HARVIE HEIGHTS – A high level guiding document for new regulations on land use planning in Harvie Heights is one step closer to being approved.
A public hearing was held Dec. 17 at a special council meeting on the proposed area redevelopment plan (ARP), which had four people provide feedback to council on the plan. Council could consider second reading at its February meeting.
Bighorn Reeve Lisa Rosvold highlighted the lengthy consultation with residents and businesses, with the plan establishing a framework for future land use planning in the hamlet.
“The plan has been prepared to address the concerns of the Harvie Heights community for future redevelopment including local business owners and residents,” she said. “With this plan, the community has a redevelopment framework specifically tailored to the hamlet that will assist the MD in reviewing land use applications within the planned area while providing clear direction for hamlet residents, businesses and all applicants with respect for future redevelopment.”
In a submitted letter, the Harvie Heights Community Association (HHCA) expressed support for the plan, stating it was “generally pleased with the draft ARP.”
“The HHCA is very pleased that the community voices have been heard,” stated community association president Howard Hepburn that open spaces and community recreation are proposed to be changed to natural and protected areas.
He wrote the association’s preference was for the Harvie Heights entrance sign to remain in the existing spot since relocating it could impact drivers’ vision and “impede the views of residents on [Blue Jay Drive].”
“The HHCA is very pleased that the entry treatment strategy, which the community presented as a result of input from the contest for ideas, was largely adopted for the ARP,” Hepburn wrote.
Before the ARP returns for council consideration at second reading, the plan will amend text and conceptual design to have the sign remain at its existing location.
“We think it’ll make a big difference to the community in terms of peace and quiet for residents and also visitors with less confusion, so there’ll be good direction with better signage to enhance the visitor experience and that goes along with the paved bike path,” said Hepburn at the hearing. “That’s really of benefit.”
Wayne Shanks, a planning consultant for the MD and lead on developing the ARP, told council there will be some amendments needed for Bighorn’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP), which is undergoing a review and anticipated to return to council in May or June.
Shanks said amendments to the MDP coming from the ARP “is not going to be a problem.”
He said council could incorporate changes to the MDP from the ARP separately or have it done at the same time when the MDP returns to council.
The ARP was included in council’s 2023 budget, with work proceeding throughout 2024.
It intended to “provide a framework for how highway commercial areas could redevelop in the future, while respecting the thoughtful integration of commercial areas with the existing residential portion of the hamlet.”
The municipality issued a request for proposals for the ARP in August, 2023, which included a hydrogeological report, reports on stormwater management, water and wastewater and traffic. The commercial design guidelines were also to be reviewed as well as a “recommended entry treatment strategy for Blue Jay Drive.”
Council selected Invistec Consulting Inc. at its October, 2023 meeting – with $50,000 in funding from the province and $50,000 from the municipality – and public engagement starting last February. A background survey was mailed out to 235 residents and business owners, with more than 40 people attending an open house in February.
Additional stakeholders were engaged last March, which included the Bow Valley Builders and Developers Association, the province, the Town of Canmore and commercial property owners. A What We Heard report was released last March.
A second open house took place in May, followed by a second What We Heard report in July. Stakeholders were able to provide feedback in May and June, with a final draft and supporting studies submitted to internal Bighorn departments and external agencies before coming back to council.
Areas of concern expressed by residents during engagement included transportation and wayfinding; open space being used for development; risk of wildlife; human-wildlife conflict; illegal parking on Harvie Heights Road; converting municipal water and sanitary sewer systems in the residential area; commercial properties not providing enough parking and pedestrian connections; short-term accommodation regulations and residents wanting public transit.
Residents also expressed concerns with site, building and landscape design of commercial developments, which have the ARP recommending commercial development follow design guidelines.
If the ARP is passed by council, Bighorn’s land use bylaw would need to be amended to take architectural guidelines out of the highway commercial district in the hamlet. The municipality will be undergoing a review of the land use bylaw in 2025.
The original subdivision for Harvie Heights was in 1951 – and named after John Harvie the then deputy minister of Lands and Forests – and there was no area structure plan. However, design guidelines were established for the highway commercial district.
“This longstanding gap in policy, along with several recent applications for the redevelopment of Harvie Heights’ commercial properties, became the catalysts for the Harvie Heights area redevelopment plan,” states the plan.
The plan noted the first 64 lots were offered in 1951 on 10-year leases for $25 a year, with 44 additional lots being made available later that year. Though intended to only be a summer cottage community, it would grow to 112 residential lots. Of those, 81 are for permanent residents and it has a population of about 163 people.
Canmore’s wastewater infrastructure was connected to Harvie Heights in 1988 and water supply reached the hamlet in 2005.
Harvie Heights is 30.09 hectares, with 21.40 hectares being private, 6.84 hectares municipal land and 1.85 hectares Crown land. It has a residential district, highway commercial district, and public service district.
The land use is 37.75 hectares, of which 12.13 hectares is for residential, 9.32 is for highway commercial, 7.67 is roadways and alleyways, natural and protected areas are 4.03 hectares and public utilities are 3.51 hectares. Open spaces comprise 1.10 hectares.
The MD of Bighorn comprises about 2,700 square kilometres, with much of it being uninhabited Crown land and wilderness area.
