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

RM of Edenwold No. 158 • 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

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 our municipality and the region as a whole? 2. How do we deliver services effectively? 3. How do we attract investment and development?

Challenges How do we ensure that development is of 4. a high quality and compatible with existing or planned land uses? How do we promote our own growth 5. without compromising a neighbouring community’s growth? How do we accommodate the unique 6. 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 operations 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

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 out all tasks in accordance with agreed-upon timelines • Policy will be amended this winter with updated project list

3. Attracting Investment

3. Attracting Investment and Development • 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 only) 4) New residential lands

3. Attracting Investment and Development • Taxes are exempted based on the following schedule: o Year 1: 100% o Year 2: 100% o Year 3: 50% • Exemptions are only for new buildings • There are a number of criteria that have to be met in order to obtain an exemption

4. Compatibility and Quality of 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: Re-zone to “EHI - Extractive and Heavy Industrial Zone” 1. 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 Pursue a discretionary use permit under the AR - Agricultural 2. 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

5. Regional Growth

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

6. Managing Diversity

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

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 opportunity • Rural municipalities are a critical part of regional growth and development • Urban and rural growth can be complimentary and mutually beneficial

Questions/Discussion Thank you! Office contact information: rm158@sasktel.net 306-771-2522 100 Hutchence Road, Emerald Park