Rural Contributions to Community Building RM of Edenwold No. 158 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Rural Contributions to Community Building

RM of Edenwold No. 158

September 16, 2019

• Located just east of the City of Regina
• Population of about 4,750
• Home to the urban community of Emerald

Park

• Home to 20+ other residential, commercial

and industrial subdivisions

• Own and operate our own municipal water

system including wells, treatment and distribution

• Own and operate a sewer system and have

jointly constructed a wastewater treatment facility with the Town of White City

RM of Edenwold No. 158

Economic development and diversification P reserve lifestyles, communities, culture Efficient service delivery P romote regional growth Ensure safe, high-quality and compatible development

Challenges

• 1. How do we create opportunity for
• ur municipality and the region as a

whole?

• 2. How do we deliver services

effectively?

• 3. How do we attract investment and

development?

Challenges

4.

How do we ensure that development is of a high quality and compatible with existing or planned land uses?

5.

How do we promote our own growth without compromising a neighbouring community’s growth?

6.

How do we accommodate the unique diversity that exists within a rural municipality?

Additional Challenges for RMs

+ Accommodating some of the most

unappealing types of developments –

think dusty, noisy, smelly +Balancing the need for these types of

• perations with the nuisances and potential

impacts

• 1. Creating Opportunities

and attracting development

• Predictability in terms of development plans and

processes

• Availability of knowledgeable staff (i.e. Planners!)
• Educated, open-minded council
• Collaboration with neighbours on mutually

beneficial projects, including services (i.e. shared wastewater)

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• Develop infrastructure in a low-risk manner
• Protect ratepayers with performance

securities

• Incentives for cooperative, reliable

developers

• Ensure fees and levies are charged

appropriately

• Regional cooperation
• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• Developers install all services and infrastructure required for

their subdivision

• Fees are collected for capital projects before the projects are

needed or initiated

• Why?
• Low risk for the municipality and our citizens
• Avoids RM financing developers, and having to complete

unfinished projects on the taxpayer’s dollar

• Does not limit the municipality from developing

comprehensive infrastructure plans

• In all cases, municipal standards for infrastructure development

have to be met

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• In our experience, Servicing Agreement

negotiation is carried out most effectively when:

• Developers are made aware of their

infrastructure responsibilities early on in their process

• A clear and reasonable set of capital projects

and fees is provided and capital projects for which fees are being collected are relevant for their development area

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• Adopted new policy for Servicing Agreements in 2018
• The purpose of the policy is to:
• Define fees for infrastructure, facilities and services to be

charged to developers when subdividing

• Elaborate the method that will be used to calculate the fees
• Outline fee payment schedule based on a Developer

Classification System

• Define amount of security required based on the Developer

Classification System

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• 4 key elements:
• 1. Description of capital projects for which fees are

being collected

• 2. Detailed description of the developer classification

system, qualifications for each category

• 3. Explanation of how fees are collected (amount,

schedule) based on developer classification

• 4. Elaboration of performance security requirements

based on developer classification

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• 4 key elements:
• 1. Description of capital projects for which fees

are being collected

• First step: create a refined list of capital projects

in each infrastructure category

• Requires numerous iterations revised by Council,

municipal engineer, and administration

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• Pros for municipality:
• Provides disincentives to developers to leave any loose

ends or default on any elements

• Pros for developers:
• Provides clarity with respect to fees, payment schedules
• Provides incentives to meet all requirements and to carry
• ut all tasks in accordance with agreed-upon timelines
• Policy will be amended this winter with updated project list
• 2. Efficient Service Delivery

• 3. Attracting Investment

• Strong strategic planning documents to show the

municipality’s vision, goals and plans

• Present united front with neighbours on projects of

mutual interest

• Offer flexibility to accommodate a wide variety of land

uses because of the municipality’s large size and diversity

• Economic development initiatives (i.e. tax

incentives)

• 3. Attracting Investment and Development

• There are 4 categories for tax exemptions:

1) Commercial/industrial/community

service/recreational developments

2) Infill residential 3) Multi-family residential (specific locations

• nly)

4) New residential lands

• 3. Attracting Investment and Development

• Taxes are exempted based on the following

schedule:

• Year 1: 100%
• Year 2: 100%
• Year 3: 50%
• Exemptions are only for new buildings
• There are a number of criteria that have to be met in
• rder to obtain an exemption
• 3. Attracting Investment and Development

• 4. Compatibility and Quality of

Development

• Comprehensive and tailored land use

policies

• Specific policies for land uses that may

cause considerable nuisances

• Going beyond advertising requirements in

the Planning and Development Act

• Devote time and resources to enforcement
• 4. Compatibility and Quality of Development

• Aggregate extraction (gravel, sand) has to accommodated

as per Statements of Provincial Interest

• Can be beneficial for everyone when done properly
• Nuisances are unavoidable
• Gravel pit proposal sees some opposition from the local

community in almost all case

• SARM has produced guidelines to help RMs manage the

development process

• 4. Compatibility and Quality of Development

Draft ZB and OCP propose two options for how gravel pit

developments can proceed:

1.

Re-zone to “EHI - Extractive and Heavy Industrial Zone”

• Permanent gravel site with all related operations
• Identified on the Future Land Use and Zoning Maps
• Limited ability to apply conditions other than what is already

addressed through OCP , ZB and Aggregate Extraction Policy

2.

Pursue a discretionary use permit under the AR - Agricultural Resource District Zoning

• Permits for up to 10 years only
• Clearly identified on the Future Land Use and Zoning Maps
• Council has ability to apply wide variety of conditions on an

approval

• 4. Compatibility and Quality of Development

• 5. Regional Growth

• Work with developers to create a unique or niche

product

• Communicate effectively and openly with the

members of our communities and neighbouring jurisdictions

• Collaborate with neighbours on mutually-

beneficial projects

• Embrace codependence between rural areas

and urban areas need each other and benefit from each other

• 5. Regional Growth

• A Municipal District is formed by joining together a

rural municipality (or municipalities) and an urban municipality (or municipalities) as partners to create a new municipal structure together, covering both former territories

• In order to promote growth within the East Regina

region and foster increased collaboration amongst neighbours, the RM of Edenwold and the Village of Edenwold have initiated the process of exploring a Municipal District governance model together

• 5. Regional Growth

• 6. Managing Diversity

• Land use policies are critical
• Community engagement while developing

strategic planning documents

• Going beyond minimum advertising

requirements in the Planning and Development Act

• Lean on experts and experienced colleagues to

know what to expect with certain types of development

• 6. Managing Diversity

Takeaways

• Several tools exist through planning and

municipal legislation that can standardize and strengthen municipal planning processes

• Diversity of uses is a challenge, but also an
• pportunity
• Rural municipalities are a critical part of

regional growth and development

• Urban and rural growth can be complimentary

and mutually beneficial

Thank you!

Office contact information: rm158@sasktel.net 306-771-2522 100 Hutchence Road, Emerald Park

Questions/Discussion