Annexation

Since June Admin has been exploring the planning rationale for annexation of 6 quarters of land from the RM of Kindersley.

Proposed Annexation Lands.

This is still in the exploration stage with no final decision made. Should the Town decide this is what we want to do then negotiations need to be held with the RM regarding compensation. It can be a long process. Needless to say rural municipalities and urban municipalities don't always agree on compensation.

Future Land Use

Official Community Plan Approved

Just a quick note to let you know that the province has approved our OCP and Zoning By-laws. The province would like a couple of tweaks but we now have a 2014 OCP.

Thank you to Minister Bill Boyd and his office, Minister Reiter and his ADM Keith Comstock and staff for helping to expedite the approval process.

We had 7 projects in limbo between the old and the new OCP.

OCP Update

The long running saga of our OCP is coming to an end. The province has reviewed it and made a couple of recommendations. The primary recommendation is to strengthen the cultural component of the OCP. That work is being done and we hope the OCP will be approved the end of April beginning of May.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Implementation

Zoning Bylaw

The Zoning Bylaw will be the principal method of implementing the objectives and policies contained in

this Official Community Plan, and will be adopted in conjunction herewith.

4.1.1 Purpose

The purpose of the Town’s Zoning Bylaw is to control the use of land providing for the amenity of the area within Council’s jurisdiction and for the health, safety, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the Town of Kindersley.

4.1.2 Content and Objectives

The Zoning Bylaw will implement the land use policies contained in this Official Community Plan by prescribing and establishing zoning districts for residential uses, commercial uses, industrial uses, community service and institutional uses, and other municipal uses. Regulations within each district will govern the range of uses, site sizes, setbacks, building locations, off-street parking, landscaping, and so forth.

This is the end of the draft OCP. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Heritage Resources

3.11.1.1 To protect the heritage resources within the Town, and where such protection cannot be achieved, to implement appropriate mitigation measures.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Agriculture and Fringe Areas

3.10.1.1 To ensure that future urban land requirements are not restricted by the development of uses, such as intensive livestock operations, near or within the corporate limits of the Town.

3.10.1.2 To safeguard municipal services from incompatible land uses.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Intermunicipal & Interjurisdictional Cooperation

3.9.1.1 To pursue opportunities with the federal and provincial governments to enhance services and to provide innovative opportunities for Kindersley and the region.

3.9.1.2 To facilitate inter-municipal and inter-jurisdictional cooperation on a regional basis.

3.9.1.3 To maintain the financial integrity of the Town, its tax base and its municipal services while ensuring compatible and enforceable land use and development standards in any Urban Reserve that may be established in Kindersley.

3.9.1.4 To alter the Town limits based on need and to provide for orderly development of land uses and services.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Biophysical Constraints on Development

3.8.1.1 To discourage inappropriate development in areas with potentially hazardous site conditions and to ensure that environmentally sensitive or hazardous lands are dedicated, as appropriate, as environmental reserve, during the subdivision process.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Amenities and Dedicated Lands

3.7.1.1 To safeguard and enhance Kindersley’s green space in order to contribute to the wider objectives of sustainable community development.

3.7.1.2 To make provision for municipal reserves when land is subdivided.

3.7.1.3 To support, encourage and facilitate connectivity and walkability throughout the Town.

3.7.1.4 To support the equitable access of community parks and open spaces to all residents and provide park space suitable for all community needs.

3.7.1.5 To consider opportunities to further enhance the recreation potential of the Kindersley Regional Park and the Motherwell Reservoir.

3.7.1.6 To ensure the perpetuation of Kindersley’s urban forest through new plantings and the protection and maintenance of existing trees throughout the Town.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Community Services

3.6.1.1 To support, encourage and facilitate, where feasible, the development and enhancement of community facilities and programs for the benefit of the residents of the Town and region.

3.6.1.2 To monitor shifts in population structures and the demands and recreation and culture needs, and adjust program delivery and facility provision on the basis of these shifts.

3.6.1.3 To support public service delivery agencies in the provision of services and, where appropriate, to assist in the programming of services to the public.

