Dear editor:
It is my hope that Lochend Corners will come to have great benefit to Bearspaw residents.
The declined application is evidence of government-imposed harm. The resultant staggering losses impact everyone in Bearspaw.
These losses are due to a misdirected few who are supported by some county councillors.
The Canadian Bill of Rights affords us “the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property.” It seems these fundamentals are being violated at the county level.
The Lochend application is like the proverbial ‘canary in the coalmine’. Being on the frontlines of interaction with the county, the loss suggests the future for all residents who own property in Bearspaw.
The clear message is that there is little hope for individual property rights, business, subdivision or maintaining realistic values in our properties.
Interference by the few who gain the ear of local government is resulting in massive declines in property value for everyone.
It is not an exaggeration to state that there was a $20-million loss on the 320-acre parcel at Lochend.
It should be made clear that this is not a loss of just one individual, but hundreds of young and old people who invested in a project where the county motto was ‘open for business’; where the tagline reads ‘cultivating communities’ and where council directed the developer to provide an ‘innovative project’.
The community is also losing. Every property owner is having wealth hijacked by county policy. Household losses range from $200,000 to $7 million. Losses in Bearspaw alone approach a half billion dollars.
These losses and further decay are the unintended, unspoken consequences of county planning policy that responds to the few. The self-interested ego is not the character of Bearspaw.
The vast majority of people in Bearspaw who I have met are considerate individuals who care about their neighbours and look to continued progress in the area.
These are successful people who focus on their jobs and their families.
As they do their jobs, they expect the county to look out for their interests and the interests of the community as a whole.
Unfortunately, a small, egocentric minority is dictating policy that damages each one of us.
Not very many have felt or realized the impact of central planning at the county, but new measures are in progress that will negatively affect thousands throughout Bearspaw and Rocky View.
Some at the county are looking to boldly confiscate property with the new County Plan.
The County Plan looks to make it official policy to allow the county to freeze property and business – all without compensation to the individual or the landowner.
Do not let what happened at Lochend happen to you. Make the county aware of who you are and that taking your rights, your property and your wealth is not acceptable.
John Bachynski
