An 8-1 vote has officially set the Glenbow Ranch Area Structure Plan (GRASP) wheels in motion.
Rocky View County council approved the GRASP on July 25, with Springbank Coun. Jerry Arshinoff as the sole vote of opposition.
Mayor Ivan Brooker said while it is too preliminary to make an official statement, in all likelihood Cochrane will explore legal options.
“I’m certainly not surprised they decided to move forward – they had given us every indication they did not have the same concerns as us or the City of Calgary,” said Brooker.
Brooker said he is “super disappointed” – chalking up his primary concern to the county development potentially not contributing its fair share, yet being reliant on Cochrane’s amenities and services, as well as the added pressures to town traffic.
Arshinoff shares these concerns.
“Because of the increasing population in Cochrane and area … Highway 1A isn’t the best place to drive right now and if you add another 13,500 people it’s going to be a big problem.”
He said the county is reacting to fears that Calgary could annex the lands for future development.
Bearspaw Coun. Eric Lowther said he feels the approval is a good example that “the process works.”
While he understands there are county residents who are not in favour of the potential development, he feels that most of those residents do not live in the impacted Bearspaw division.
Lowther said he is confident the dissenting voice will be quieted by the changes that decrease the population to 13,500 from nearly 16,000.
Andy Crooks, chair of the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park Foundation, is confident that the GRASP will be the best way to protect the park.
“It is a terrific step forward for the park. Rocky View County council and planners have done a fantastic thing,” said Crooks.
Bearspaw resident Samanntha Wright is concerned that the densities could be altered through future land-use applications.
