to food production and the processing of agricultural products, particularly in relation to local agricultural operations and food that is produced within the region. 6. New industries that create air pollution, negative environmental impacts, or noxious odours àre prohibited from locating in the Town. ## DESIGN POLICIES 1. The Town shall approve new industrial and business park subdivisions only where a full range of municipal infrastructure or appropriate innovative servicing solutions can be provided in an environmentally sound, economical, and timely manner. 2. The Town shall encourage the use of low impact development, environmental design, green building techniques, and recycled construction materials in industrial development. 3. New industrial areas shall be located adjacent to major transportation corridors in order to reduce the negative impacts of industrial traffic on the Town. 4. Industrial developments shall be separated, screened, and buffered from adjacent nonindustrial land areas and major transportation corridors. ## PARKS, OPEN SPACES, AND RECREATIONAL USES Perceived quality of life is closely linked to the amount of green space in a community. Additionally, studies suggest that access to natural, outdoor spaces improves the psychological well-being of urban dwellers. Individuals and groups are able to pursue a wide range of activities based on their differing interests and abilities. Major open space, recreation and cultural facilities foster and encourage interaction among community members, as well as providing venues for individual development. Health and wellness in an urban setting can be significantly influenced through the provision of easily accessible recreation and cultural experiences in both indoor and outdoor settings. Planning for, and expanding, these necessities and amenities is part of ensuring that High Prairie remains a community offering a high quality of life. The Town has a number of excellent parks and playgrounds, including Jaycee Park in the northern portion of the Town. The Town also boasts a multi-purpose recreational facility and an aquatic centre. FIGURE 5: PARKS AND OPEN SPACES IN THE TOWN  ## GOALS - The Town will create an integrated, accessible and well-planned system of open space, recreational and cultural facilities, and parks that support a broad range of recreation and cultural opportunities catering to diverse age groups, income levels, and skill levels. - The Town will maintain and expand a pedestrian pathway system in order to link all areas of High Prairie as a pedestrian-oriented community. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Ensure to incorporate environmentally significant areas into the open space system. 2. Provide recreational and cultural facilities that meet the needs of the whole community. 3. Ensure that the community open space requirements are met through appropriate reserve dedications. FIGURE 6: 5 MINUTE WALKING DISTANCES TO THE PARKS IN THE TOWN  ## POLICIES 1. The Town recognizes the importance of open spaces, parks, cultural and artistic events and recreational opportunities in enhancing the quality of life for its residents. 2. The Town will require all parks and playgrounds shall be landscaped in accordance with the intended use, and where practical, xeriscaping and naturalization techniques will be employed to reduce life cycle costs. 3. The Town will encourage playgrounds and tot lots to be developed in close proximity to residential areas to allow convenient and safe access for children. 4. The Town will encourage shade trees and benches to be incorporated into the design of playgrounds and tot lots. 5. Park and recreational needs shall be assessed through an analysis of population demographics, geographic location, walkability, existing park lands and the recreational needs of the community. 6. The Town will endeavour to ensure proposed open spaces and linear parks within new residential subdivision proposals connect to any existing trail networks to encourage walkability. 7. The Town will continue to evaluate the recreation needs of the residents of the Town and to respond to the needs as required. 8. The Town will endeavour to create and maintain a trail mapping system. 9. The Town will ensure that adequate open space, recreation land and, where necessary, land for schools and environmental protection is obtained through the subdivision process pursuant to Section 661 of the Municipal Government Act. 10. In conjunction with streetscapes and other public realm areas, parks and open space shall be designed to be easily accessible to pedestrians and create opportunities for area residents to gather and interact wherever possible. ## INSTITUTIONAL AND PUBLIC UsES There are four schools and Northern Lakes College located in the Town of High Prairie. High Prairie Elementary, Prairie River Junior High and E. W. Pratt High Schools were located to the north of the highway in the residential neighbourhood. St. Andrew's School is situated south of Highway 2.  ## FIGURE 7: SCHOOLS Public buildings that provide the community facilities for the Town of High Prairie are strategically located across the town and are within easily accessible distance from the residential neighbourhoods. Public uses also include provincial and county office buildings that are located within the Town. The RCMP station, fire hall, Sports Palace, Gordon Buchanan Recreation Centre, and museum are located to the north of the Highway 2. FIGURE 8: PUBLIC SERVICES LAND USES  ## GOAL The Town will encourage a safe, healthy, and inclusive community through the provision of a variety of public uses, institutional, and community services. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Ensure opportunities are available for all residents to enjoy a high quality of life and participate in the community. 2. Support the ability to develop an adequate range of community resources and educational facilities to meet the needs of the community. ## POLICIES 1. Town will ensure that the schools and public buildings including hospitals and libraries are easily accessible within walking distances. 