3.6.1.4 To encourage the coordination and integration of community facilities where appropriate.

3.6.1.5 To facilitate youth engagement in community activities and support opportunities to retain and attract young people to Kindersley.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Economic Development

3.5.1.1 To enhance, develop and implement strategies and tactics designed to improve and nurture the Town’s relationship with the local and regional business community with a view towards attracting and retaining business and making Kindersley a welcoming place to live, work and play.

3.5.1.2 To attract investment and foster economic and population growth by promoting the benefits of living and working in the Town of Kindersley, and through marketing the Town as the destination of choice for commercial and industrial development, tourism and culture, education, health care, and community services.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Transportation and Infrastructure

Integrated Decision Making

3.4.1.1 To integrate planning, finance and engineering to effectively manage existing and new infrastructure in a sustainable, innovative and cost effective manner.

Transportation Objectives and Policies

3.4.2.1 To provide a safe, efficient, cost effective and convenient transportation network for all users.

3.4.2.2 To promote land use and development patterns that encourage walking and cycling while ensuring pedestrian and traffic safety.

3.4.2.3 To ensure that Highways 7 and 21 continue to function in a safe and efficient manner for the residents of Kindersley and the travelling public.

3.4.2.4 To ensure that the railway continues to provide vital services to the community while mitigating any negative impacts resulting from ongoing railway operations.

Infrastructure Objectives and Policies

3.4.3.1 To ensure that future development contributes to the cost of infrastructure services in a manner which does not create a burden for existing residents and which does not impede long term growth.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

Human Resource Capital: Social Capital

I have spoken of human resource capital within the context of economic development and infrastructure investment in the past. Here are a couple of ideas regarding 'social capital:'

• bonding social capital is that benefit we receive from belonging to a group of like minded people. An example is our circle of friends, support groups, and a faith group.
• the benefits include: solidarity, trust and loyalty, and emotional and material support.
• bridging social capital is that benefit we receive from being in a relationship with a diverse group of people. This includes neighbourhoods and gathering centres such as the pool, rink, etc.
• the benefits include: new information and 'assets' leading to economic opportunities, and increased openness and tolerance.

Finally, when a community has healthy social capital then we can expect greater trust, lower crime, economic growth and greater emotional and physical well-being.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Industrial

3.3.1.1 To ensure that sufficient land is designated for within the Town to accommodate Industrial development opportunities.

3.3.1.2 To minimize the potential for land use conflicts between Industrial development and other uses.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Commercial

Downtown Commercial Objectives and Policies

3.2.1.1 To promote an attractive and viable Downtown commercial area.

Highway and Shopping Centre Objectives and Policies

3.2.2.1 To enhance the visual and functional quality of the Highway Commercial corridors in the Town.

3.2.2.2 Highway and Shopping Centre Commercial development should accommodate uses which by virtue of their scale or locational requirements are not readily suited to a Downtown location.

3.2.2.3 To ensure that sufficient land is designated along Highways 7 and 21, for the development of Highway and Shopping Centre Commercial uses.

Core Area and Neighbourhood Commercial Objectives and Policies

3.2.3.1 To recognize the existing core commercial area.

3.2.3.2 To facilitate neighbourhood convenience commercial developments in new residential areas.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft: Residential

3.1.1.1 To identify the areas, within Kindersley and outside of the Town's current boundaries, that are most suitable for future residential development in order to provide adequate land for future residential development.

3.1.1.2To provide a variety of housing options to address the needs of residents of the community and to address housing affordability issues.

3.1.1.3 To ensure that infill developments support and enhance Kindersley's existing residential neighbourhoods.

3.1.1.4 To ensure that new residential neighbourhoods are designed in a manner which provides a high quality living environment and a range of housing options.

3.1.1.5 To facilitate economic development and foster entrepreneurship through home based businesses that are clearly secondary to the residential use of the property and compatible with the surrounding residential environment.

