County council postpones second reading of Seven Persons Area Structure Plan, approves Irvine’s first reading

By Justin Seward
Commentator/Courier

Cypress County Deputy Reeve Dan Hamilton moved to postpone the second reading of Bylaw 2018/07 to allow further amendment to be written into the Seven Persons Area Structure Plan, which council approved unanimously at its April 3 regular meeting.
The purpose of the area structure plan is to provide a framework to guide future growth and land uses in an orderly and economical matter, while promoting the hamlet.
The county planning supervisor, Jeffrey Dowling, said that agencies such as the St. Mary’s Irrigation District (SMRID) and Alberta Transportation both provided comments leading up to the drafted plan with amendments they would like to see included.
Alberta Transportation’s concerns regarded the information on the studies that were done for the future Highway 3 twinning and wanting the county to use the technically preferred option.
SMRID wanted more clarification on the Seven Persons Creek, in the event of flooding.
“I’d say other then those two issues, the plan is very close to be completed,” said Dowling.
“Just again putting in the wording from Alberta Transportation. I think we’re fine with what they’re proposing and just trying to get a little bit more clarification with the details concerning the SMRID comments. Once we get that narrowed down then I think we’ll be able to draft something accordingly to put into the plan and then present to council. I don’t see any reason why council wouldn’t adopt the plan at that point.”
The plan with the amendments will come back for council’s decision at a May regular meeting.
Coun. Darcy Geigle moved the First reading of the bylaw for the Irvine Structure Plan with council approving.