2. The Town will consider the impact of the proposed development on the capacity of institutional facilities, such as schools to meet the needs of additional development and expansions or new schools as required 3. The Town will ensure that any proposed institutional development is compatible with the surrounding land uses, is serviceable with Town services, and will not create any adverse impacts with transportation networks when rendering a decision. FIGURE 9: 5 MINUTE WALKING DISTANCES FROM THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE SCHOOLS  ## URBAN RESERVE LAND The Town can obtain reserve land under the provisions of the Municipal Government Act. Reserve lands include municipal reserve, school reserve and environmental reserve. Municipal reserve lands may be used to create public parks and public school sites. Environmental reserve protects environmentally sensitive or ecology significant land from development. For example, land adjacent to natural water courses is often set aside as environmental reserve to serve as a buffer between development and the natural feature. In this example, an environmental reserve buffer could help to protect the shoreline habitat and water quality. FIGURE 10: URBAN RESERVE LANDS  ## GOAL The Town will recognize and promote environmental sustainability initiatives and trends in land development in urban reserve areas of the Town. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Promote environmental sustainability principles in land use planning decisions and development practices. 2. Recognize the value and contribution that natural areas and functions make towards quality of life in an urban setting. 3. Support environmental and ecological management programs and procedures that facilitate the maintenance of attractive, clean and ecologically responsible natural and built environments. 4. Conserve and incorporate environmentally significant features into the open space, trail and transportation systems, wherever possible. ## POLICIES 1. The Town will exercise its right to obtain reserve land pursuant to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) in every subdivision. 2. The Town will acquire the maximum amount of reserve land entitled under the MGA for each subdivision in the form of land, cash in lieu of land, or a combination of the two. 3. Notwithstanding Policies 1 and 2 above, the Town will reserve the right to defer the acquisition of reserve land in a subdivision to the balance of the parent parcel by way of a Deferred Reserve Caveat registered on the title. 4. The Town will enforce the MGA with respect to designating lands adjacent to water courses as environmental reserve at the time of subdivision. 5. The Town will incorporate, where appropriate, land taken as environmental reserve into the open space and/or trail system for the Town. 6. Notwithstanding Policy 5 above, the Town may restrict public access to environmental reserve land if it is determined to be environmentally sensitive. 7. In addition to environmental reserve dedication, Town should use tools such as land purchase, land swaps, tax incentives, reserve dedication, leasing and conservation agreements or easements, and other similar mechanisms as a means of conserving natural features within the Town 8. The Town may consider reducing the municipal reserve requirement to eight per cent in residential subdivisions, and taking the balance as cash in lieu of land dedication for the purpose of re-investment in the local parks system. ## TRANSPORTATION Transportation plays a key role in the development of the Town and in the implementation of this Municipal Development Plan. The Town wants to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people, goods, and services throughout the Town. FIGURE 11: TRANSPORTATION NETWORK  ## GOAL The Town will provide for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods within and through the Town of High Prairie. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Ensure the coordination and construction of safe and efficient road, transit, bicycling, and pedestrian facilities. 2. Coordinate the planning of land use and transportation to build an efficient transportation network. ## POLICIES 1. The Town will ensure that the planning and design of the various elements of the transportation system complement the implementation of this MDP. 2. The Town will designate the following road types as part of this MDP: - a. Highways (2 and 749) - b. Arterial Roads - c. Collector roads - d. Local roads 3. The Town will ensure that collector roads serve new residential areas. Within the Town boundaries, new collector roads will follow the approximate alignment shown in Map 4. Future collector roads within the Town will be located as suggested by the arrows in Figure 11. 4. The Town will periodically review and update its engineering standards for rights-of-way and road width to ensure a balance between safety, convenience, snow clearing, traffic calming, and capital operations costs. 5. The Town shall require roads within residential areas to have sidewalks along at least one side of the road. 6. The Town may implement the development of a pedestrian/bicycle trail system that will connect community facilities and residential areas of the Town. 7. The Town may seek to provide a second access across the railroad tracks at the east end of the Town to enable additional access to the lands to the south. 8. The Town will consider two additional river crossings as shown in Figure 11 to improve vehicular and pedestrian movement between the east and west portions of the Town. These will be implemented as needed. An additional pedestrian crossing will also be considered and built as warranted. 9. The Town will give priority to the maintenance and upgrading of the roads identified as collector roads on Figure 11. 10. Developers, through development agreements, shall be solely responsible for the construction of the transportation infrastructure, including but not limited to highways, local streets, laneways, sidewalks and trails that are required to service their development and obtain the required permits. 11. The Town shall ensure that all highway connections and developments adjacent to highways should follow Alberta Transportation guidelines and be in compliance with required permitting. 12. The Town shall encourage pedestrian movement by requiring the provision of pedestrian infrastructure including sidewalks and/or trails in all new developments, the redevelopment of existing properties, and in changes to existing or proposed roads. - a. A sidewalk is required on a minimum of one side of the street in all commercial, residential and institutional areas. - b. A sidewalk shall be required in industrial areas where its absence would result in a gap in the sidewalk network. - c. Where possible, to connect to the existing sidewalk network. - d. Sidewalks shall be provided along the frontage of commercial developments with a defined pedestrian path to the building entrance. 