Richard Froese
South Peace News
Reviews of area structure plans for the hamlets of Joussard, Grouard and Faust will soon be launched after consulting residents.

At its regular meeting July 26, Big Lakes County awarded the tender to review the plans to Invistec Consulting Ltd. of Edmonton, in the amount of $119,215.12 plus GST.

Invistec submitted the lowest of nine qualified bids from eight companies, indicates a report from Pat Olanksy, director of planning and development. One company submitted two bids.

“We’ve never done a review of the plans for these three hamlets,” Olansky says.

She says the review is expected to take 11 months.

Area structure plans and maps were adopted for Faust in February 2006, Grouard in September 2009, and Joussard in October 2001, stated a report from Olansky at the council meeting April 12.

Municipal plans are recommended to be reviewed every five years, she notes.

Olansky says she also intends to create area structure plans for Kinuso and Enilda.

“You need an area structure plan to plan,” Reeve Ken Matthew says.

Other councillors expressed value in the review.

“It gives direction for future councils, it’s important,” says High Prairie East – Banana Belt Councillor Don Charrois.

“It is something that can be beneficial,” Joussard Councillor Ed Podollan says.
“Beautification should be part of this.”

County administration urges residents to participate.

“It gives citizens an opportunity to participate in the planning process, to plan the future of their hamlet,” CAO Roy Brideau says.

The county is committed to engaging residents in planning the future of their communities. To meet the goal, Invistec has scheduled one workshop in each hamlet for residents to share their ideas and vision, followed by one open house in each hamlet, four meetings with county staff, and two presentations to council. And any additional meetings with new councillors on board after the municipal elections in October will also occur.

Adopted by bylaw, an area structure plan is a statutory plan that applies to a defined area of land that provides a framework for more detailed subdivision and development staging, land uses, densities, and infrastructure matters which must be addressed.

“Each plan would be reviewed in its entirety to ensure consistency with the county’s newly-adopted municipal development plan and land-use bylaw to address land use, development, and servicing availability,” Olansky said when the issue was discussed April 12.

Current plan maps don’t include new lands that have been added when boundaries to some hamlets were expanded several years ago,