40 Mile County to form IDP with Taber MD

By Justin Seward
Commentator/Courier

The County of Forty Mile council passed second and third reading of By-Law 7/ 2018 to adopt an Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) with the MD of Taber at its June 13 regular meeting.
The bylaw states that “municipalities are required by the province to expand intermunicipal planning efforts to address planning matters that transcend municipal boundaries through an intermunicipal development plan.”
“And both the councils of the County of Forty Mile and the Municipal District of Taber agree that it is in their mutual benefit to establish joint planning policies and this negotiation and agreement reflects a continuing cooperative approach between the two municipalities and the desire to see well planned, orderly, and managed growth.”
The IDP will contain five parts including the characteristics of the plan area, policies, administration and implementation and dispute resolution.
The plan area is one mile on each side of the MD and county borders.
An amendment that will be included after the St. Mary’s River Irrigation District (SMRID) had submitted comments addressing matters to the subdivision and development policies.
Policy 3.4.5 will now read in accordance with SMRID confirm that “each municipality encourages applicants of subdivision and development proposals to consult with the respective municipality, irrigation district and provincial departments as applicable, regarding water supply, drainage, setbacks from sensitive lands, and other planning matters relevant to the natural environment in advance of submitting a proposal.”
First reading was passed on April 25.

Etzikom public works shop addition

Council moved to award the tender to East Butte Contracting in the amount of $323,676.33 to build the Etzikom public works shop addition. Graders will be stored in the shop. The company was successful tender out of seven applicants.