13. Pedestrian facility standards and parking lot standards shall accommodate the needs of persons with physical disabilities, including but not limited to wheelchair and medical scooter users. ## INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES The provision of municipal services and utilities is a key factor in the planning and development of the Town. The Town strives to ensure that municipal services and utilities are developed in a manner that complements the growth of the municipality. Municipal services consist of water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer systems. Utilities available in the Town include natural gas, electricity, telephone, and cable. ## WATER AND SANITARY SEWER The Town's water system consists of drawing water from the West Prairie River and a raw water reservoir located at the airport. The water is treated at the water treatment plant, which is located south of the downtown area in the NE 23-74-17-5 (Map 6). The capacity of the water treatment plant is 65.2 litres per second (l/s). The Town states this capacity means that the existing facility is sized to accommodate a population of approximately 5,000 people without further upgrades and expansion. The Town's limited topography and prairie soils preclude a more centralized sanitary collection sewer system. To compensate for shallow pipes and poor bearing soils, the sanitary collection system is decentralized, with numerous lift stations positioned throughout the community, all working to move wastewater to the lagoon. The wastewater lagoon is located just north of the Town's boundaries in the Big Lakes County. The lagoon consists of 250 mm force mains, four anaerobic cells, one facultative cell, and two storage cells. The Town states that combined capacity of all aspects of the system can support a population of approximately 5,000 people without expansion. However, the capacity of individual lift stations may not support additional development. In some areas, development expansion will need to be accompanied by the construction of additional lift stations, and redevelopment proposals for older areas of the Town shall consider the need and costs associated with upgrading the sanitary system. In particular, the lift station in the Peavine subdivision has limited capacity and the subdivision is not yet fully built out. Additionally, recently annexed land and future annexed land will not be able to tie into existing lift stations due to capacity constraints. ## STORM SEWER AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PONDS Surface water in the Town generally drains in two directions, northwest and southeast. Stormwater draining to the northwest is collected and diverted into the West Prairie River. Stormwater draining to the southeast is directed to Deep Creek. The storm sewer system consists primarily of catch basins and outlet pipes into the West Prairie River and Deep Creek waterways. There is also one stormwater management pond in the Peavine subdivision, and another proposed in the West Industrial Area Structure Plan. Stormwater management ponds will become increasingly important aspects of the Town's storm sewer infrastructure as development continues, and the form and function of these ponds should respond to their surroundings. Stormwater management pond design ranges from purely utilitarian for the sole purpose of containing stormwater, to irregularly shaped, re-created wetlands that not only serve to contain and treat stormwater, but also offer recreational opportunities for residents and provide habitat for wildlife. ## GOAL The Town will provide environmentally responsible, safe, efficient, and reliable utility systems to serve the Town of High Prairie. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Ensure the utility infrastructure and capacity is available, when required, to accommodate growth in High Prairie. 2. Ensure utilities are maintained and operated in an efficient manner that minimizes their impact on the environment. 3. Ensure utilities are maintained and operated in a manner that protects the health and safety of consumers. ## POLICIES 1. Developers, through development agreements, shall be solely responsible for the construction of municipal infrastructure that is required to serve the development. 2. Commercial and bulk water utility pricing shall reflect the cost of water supply, as well as the proportional cost of current operations and future upgrades to the water system. 3. Land required for municipal services and utilities shall be identified as part of the planning process for urban expansion areas or areas to be re-developed in the Town. 4. The Town may require the provision of easements or public utility lots for municipal services and utilities as part of a proposal to subdivide and/or develop land. 5. The Town shall work closely with utility companies on the planning for the installation of municipal services and utilities. 6. The Town shall attempt, wherever possible, to create a looped system for all utility services. 7. The Town shall work towards the development of an additional river crossing for all water and gas lines as a long-term goal. 8. The Town shall enter into servicing agreements with developers for the provision of on-site and off-site municipal services and utilities. 9. All development within the Town's boundaries shall be serviced by municipal services. 10. Notwithstanding Policy 9 above, alternative wastewater treatment technologies may be considered in development and redevelopment proposals, subject to satisfactory engineering design and regulatory approvals. 11. The Town shall encourage innovative stormwater management solutions that are suitable to the topography, climate, and needs of the Town. 12. Stormwater management ponds should be landscaped using indigenous plant materials and designed to mimic natural wetland areas, wherever feasible. ## HERITAGE CONSERVATION Heritage conservation helps provide links between present day life and past events in the creation and evolution of a community. Retaining physical evidence of High Prairie's past is part of instilling a sense of community and belonging. This includes historic buildings reflecting past practices ir architecture and craftsmanship, and landscape features that have cultural significance. Heritag conservation is also about respecting the past and the efforts of earlier generations in making High Prairie the beautiful and attractive community. ## GOAL The Town will preserve and interpret heritage resources as an expression of community identity and pride, and to provide tools and practices, whereby identified resources may be preserved. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Conserve and retain resources such as buildings of historic or architectural significance. 