3.1.1.6 To provide for certain complementary land uses within residential neighbourhoods.

3.1.1.7 To facilitate the orderly redevelopment of the existing mobile home parks and work camps in the Town of Kindersley to alternate forms of development.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

Some OCP Draft Thoughts

It has been interesting wrestling with the OCP. The OCP is a big deal and goes before the legislature for approval. Here are some of my observations and questions arising from this generation draft of our OCP.

• we seem to take planning for granted and we only notice when something doesn't work. for the record, there are things in Kindersley that don't work and that is the purpose of the OCP. I call this 'negative planning' in that it works to prevent conflict through the separation of conflicting uses such as residential use with some commercial use.
• the OCP is the overriding document for Kindersley and yet it is unable to address and provide for the full range of activities that we need to flourish. This is the 'positive planning' in contrast to the 'negative planning' in the sense of facilitating opportunities for both individuals, groups, and the town to flourish.
• doing the OCP is s-l-o-w. it started, I believe, in 2011.
• for a community to work and be healthy I think four ingredients are needed:
• care,
• commitment,
• enlightened self-interest (I could go on about Adam Smith on this), and
• love,
• is it right to measure the success of a community through:
• income,
• crime stats,
• cultural expressions,
• recreation stats,
• number of faith communities,
• number of civic groups,
• charitable donations,
• life expectancy,
• employment rate,
• post-secondary education,
• emergency room visits,
• population and building densities,
• commercial and industrial activity,
• building permits issued,
• food back usage,
• social agency stats and
• more,
• when:
• the success of a community depends on all of these in relation to one another?
• we try to be logical with the OCP but living in relationships such a family, friends, and towns like Kindersley is often irrational

Well, these are some of my thoughts

Quick OCP Note

This OCP is not designed to last 20 to 25 years. Given the growth that is anticipated the OCP is designed until our population reaches around 9,000. We feel this is more responsible because we don't know the extent of the change growth will cause and its unintended consequences.

The Official Commnity Plan Draft: Goals

The planning goals for the Town of Kindersley are as follows:

(1) To support economic development and growth as a means of enhancing the quality of life of the residents of Kindersley.

(2) To direct the development and growth of Kindersley in a manner that is sustainable, consistent with the values of the community, orderly and cost-efficient.

(3) To promote and encourage innovative and sustainable development within the community.

(4) To encourage housing development in a variety of forms and locations to address the diverse needs of residents specifically including issues of housing affordability.

(5) To encourage the provision of an adequate supply of developable land to meet existing and future market demands for residential, commercial and industrial uses.

(6) To promote and encourage an attractive and thriving downtown and a safe and aesthetically pleasing highway commercial corridor.

(7) To facilitate a safe and up-to-date transportation network including pedestrian and cycling linkages.

(8) To ensure that the Town’s current and future infrastructure requirements are planned and developed in a manner which facilitates growth in an environmentally and financially sustainable manner.

(9) To ensure that land use planning is fully integrated with the Town’s long term strategic, financial, infrastructure, transportation, and asset management planning initiatives.

(10) To market and promote the Town of Kindersley as the regional destination of choice for commercial and industrial development, tourism and culture, education, health care, and community services.

(11) To protect natural resources and environmentally sensitive areas for the benefit of current and future generations.

(12) To encourage healthy active lifestyles among Town residents.

(13) To work with other local and senior governments to strengthen regional partnerships and initiatives.

(14) To ensure that the Town maintains its commitment to an open, consultative and transparent planning and decision making process.

(15) To support and complement the Statements of Provincial Interest Regulations in the realization of the goals and objectives of this plan.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.

The Official Community Plan Draft

This is the beginning of a series of posts that share the draft provisions of Kindersley's new Official Community Plan. This has been a long process for the Town. At our last meeting the Planner met with Council for about an hour and a half and went through the plan and then he responded to our questions.

The questions ranged from the use of C-Cans which will be allowed in the industrial area but not residential or commercial areas (pending). We discussed making residential units in the downtown area above commercial units permitted uses rather than discretionary. One of our conversations has been about increasing density downtown ensuring that it remains vital and dynamic.

The series will finish December 4th with the posting of Implementation. If you have any questions please email me.