Cypress County Oct. 20 Council meeting highlights 

Posted on November 6, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Cypress County Council met on Oct. 20. Here are the highlights from the meeting.

Adopting the Minutes from the Oct. 6 meeting 

First, Council adopted the previous meeting’s minutes, in which it was noted that Council approved a financial contribution toward the Municipality of Redcliff’s hosting budget for the 2027 Southern Alberta Summer Games.

Councillor McKenzie moved that the County cover 25 per cent of the expenses that remain after event sponsorships, up to a maximum of $10,000. Redcliff’s hosting budget for the Games sits at $58,000.

The motion carried.

The Meeting Moved to New Business 

After adopting the minutes, new business discussions included:

Bylaw 2026/25 First Reading

Cypress County Council gave first reading on Oct. 20 to Bylaw 2026/25, a land use amendment that would rezone about 4.30 hectares (10.62 acres) of a quarter section from Agricultural District (A1-IDP) to Country Residential District (CR).

Benchmark Geomatics submitted the application on Sept. 10 on behalf of landowner Dave Trotter, with the goal of subdividing the parcel. The land sits about 1.2 kilometres north of Township Road 120 along Range Road 60.

A public hearing will be scheduled for a future council meeting, where the benefits and disadvantages of the proposal will be presented.

Bylaw 2026/26 

Cypress County council considered first reading on Oct. 20 of Bylaw 2026/26, a land use amendment that would rezone a 20.51-hectare (50.69-acre) parcel from Agricultural District 2 to Country Residential District. The county received the application on Oct. 7, and it is in anticipation of a multi-parcel subdivision.

The land, located within SW 33-11-5-W4, sits about 1.4 kilometres south of Township Road 120, adjacent to the Black & White Trail, which is also where legal access is intended to be gained. Administration recommended council give first reading, and a public hearing will be scheduled for a future regular council meeting.

Economic Development Q3
Report

Cypress County’s Planning and Development Department received 51 development permit applications in the third quarter of 2026, with accessory buildings making up the largest share at 44 per cent of permits, and new homes accounting for another 21 per cent.

Total development from July 1 to Sept. 30 was valued at $17.74 million, with commercial and industrial projects representing 58 per cent of that value, bringing the year-to-date total to about $406.3 million.

The department also handled seven subdivision applications, two land use bylaw amendments and three Subdivision and Development Appeal Board appeals, and ordered five municipal address signs.

On the enforcement side, seven files were opened and seven resolved during the quarter, three stop orders were issued, and 58 per cent of all enforcement files this year have been resolved.

Economic development updates included the unveiling of the county’s new brand at the Site Link conference in September, a forum that hosted six site selectors to showcase investment opportunities, and ongoing provincially funded research into agri-food resilience and workforce development.

Public Hearing Report for Bylaw 2026/24 

Cypress County Council held a public hearing for Bylaw 2026/24, the Aparche Area Structure Plan, a framework submitted by Green Bull Developments Inc. for a multi-acre parcel in SW 33-11-5-W4, about 1.25 kilometres south of Township Road 120 and adjacent to the Black & White Trail.

The plan envisions a 13-parcel country residential estate development, with 13 residential lots ranging from 1.73 to 5.91 acres and one environmental reserve lot. Each lot would be serviced individually, with potable water stored in cisterns and wastewater handled by sanitary fields or holding tanks, while a drainage canal creates a natural separation from lands to the east.

The developer has said there is no phasing and plans to proceed with subdivision as soon as the plan passes, in preparation for development in early 2027.

Council had given first reading on Sept. 15, and the county reported receiving no comments or concerns ahead of the hearing. Following the hearing, council had second and third readings on the agenda.

Rural Water Servicing Private Property Access to Existing Water Infrastructure  

Council discussed how private property owners next to existing county water lines might connect to that infrastructure, following a request made through Resolution No. 2026/158.

Manager of Utilities Doran Jensen presented the report, which notes the county has grown its water licences from none in 2007 to 21 today, giving it more flexibility to consider future servicing and growth. The report stresses, however, that having licensed water available doesn’t automatically mean the county can serve a given location, as the water licence, water agreement and infrastructure capacity must all line up before a connection is considered.

 Administration recommended a flexible, coordinated approach backed by a Rural Water Strategy and policy framework setting out connection eligibility, technical standards, cost responsibilities and long-term servicing requirements.

Learn More Online 

These items are just some of the discussions held at the latest Cypress County council meeting. To learn more about the matters council considered, including meeting agendas and reports, visit the County website at cypress.ab.ca.