2. Promote heritage conservation to foster community identity. 3. Ensure compatible development with, and adaptive reuse of, heritage resources and properties. ## POLICIES 1. The Town shall consider working with a local heritage society to assist with heritage conservation within the Town. 2. The Town, working with historical societies, should compile an inventory of historical resources. 3. Based on the Historical Resource Inventory, the Town may consider designating historically significant properties under the Historical Resources Act. 4. The Town shall continue to promote community awareness about the importance and value of heritage conservation through heritage interpretation programs and fostering cooperation with other levels of government, private agencies, non-profit groups and individuals in the conservation of heritage resources. ## EcoNoMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM To make High Prairie more economically sustainable, and an attractive place to reside, it is important to attract and retain business investment, create employment opportunities, and expand the local tax base. Economic development entails attracting new businesses seeking to enter the regional and provincial market, as well as providing an environment where existing businesses can thrive and expand. Creating an attractive community with high quality amenities and services is a vital component in attracting and keeping the skilled labour force that local businesses, including the tourism sector, require for success. ## GOAL The Town will foster local business retention and to attract diverse, long term economic growth, including tourism, through partnered approach by marketing High Prairie and Northern Alberta. ## OBJECTIVES 1. Create a positive and competitive business climate. 2. Develop and maintain regional partnerships for economic development. 3. Evaluate regional market opportunities for innovation and diversification in High Prairie's economy. 4. Increase tourism visitation through co-operative marketing, heritage preservation, and the development and enhancement of tourism and cultural attractions, parks, and services. ## POLICIES 1. The Town should promote a competitive business climate through policies and actions that help maintain competitive operating costs and streamline approval processes and timelines. 2. The Town should pursue opportunities to diversify the local and regional economic base by promoting and attracting value-added industries. 3. The Town should support attracting a local skilled labour force to meet the expanding needs of industry and commerce. 4. The Town should pursue community economic development, which emphasizes community self-reliance and fosters growth from within the community, with emphasis on nurturing small business, supporting skills training, and entrepreneurship. 5. The Town should aim to increase tourism visitation through promotions, development and enhancement of local tourism products (e.g. local history and culture), services and infrastructure. ## REGIONAL INITIATIVES AND INTER-MUNICIPAL COOPERATION It is important to recognize that the Town of High Prairie is part of a region and that many issues and factors that can impact the community, its economic vibrancy, and the quality of life of its citizens occur beyond and transcend the city's boundaries. It is for this reason that the Province encourages and expects cooperation between municipalities, provincial departments, and other agencies to address planning issues. Although the Town of High Prairie and Big Lakes County have not negotiated a formal Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP), the two Councils recognize the benefits of working together in terms of the development of the High Prairie area and enjoy a good working relationship. ## GOAL The Town will secure it's long-term growth needs. ## OBjECTIVeS 1. Cooperate with municipalities and other government agencies to determine and achieve mutual objectives that benefit residents and businesses within Northern Alberta. 2. Work with the Government of Alberta, its agencies, and other municipalities, in the provision of programs and services that are of benefit to the residents and businesses in the region. ## POLICIES 1. The Town shall investigate opportunities to obtain mutual benefits in the provision of transit, protective and emergency services, and social, recreational, environmental and cultural programs and facilities through cooperation with other municipalities and agencies. 2. The Town shall explore options for the creation of regional partnerships with the Province, municipalities, and agencies in the planning and co-ordination of land use patterns, transportation, utility, and other service delivery systems in Northern Alberta. 3. The Town shall continue to work with its municipal neighbour on the future planning of the High Prairie area. 4. The Town shall consider establishing an Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) with the Big Lakes County for the planning and coordination of land use and development.  ## Part Four Implementation    ## PART 4 IMPLEMENTATION The success of any plan depends on the degree to which efforts are made to implement and integrate the plan's directions into decision making. The MDP provides the means whereby Council, the Municipal Planning Commission, Town staff and members of the community can evaluate situations or proposals in the context of a long range plan for High Prairie. ## PLANS, BYLAWS, PERMITS, AND PROGRAMS As the Town of High Prairie undertakes new initiatives, this Municipal Development Plan shall be consulted and will act as a guide for decision-making and actions. ## PLAN CONSISTENCY Any subsequent planning activity, particularly updates to statutory documents, such as the Land Use Bylaw or Area Structure Plans, or physical development shall be consistent with the Municipal Development Plan. ## AREA STRUCTURE PLAN An area structure plan (ASP) provides a framework for further subdivision and development of specific areas within a Municipal Development Plan. An ASP must describe the sequence of development, the proposed land uses, the density of the population proposed, the general location of major transportation routes and public utilities, and any other matters Council considers necessary. ## LAND USE BYLAW The policies contained in this Municipal Development Plan shall be implemented through the application of the Town of High Prairie Land Use Bylaw. The Town shall interpret and enforce the regulations of the Land Use Bylaw in the spirit and intent consistent with