The Town of Olds is in the process of reviewing its Municipal Development Plan and its Land Use Bylaw.
James Crozier, The Town’s Manager of Planning and Infrastructure, points out that the current L-U-B was passed in 2001 and it has had hundreds of amendments to date, so it is time for a refresh. He says “the MDP is the Municipal Development plan. It is the overarching document that kind of lays out what future growth in town looks like. The LUB or the Land Use Bylaw is the document that basically tells people what they are or are not allowed do on their property in town.”
Crozier adds, a special council meeting was held on Monday in the Werklund Centre at Olds College to conduct a joint public hearing for the amendment to the MDP and the new LUB. He says “I believe there was about 50 people or so in attendance and about 20 people stood up and expressed their opinions on the draft to council. Council then takes all of those comments in consideration and uses those to help form their opinions as far as passing the bylaw or making amendments and changes to the bylaw prior to passing it.”
He notes that the draft bylaw is intended to return to Olds council for second and possibly third reading on September 22nd. According to Crozier, the Town continues to reiterate that the Land Use Bylaw is a living document. He says “so once it passes it doesn’t mean everything is written in stone. We are always looking to hear feedback from people in town as to what changes they would like to see or what can be done better. Yeah, it is always open to change and grow over time so this isn’t necessarily the end of the process.”
