Council releases priority list

The city's new priorities reflect both a continuation of action the city is already taking and a combination of ideas from the new council elected last October.

The priority list is a five-page document that outlines specific bullets under eight broad headings: economic development, land-use planning, safety and health, social, infrastructure, environment, council governance and 150th anniversary.

Each category has a stated goal and a list of priorities.

"I thought it was a good blend of the community's priorities and a good blend of councillor priorities," said Mayor Nolan Crouse.

The goal under the economic development heading is to diversify St. Albert's economy by increasing the number of businesses, visitors and investment.

More specifically, the city wants to actively pursue commercial and light industrial development, make a decision on the preferred location for a light industrial site and encourage the implementation of the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan.

Under land-use planning, the city wants to "support progress of undeveloped and infill areas" by deciding what to do with areas currently designated as future study areas.

The city also wants to remove all references to smart growth from any Municipal Development Plan policies and complete infill guidelines to integrate single and multi family development with existing neighbourhoods.

Council hopes to augment the safety and health of residents by completing a long-term policing plan, implementing neighbourhood development initiatives and developing a series of safety performance indicators.

Also under the health and safety heading is the physicians attraction task force that was established late last year.

Social priorities include the creation of community associations and the completion of three separate master plans — social, culture and recreation.

The social master plan is a pet project of Coun. Cathy Heron.

Like the city's environmental master plan, the plan will be an overarching document that will take a couple of years to complete.

"The fact that I thought it's valuable ... and it never left the list … I'm really proud that it's sitting there on our priority list so we're going to work on it," Heron said.

Infrastructure, environment, governance

Infrastructure priorities include securing provincial funding to finish stage three of Ray Gibbon Drive, completing phase two of the Riel Park construction and undertaking a handibus trial for return medical trips to Edmonton.

The Sturgeon River sits prominently on the environmental priority list. Also included are advocating development of Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park and the installation of an air quality station.

Under council governance, the city intends to evaluate the need for a full-time council while practicing fiscal restraint.

Rounding out the goals is to deliver exceptional yearlong celebration activities for St. Albert's 150th.

Fewer specifics

The priorities aren't as specific as in years past, Crouse noted. One reason for this shift is there's no large capital project for council to "sink its teeth into," he said.

"I don't look at it as a starting point. It's a continual evolution of change and of shifting," he said.

He also noted the priorities will continue with many of the initiatives the last council started rather than changing them as some might have expected in a post-election environment.

"We didn't do any abrupt changes. There was nothing that got derailed or cancelled," Crouse said. "It's on with business."

The list may look long and exhaustive to outsiders, but not to members of council, Heron said.

"A resident would look at them and think that's a lot of stuff to work on but for us it's not very many. We had lists that were much longer," Heron said. "This is a very concise list that we absolutely can work towards."

"I think we've got seven people who are going to have those posted in front of their computers so they see them every day and are going to work towards achieving them," she added.

"I'm really excited about them."

The priorities are available for viewing on the city's website at http://www.stalbert.ca.