the policy direction of the Municipal Development Plan. ## MONITORING AND REVIEW The Town will monitor the administration and implementation of this Municipal Development Plan to ensure that the Plan remains an effective policy document. The Town shall undertake a major review of this MDP once every five years, or earlier if deemed necessary by Town Council. Minor amendments may occur on an as needed basis. ## ANNUAL REVIEW As the Town of High Prairie Council and Staff engage in strategic planning processes, the Municipal Development Plan shall be consulted to assist in identifying, guiding, and prioritizing the Town's work priorities. ## PLAN AMENDMENTS From time to time it may be necessary to amend the MDP. Specifically, whenever a land use designation of the MDP is proposed to be changed, an amendment to Map 1 would be required to reflect the proposed land use designation. An application to amend the MDP can be made to the Town of High Prairie, and the request will be considered by Town Council. An application should include supporting rationale that includes how the proposed land use designation will be compatible with the surrounding land use designations. A decision to approve a proposed MDP amendment will require a first reading, then formal public hearing, second and third readings. The timing of the public hearing is somewhat flexible, yet must be held prior to second reading, as per MGA. Notice of the public hearing must be published at least once a week for two consecutive weeks in at least one newspaper or other publication, and mailed or delivered to every residence in the area to which the proposed amendment relates, as per MGA.  ## Part Five Appendices    ## PART 5 APPENDICES APPENDIX A - GLOSSARy OF TerMs APPENDIX B - MAPs APPENDIX C- MUNICIPAL SuRVEY REPORT  ## APPENDIX A - GLOSSARY OF TERMS Accessory Dwelling Unit means a dwelling unit, such as a garage suite, garden suite, or secondary suite that is secondary and subordinate to the principal dwelling unit on site. Area Structure Plan means a long range land use and servicing plan adopted by bylaw and prepared in accordance with the MGA. Future Land Use Concept means a map providing direction with respect to the predominant land uses within an area of the municipality. Heavy Industrial means land uses that are likely to have nuisance factors such as noise, odour, smoke, or airborne emissions. They require large tracts of land, extensive open storage areas, direct rail and/or road access and may have high servicing demands (water, electricity, etc.). Land Use Bylaw means a statutory document that regulates development within the municipality. Light Industrial means land uses that do not create heavy customer flows, have fewer nuisance factors, and can be located on smaller tracts of land (relative to heavy industrial uses). Medium density residential means the development of more than two dwelling units within a single building. Typical building forms include row housing or apartment buildings. Single-detached dwellings, duplex, and semi-detached dwellings, as well as secondary suites, are considered low density. Non-conforming building/use means a building/use that is lawfully constructed or lawfully under construction 1 at the date a land use bylaw affecting the building/use or the land on which the building/use is situated becomes effective, and that on the date the land use bylaw becomes effective does not, or when constructed will not, comply with the land use bylaw. Nuisance factors are byproducts of development such as noise, odour, smoke, airborne emissions, glare, etc. Persons with disabilities means a person with a physical or mental disability as defined by the Alberta Human Rights Act. Roads, Arterial means roads that are intended to move large volumes of traffic. Roads, Collector means roads that are intended to move traffic and provide land access, collecting traffic from local roads and carrying it to arterial roads. Roads, Local means roads that are intended to provide land access. ## Watercourses means - a. the bed, and shore of a river, stream, lake, creek, lagoon, swamp, marsh, or other natural body of water; or - b. a canal, ditch, reservoir or other man-made surface feature whether it contains or conveys water continuously or intermittently. Wetlands means land having water at, near, or above the surface of which is saturate with water long enough to promote wetland or aquatic processes as indicated by poorly drained (hydric) soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and various kinds go biological activity that are adapted to the wet environment. ## APPENDIX B - MAPS 1. FUTURE LAND USE 2. OWNERSHIP 3. VACANT LOT 4. TRANSPORTATION NETWORK 5. RECREATION AND CoMMUnITy FaCILITIES 6. WATER AND SANITArY SEwer SYSTEMS  ## 250 1000 m l 3000 ft - Medium Density Residential (R-3) - Multiple Unit Residential (R-4) - Current Land Use Districts - Future Land Use  1:20,000 - Acreage Residential Unit (R-5) - Downtown Commercial (C-1) Residential - Town of High Prairie Boundary - Mobile Home Park (MHP) - General Commercial (C-2) Commercial - Water Course - Mobile Home Subdivision (MHS) - Industrial (M)  Mixed Use - Town of High Prairie - Municipal Development Plan - Map 1: Future Land Use - Highway Commercial (C-3) - Proiection: UTM Zone 11N - NAD 83   Data Source: AltaLIS - Created: April 2016 Printed: August 2016 - Public Services (P) - Restricted Residential (R-1) - Direct Control (DC) - Urban Reserve (UR) - Low Density Residential (R-2)           Prepared by Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency  ## SURVEY OBJECTIVE The Town of High Prairie is developing a Municipal Development Plan (MDP), which is a long-range strategic document intended to guide the growth and development of a municipality into the future. The objective of the survey is to understand the aspirations and concerns of the residents about the present and future of the Town. ## SURVEY PROCESS AND COMPONENTS ## CONSULTATION REACH The MDP Community Survey was mailed out to all Town residents and business owners with their utility bills. Information about the survey and the MDP process was posted on the Town's website and on the Town's Facebook page.  ## Public Survey Results A total of 115 surveys were completed, which represents 4.42% of the Town's total population or 6.13% of the Town's adult population, based on the most recent population count of 2,600'. Surveys were available both online and via hard copy at the Town office. ' Source: 2011 Stats Canada Census. Note the total population numbers differed within the Stat Canada data and are inconsistent.  