The Lamont County Council Chambers was filled with people on the evening of Monday, March 31, as land owners came between 5 and 8 p.m. to an information evening about two new proposed bylaws.



The two bylaws, the Off-Site Utility Potable Water Levy Bylaw 739-14, and the Off-Site Transportation Levy Bylaw 740.14 had their first readings at the Council Meeting on March 8. The public information meeting was intended to answer any questions or concerns of land owners in the affected area – the Industrial Heartland South Basin District, between Range Road 203 east to Highway 831 and North of Highway 15 to Township Road 560.

A common theme for the evening, and the message that Lamont County’s Planning Department wanted to spread, was that as industry develops in the South Basin area, it will contribute to the cost of road and potable water infrastructure through the off-site levy bylaws. There will be no effect on the farming and residential land owners (non-industrial land owners) in the basin as the off-site levies come into effect with sub-division or development for industrial purposes.

Other important information gained from the evening included the scope of the project; development is expected to take place over a 20-year time span. Some land owners inquired as to whether producers in the area would be able to tap into new water lines; they were told that while that could be a possibility, it would be at the land owner’s expense.

It was noted that the bylaws would add value to the land by making the area more desirable to industry, because of the promise of improved infrastructure.

The final readings of the bylaws are scheduled to take place at the May council meeting on May 6, 2014.
Anyone wishing for additional information about the proposed bylaws can contact Marie Kurylow, Director of Planning and Community Services, at 780-895-2233 ext. 220.