Here are the highlights from Sturgeon County Council’s regular meeting on March 26, 2024.
Public Hearing | Redistricting for Relocation of Business on Adjacent Land
Council held a public hearing for Bylaw 1645/24 to redistrict approximately 15.2 hectares (37.7 acres) of land at SW-27-57-25-4 from AG- Agriculture district to I3 – Medium Industrial Unserviced district, and IR – Industrial Reserve district to I3 – Medium Industrial Unserviced district within the approved Legal Crossroads Area Structure Plan. This would support the relocation of Eco-Flex, a local manufacturing company, which operates on an adjacent parcel. Council will consider the presentations and submissions at the public hearing and will make a decision at a future Council meeting.
Public Hearing | Redistricting for Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
Council held a public hearing for Bylaw 1642/23 to redistrict 48.5 hectares (120 acres) of land near Calahoo from AG – Agriculture district to REC – Recreational district. The applicant – the West Sturgeon Agricultural Society – wants to pursue recreational developments including walking and cross-country ski trails in the near term and flexibility to add additional recreational uses in the future. Council will consider the presentations and submissions at the public hearing and will make a decision at a future Council meeting.
Assessment and Taxation Update
Council directed administration to prepare the 2024 Taxation Rates Bylaw, which will reflect a tax rate increase of 1.37 per cent when brought forward to Council on April 9. This is a reduction from the preliminary tax rate set of 2.13 per cent in December. Since that time, there were increased assessment values and an operating surplus from 2023, which enabled a lower tax rate increase.
Council also approved the 2024-25 capital budget amendments, and approved a funding increase of $786,000 to purchase a fire aerial apparatus.
Amendment to Public Open Space and Environmental Preservation Districts
Council passed Bylaw 1647/24 to amend the Public Open Space (POS) and Environmental Preservation (EP) districts to provide greater clarity between those and the Recreational (REC) district. This clarification is in response to a growing number of applications related to recreational activities and public concerns regarding the number of uses considered in the REC district. In response to public input received during the public hearing process, the bylaw was amended to reflect both public and private spaces. View the approved changes.
2024 Subsidized Dust Suppression Program
Council approved the 2024 subsidized dust suppression program, which includes fully subsidized treatments in front of specified residences and partial subsidy at $205 per residence for select areas. The County applies dust suppression each year along designated haul routes and offers dust suppression at a subsidized rate to other residents.
County Bounty
Due to road construction in Cardiff Park in summer 2024, Council directed administration to relocate County Bounty – a two-day family-friendly event celebrating the Sturgeon County community – to the Canadian Forces Base Edmonton on July 11 and 12. This would only be for 2024 only. If unavailable, administration will look to host the event at Sturgeon Composite High School. Information will be shared at sturgeoncounty.ca/county-bounty.
Manufactured Homes Assessment
Council passed Bylaw 1640/23, which brings the approach to property assessment for designated manufactured home communities into compliance with the Municipal Government Act. This bylaw designates the owner of a manufactured home community as the assessed person for a designated manufactured home in the community.
Sheltering Stray and Unwanted Cats and Dogs
Council directed administration to extend the contract with the Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) on a month-to-month basis for kennel services and temporary holding for cats and dogs. Sturgeon County does not have a holding facility for stray and unwanted dogs and cats, and transfers these animals to the EHS to care for these animals until they can be claimed or rehomed.
Trail and Landscaping Maintenance
Council deferred discussion about the trail and landscaping maintenance service levels as it relates to homeowners associations to April 9.
Next Council Meeting
The next Sturgeon County Council meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on April 9, 2024. Future agendas and past meeting minutes can be found online.
Fast facts about land use bylaw amendments and public hearings
View our webpage about land use planning and community engagement.
- At Sturgeon County, before Council gets public feedback on a proposed land use bylaw amendment, it gives the proposed bylaw first reading. This does not mean Council supports the bylaw; this allows the proposed bylaw to go to the next stage of the bylaw process, which is gathering public input.
- Public hearings, along with other public notices, are promoted on the public notices page on the Sturgeon County website as well as in local newspapers, on social media, and on road signs in accordance with the Public Notification Bylaw.
- Public hearings are open to any members of the public to view or provide input.
- Viewing the public hearing: You can view the hearing in-person or via livestream at sturgeoncounty.ca/CouncilMeetings
- Making a written submission: you can provide a written submission by email up to the close of the public hearing.
- Speaking at the public hearing: you can provide a statement at the public hearing in person or via videoconference. You are encouraged to pre-register to speak in-person at the public hearing. If you wish to speak via videoconference, you must register at least 24 hours prior to the opening of the public hearing. Register by contacting Legislative Services at 780-939-8277.
- When considering public input, Council considers how and to what degree the person is impacted by the proposed amendment.