Paper copies of the survey and a link to the survey website were available at the Town office until October 30, 2015. The survey was developed and managed by the Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency through Survey Monkey. Responses were accepted until October 30, 2015. The survey consisted of 25 questions asking information about the respondent, their thoughts on High Prairie, and their thoughts on the future of the Town. ## SurvEY RESUlTS AND ANALYSIS ## WHO RESPONDED The demographic questions in the survey allow staff to determine if the responses are representative of the Town's population. As Figure 1 shows, the survey attracted responses from respondents between the ages of 15 to 80+. However, the groups with some of the lowest population levels in the Town's 2011 Census, ages 50 to 54 and 55 to 59 (about 11% combined) had the highest response rates (about 28% combined). Figure 1: Response to "How old are you?" and age distribution of the Town of High Prairie from 2011 census (109 responses, 6 skipped)  Figure 2 shows that the majority of respondents were female. The gender ratio in the 2011 Census shows the Town has a slightly higher female population.  Figure 2: Response to the question "What is your gender?" (105 responses, 10 skipped) compared to 2011 Census results  The majority of respondents (70%) have lived in the Town for 11 or more years while 30% of respondents have lived in the Town for 10 years or less (Figure 3). Figure 3: Response to "How long have you lived in High Prairie?" (111 responses, 4 skipped)  Figure 4 shows that predominately respondents to the survey were residents of the Town (88%). Almost two-thirds of the respondents are property owners, while nearly 15% are business owners.  Figure 4: Asked residents to check all applicable answers to "Are you a (check all that apply) (111 responses, 4 skipped)  ## HOUSING 88% of respondents who live in the Town currently live in single detached homes or manufactured homes (Figure 5) and the majority of them own their home (Figure 6). Most respondents indicated they would like to continue to live in a single-detached home, and only 7.5% indicated they would like to move into a multi-unit dwelling or a supportive living arrangement in the next five years.  Figure 5: Comparison of responses to "What type of home do you live in today?" (111 responses, 4 skipped) and "What type of home do you believe will meet your housing needs in 5 years?" (107 responses, 8 skipped)  Figure 6: Response to "Do you own or rent your home?" (111 responses, 4 skipped)  Nearly 87% of respondents indicated that their home currently meets their housing needs (Figure 7). The majority of respondents who specified their home does not meet their current needs identified size as the primary factor. Figure 7: Response to "Does your home currently meet your housing needs?" (111 responses, 4 skipped)  On average, respondents indicated that 1.91 adults live in their household's while only 1.84 children (17 and under) lived in their household's (Figure 8). This implies that the average number of residents in their households is 3.75 people in total.  Figure 8: Response to "How many people live in your household?" (108 responses, 7 skipped)  ## EMPLOYMENT In Figure 9, the majority of respondents indicated they work primarily in the Town followed by the surrounding Big Lakes County. Responses in the "Other" category include McLennan, Edmonton and retired. Figure 9: Response to "Where do you work?" (110 responses, 5 skipped)  ## GENERAL SATISFACTION Respondents were asked why they choose to live in the Town of High Prairie (Figure 10) and the top 3 answers were employment, family, and lifestyle. Recreation, cost of living, and schools were less popular reasons.  Figure 10: Response to "Why do you choose to live in the Town?" (109 responses, 6 skipped)  Respondents were asked if they expect to be living in the Town in 5 years and 71.3% answered "yes" (Figure 11). The 28.7% who answered "No" were given the follow up question "If no, what do you expect will prompt your move?" The majority of the responses indicated limited employment opportunities or lack of medical services. Figure 11: Response to "Do you expect to be living in the Town 5 years from now?" (108 responses, 7 skipped)  ## LIKES AND DISLIKES Respondents were asked their opinion about what they liked and disliked about the Town. Many of the likes relate to outdoor recreation and community activities in the Town. The dislikes were related to the limited transportation options available, both in the summer and winter, indicating a desire for alternative transportation options in the Town. ## WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE TOWN... ## In the Winter: - Hockey Arena - Swimming Pool - Access to Ski Hill - Trail System - Christmas Parade - Excellent Snow removal - Poker rally - Hunting - Seniors Activities - Ice fishing - Snowmobiling - Great ski trails and curling community - Wildlife - Skating  ## In the Summer: - Lakes - Camping - Fishing - Weather - Recreation - Friends - Rodeo - Walking - Trails - Quiet - Outdoor - Community/Small town - Golf - Long Days - Swimming Pool ## WHÄT I DISLIKE ABOUT THE TOWN... ## In the Winter: - Lack of health services (access to health facilities) - Slippery sidewalks - Long distant travels to large centres - Lack of snow removal - No ski trails in JC park - Icy sidewalks - Pool hours - The bus connections - Travel 2-4 hours to doctor specialists - No access to commercial airport - Limited options for TV/internet - Road maintenance - Lack of amenities - Drugs/thefts - Snow piled around intersections ## PROPERTY TAX RATE One of the questions in the survey asked respondents' opinion about the current property tax rate. Of the respondents, 46.9% believe it is reasonable while 52.1% believe it is too high (Figure 12).  