Coaldale Town Council Adopts Area Structure Plan Bylaw and Rezoning Bylaw on March 28, 2023. (Photo: Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn)

By Sarah Jones

Coaldale approves new residential subdivision near Land-o-Lakes Golf and Country Club

Mar 30, 2023 | 12:26 PM

COALDALE, AB – Following a year-long engagement process, the Coaldale Town Council has voted to approve a new residential subdivision.

On March 28, 2023, the town adopted an Area Structure Plan Bylaw and Rezoning Bylaw that would allow for additional homes to be built on the northern boundary of Land-O-Lakes Golf and Country Club.

The decision did not come easy for council, as a public hearing for the project began with an open house in March 2022 that allowed residents to vocalize their opinions of the plan.

Feedback received led to a first reading of the Bylaw in July 2022, during which Council provided the developer with a significant list of changes to the proposal in line with what they had heard from the community.

Additional developer engagement included another community meeting in February 2023, with the final public meeting taking place prior to the adoption in March.

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Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn expressed his content as council finalized the details of the project.

“One of the things we’re really proud of with this project is that we really went over and above when it comes to community engagement during this planning process,” said Van Rijn.

He went on, “Typically, municipalities follow a pretty modest and minimalist approach to engagement on these types of issues, but we wanted to make sure we took community feedback to the next level. Engagement with the community multiple times throughout the plan development process means the plan far better reflects what the community wants to see, and so we’re proud of the work that went into listening to residents and how their feedback is reflected in the plan that was ultimately adopted.”

Cameron Mills, Director of Growth and Investment for the Town of Coaldale, explained that while it’s not easy to please everyone, the changes that have taken place over the past year to accommodate all needs have been significant.

“When you look at Coaldale’s residential growth over the last four years, what you’ll find is that we’ve been in a relatively slow but stable pattern,” said Mills. “That’s not a bad thing, but when you compare that to our commercial and industrial growth, which has been really explosive during the same period, you realize it’s likely something that needs to be addressed.”

Mills continued, “Investors recognize Coaldale as an incredibly competitive and attractive market in the region – that’s why we’ve outpaced other communities in terms of non-residential growth. But this new development should help us ensure those new businesses have local access to the labor force they need as they continue to grow here in town.”

The neighborhood is expected to be built relatively soon, with work starting immediately on a detailed infrastructure design.

Those that are interested in learning more about the new subdivision are encouraged to reach out to the Town of Coaldale online.

Read more at LethbridgeNewsNow.