Here are the highlights from the April 11, 2023, Sturgeon County Council Meeting:
Mayor Alanna Hnatiw proclaimed the week of April 16 to 22, 2023 as National Volunteer Week to celebrate the individual and collective actions of community volunteers.
Mayor Alanna Hnatiw proclaimed the week of April 24 to 28, 2023 as Hydrogen Week to celebrate the contributions of the Edmonton region to the global hydrogen economy.
Land Use Bylaw Amendments
Council voted to postpone its decision on Land Use Bylaw amendments related to resource extraction to the regular Council meeting on April 20, 2023, at 10 a.m. Council directed Administration to make non-substantive amendments to Bylaw 1607/22 to reflect the input received at the public hearing on March 15. Learn more about resource extraction.
Public Hearings
- Council held a public hearing for Bylaw 1619/23, which proposes to amend the Sturgeon Valley South Area Structure Plan to require an outline plan before applying to redistrict or subdivide land. An outline plan would provide site-specific detail and would show how the proposed development aligns with the neighbourhood area structure plan. No presentations or submissions were made; Council will make a decision at a future Council meeting.
- Council held a public hearing for Bylaw 1609/23, which proposes to amend the Land Use Bylaw to develop Sturgeon Valley Land Use Districts and an urban reserve overlay. These proposed amendments would allow for interim development activity in the Sturgeon Valley South area in a planned and consistent manner. Council will consider the presentations and submissions made at the public hearing and will make a decision at a future Council meeting.
- Council held a public hearing for Bylaw 1626/23 – Road Closure Bylaw – Area ‘A’ Plan 232 0067, which proposes to close an undeveloped road allowance at NE-16-54-26-W4M near Range Road 263 north of Highway 633. The closure results from a previous bridge repair, and Alberta Transportation requires a bylaw to be passed to close the road. As required by the Municipal Government Act, the bylaw will be sent to the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors for approval before Council makes a decision at a future Council meeting.
Grant allocations
Council approved the grant amounts recommended by the Calahoo-Villeneuve Sand and Gravel Advisory Committee and Community Services Advisory Board, and awarded more than $620,000 to support 29 local organizations. Most is funded through the Community Aggregate Payment (CAP) levy, which is paid by sand and gravel extraction operators, with the remainder paid through the 2023 operating budget.
Dust Suppression Program
Council approved the subsidized amounts for the Dust Suppression Program, which helps reduce the amount of dust created by traffic on gravel roads used as haul routes. Dust suppression on some roads is fully subsidized by the County, while others are paid for jointly with landowners.
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 County website as well as in local newspapers.
- 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.
Next Council Meeting
The next Sturgeon County Council meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on April 20, 2023, where Council will consider the 2023 Tax Rates Bylaw and proposed Land Use Bylaw amendments to facilitate the recommendations of the Resource Extraction Regulatory Review. Future agendas and past meeting minutes can be found online.