Figure 12: Response to "Do you believe the current property tax rate is too low, reasonable or too high?" (96 responses, 19 skipped)  ## In the Summer: - Back alleys not maintained - Lack of health services - Garbage not picked up - Poorly maintained parks - High cost of living/Property taxes - Unsightly properties - Street conditions/pot holes - Dogs running loose - Bugs - Lack of shopping facilities - Petty theft/Crime rate - High prices in grocery stores - Lack of outdoor activities - Need more festivals and community events - Bus connections - No good restaurants - Truck noise A follow-up question asked respondents if they would support an increase in the tax rate to support local government services and infrastructure. While the majority of respondents responded "No," 19% indicated they would support an increase up to $500 a year and 3% indicated they would support an increase greater than $500 a year (Figure 13). Respondents were asked to describe what improvements they would like to see with a property tax increase and responses identified expanded and improved recreation options, improved roads and road maintenance, improved sidewalks, increasing services and business to attract young families, and better bylaw enforcement. Figure 13: Response to "Would you be willing to have an increase in your property taxes to support an improvement to local government services and infrastructure?" (96 responses, 19 skipped)  ## THOUGHTS ON THE TOWN Figure 14 displays some of the current issues facing the Town and how the respondents felt about them. Housing costs, housing availability and property crime were all highly viewed as major issues. Property crime is a significant problem within the Town with 85% of respondents rating it as an issue and only 8% as not an issue.  Figure 14: Response to "Do you think any of the following are an issue in High Prairie?" (100 responses, 15 skipped)  This section of the survey gave respondents the opportunity to give their opinion about a variety of topics related to the Town. The next 4 questions in the survey asked respondents to rate different aspects of administration, development, services and recreation based on a rating system with 5 options: Excellent, Good, Average, Poor and No Opinion. If respondents rated a service as "Poor", they were asked to elaborate on their opinion. The following graphs offer an overall picture of responses while the comments are summarized. ## ADMINISTRATION Overall most respondents indicated that they were satisfied with Town administration (Figure 15). The category with the most "Poor" ratings and comments was Planning and Development Services. However, most respondents commented on lack of bylaw enforcement. Access to local government received a respectable rating from respondents with just over 80% giving the category a rating of average to excellent.  Figure 15: Response to "What is your opinion about the following aspects of Municipal Administration in High Prairie?" (98 responses, 17 skipped)  ## DEVELOPMENT The development category elicited many comments and "Poor" ratings about road repair, sidewalk repair and ability to meet everyday needs with the goods and services available in town (Figure 16). ## Specific concerns included: - sidewalk repair; - street conditions/pothole repair; - lack of shopping options, specifically grocery options; - the number of unsightly properties; and - a number of parking issues. Obnoxious weeds, snow removal and garbage in the streets also received a number of comments.  Figure 16: Response to "What is your opinion about the following aspects of development in High Prairie?" (100 responses, 15 skipped)  ## SERVICES The services category with the most "Poor" ratings and the most comments was medical and health services (Figure 17). Respondents identified a lack of doctors and need to travel elsewhere for their medical needs. Access to telecommunications and broadband also received a high number of "Poor" ratings and negative comments. Respondents noted that limited internet capability has an adverse effect on attracting new business into the Town. Social services, including those for both youth and seniors, were also mentioned as lacking in High Prairie. Other service categories received fairly positive reviews.  Figure 17: Response to "What is your opinion about the following services in the Town?" (98 responses, 17 skipped)  ## RECREATION The majority of the comments in the recreation section indicated the need for better maintenance of the trail system (Figure 18). Many respondents complained that the trails are unsafe and in poor repair. The trails in Jaycee Park were specifically mentioned. Other comments were directed towards the need for more family-friendly parks and summer recreation opportunities. Public recreational facilities received positive reviews with nearly 70% of respondents scoring the category "Good" or "Execellent". Figure 18: Response to "What is your opinion about recreation options in the Town?" (98 responses, 17 skipped)  ## GROWTH Survey participants were asked to provide their opinion on how they would like to see High Prairie grow in the future. Figure 19 shows only 1.9% of respondents wanted to see the Town remain the same size while the rest preferred to see growth. Moreover, 78.7% wanted to see moderate to rapid growth of the Town.  Figure 19: Response to "In the future, would you like to see High Prairie (choose 1): remain the same size, grow slowly, grow moderately or grow rapidly?" (98 responses, 17 skipped)  ## THEMES IN THE FEEDBACK Some of the questions in the survey invited additional feedback to round out some of the multiple choice answers that were offered. Question 23 asked "What are the specific challenges placing pressure on High Prairie (if any)?" (72 responses, 43 skipped), question 24 asked "What changes would you like to see in the Town?" (77 responses, 38 skipped) and question 25 asked respondents to "Please describe how you would like High Prairie to look in 10-20 years." (69 responses, 46 skipped). Finally, question 26 asked respondents to "Please provide any additional feedback you have." (27 responses, 88 skipped). A few themes emerged from these responses that highlight the concerns and desires of the respondents regarding the Town. These themes are common small-town municipal issues and can be addressed both directly and indirectly within the Municipal Development Plan. ## 1. Business Many responses to the open-ended questions addressed issues dealing with the economy. Lack of employment, limited retail, and competition from surrounding municipalities were the main concerns. Respondents appreciate the need for more retail stores to offset high costs of existing stores. More stores would also limit the need to leave the Town and provide more employment opportunities. ## 2. Health Services Health services was one of the most mentioned issues concerning the Town. Lack of doctors and services has forced many residents to seek service outside of the Town in larger centres such as Grande Prairie and/or Edmonton. Construction of the new hospital should ease some of the issues pointed out by respondents. ## 3. Aesthetics Many respondents commented on the Town image and aesthetics. They discussed the need to improve the facades of downtown businesses and upkeep of green spaces. Furthermore, several respondents complained about too much litter in the streets and alleys. Respondents felt the need for more Bylaw enforcement to improve the aesthetics of the Town. ## Growth Numerous respondents discussed the need for more growth. Respondents suggested added growth would increase the tax base and provide more incentive for businesses to locate in High Prairie. Specifically, one respondent aspires for the Town to grow into a greater service hub for the surrounding region.  ## Appendix ## ABOuT YOU: 1. Are you a (check all that apply): - [ ] Resident of High Prairie - [ ] Property owner - [ ] - Property Owner (but not resident) - [ ] - Business Owner - [ ] - None of the above - [ ] Other 2. How long have you lived in High Prairie? - [ ] 1 year or less - [ ] 1-5 years - [ ] - 6-10 years - [ ] - 11-20 years - [ ] - 21+ years 3. How old are you? - [ ] 0-9 - [ ] 10-14 - [ ] 15-19 - [ ] 20-24 - [ ] - 25-29 - [ ] - 30-34 - [ ] - 35-39 - [ ] 40-44 - [ ] - 45-49 - [ ] 50-54 - [ ] - 55-59 - [ ] 60-64 - [ ] - 65-69 - [ ] - 70-74 - [ ] - 75-79 - [ ] - 80+ 4. What is your gender? - [ ] - Male - [ ] - Female - [ ] - Other. 5. How many people live in your household? (please respond with a number) - [ ] Adults - [ ] \_Children (17 and Under) 6. Why do you choose to live in High Prairie? (check all that apply) - [ ] - Employment - [ ] - Cost of living - [ ] Recreation Opportunities - [ ] - Family - [ ] Lifestyle - [ ] Other - [ ] - Schools 7. What type of home do you live in today? - [ ] House/ Manufactured Home - [ ] - Duplex/ Semi- Detached - [ ] Row House - [ ] - Apartment - [ ] - Supportive Living - [ ] Other 8. Do you own or rent your home? - [ ] Own - [ ] Rent  9. Does your home currently meet your housing needs? - [ ] - Yes - [ ] No - a. If no, please explain. 10. What type of home do you believe will meet your housing needs in 5 years? - [ ] - House/ Manufactured Home - [ ] - Duplex/ Semi- Detached - [ ] - Row House - [ ] - Apartment - [ ] Supportive Living - [ ] - Other 11. Where do you work? (check all that apply) - [ ] - High Prairie - [ ] - Big Lakes County - [ ] - Home-based business in High Prairie 12. Do you expect to be living in High Prairie 5 years from now? - [ ] - Yes - [ ] - Unemployed - [ ] Other\_ - [ ] No - a. If no, what do you expect will prompt your move? 13. What do you enjoy about living in High Prairie? - a. In summer? - b. In winter? 14. What do you dislike about living in High Prairie? - a. In summer? - b. In winter?  ## YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIGH PRAIRIE: ## 15. Do you think any of the following are an issue in High Prairie? Major issue Minor issue Not an issue No Opinion a. Housing Costs b. Housing Availability c. Hotel/Temporary Accommodation Availability d. Petty/Property Crime - - - - - 16. What's your opinion of the following aspects of MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION in High Prairie? Excellent Average Poor No Opinion a. Town Administration b. Planning and Development Services c. Access to local government d. Town communications e. Bylaw Enforcement L L Good - - - - - - - - - If you rated any elements of the Town as Poor, please indicate why. - - - - ## 17. What is your opinion about the following aspects of DEVELOPMENT in High Prairie? Excellent Good Average Poor No Opinion a. Ability to meet your everyday needs with - - - the goods and services available in Town b. Quality of Town Signage - - - - C. Location of new development - - - - d. Protection of our local heritage - - L - e. Building design/beauty - - - - f. Housing choice - g. Amount of parking: On street h. Amount of parking: Off street Roads: Width j. Roads: State of repair k. Roads: Maintenance I. Roads: Snow Removal m. Sidewalks: Width n. Sidewalks: State of repair o. Sidewalks: Maintenance p. Sidewalks: Continuity (network) q. Landscaping: In public spaces r. Landscaping: In private spaces -0 0 00 -- If you rated any elements of the Town as Poor, please indicate why  ## 18. What is your opinion about the following SERVICES in High Prairie? | | Excellent Good | | Average | | Poor No Opinion | |-------------------------------------------------|------------------|----|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|----|-------------------| | a. Recycling Service | | | | | | | b. Garbage Service | | - | | L | | | c. Protection Services (Fire, Police, EMS) | | | | L | | | d. Schools and Educational facilities | - | | | | | | e. Social and cultural programs: Community-wide | - | | | | | | Social and cultural programs: Youth | | L | | | L | | g. Social and cultural programs: Seniors | | L | L | | L | | h. Libraries | - | | | | | | i. Medical and Health Services | | | L | | L | | j. Municipal Water System | | L | L | L | | | k. Municipal Sewer System | | | L | L | | | 1. Storm Drainage | - | | | | B | | m. Telecommunications and broadband | - | - | - If you rated any elements of the Town as Poor, please indicate why. | - | | If you rated any elements of the Town as Poor, please indicate why. 19. What is your opinion about RECREATION in High Prairie? Excellent Good · a. Recreation options Curling Rink, etc b. Public Recreation Facilities - Pool, Arena, c. Parks/Open Spaces: Quantity e. Trail system d. Parks/ Open Spaces: Quality If you rated any elements of the Town as Poor, please indicate why. 20. Do you believe the current property tax rate is - [ ] · Too low - [ ] · Reasonable - [ ] · Too high 21. Would you be willing to have an increase in your property taxes to support an improvement in local government services and infrastructure? There is NO proposal to increase property taxes associated with the Municipal Development Plan. This question is hypothetical only! - [ ] Yes up to $500 a year - [ ] Yes greater than $500 a year If yes, what improvements would you like to see? - [ ] No  Average Poor No Opinion 8 · · · · · ## THe FUTURE 22. In the future, would you like to see High Prairie (choose 1): Remain the same size - - [ ] Grow moderately - [ ] Grow slowly - - [ ] Grow rapidly L 23. What are the specific challenges placing pressure on High Prairie (if any)? 24. What changes would you like to see in the Town? 25. Please describe how you would like High Prairie to look in 10-20 years. Please provide any additional feedback you have: Thank you for your time and input. Look for the survey results in Winter of 2016 and watch for further information about the Municipal Development Plan on the Town's Facebook page, webpage and in your water bill. If you have any questions about the survey or the Municipal Development Plan, please contact Havan Surat, Planning Manager at the Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency 780-338-3862 or Brian Martinson, Town of High Prairie CAO, 780-523-3388.