Now that the Municipal District of Bighorn’s municipal development plan (MDP) has been completed, council is sending a draft plan to the public for comment.
Two public hearings have been set for the draft MDP, a long-term plan that guides planning, growth and development in the municipality, for Beaupre Hall along Highway 40 North on Oct. 3 and the MD council chambers in Exshaw on Oct. 4.
Both hearings will run from 7-9 p.m.
Bighorn council approved first reading of the MDP on Aug. 14 during a regular council meeting and set the public hearings for fall.
The MDP Review Steering committee began developing the draft plan after the MD held four open houses held in June of 2011.
According to Bighorn Reeve Dene Cooper, the MDP considers the overarching structure or philosophy of the municipality, as opposed of specific details, which is the purpose of the Land Use Bylaw.
“The committees have worked with this, I believe very successfully, and I’m personally grateful to all of the steering committees. They really did work hard and I think they did well. Council is not saying the document is finished. Council is saying the document is now ready for public consultation.
“It contains the things we heard up to this point but it is not finished. Now is the time the public should read it and should come alongside of it and should make known their view, either as an individual or a group of individuals,” Cooper said.
Cooper said it is important for residents to look at the plan to ensure it adequately represents their interests over the next five years.
Typically, an MDP is reviewed every five years.
“It has a horizon of five years and a potential horizon of 10, but not more than that,” he said.
The MDP considers general policies, including natural environment; transfer of development credit; open spaces, community recreation and culture; and infrastructure services.
It also considers future land use strategies, such as hamlets, tourism, industry and natural and protected areas and plan implementation policies, along with issues and challenges in the MD and the MD’s vision and guiding principles.
“(The MDP) will define our sense of communities within the MD for enough time that it is important because things will be interpreted within that philosophy,” he said.
The draft MDP can be found on the MD’s website at www.mdbighorn.ca
