City council has made the correct decision in delaying approval of a smart growth option, which has been primarily driven by administration.
I reported to this newspaper back in January that I had reviewed smart growth projects in the United States and where municipalities had adopted unilateral smart grown strategies, the results were very costly to the taxpayer principally because developers demanded that the municipality subsidize their development if the municipality set design guidelines for development. Our chamber of commerce heard a renowned export recommend serious review of all smart growth projects and that if they are proposed, these smart growth projects be accompanied by in-depth fiscal impact statements prior to approval. Our chamber has urged caution in the wholesale adoption of a smart growth program.
There are some positive factors about smart growth especially for older areas of the city going under redevelopment, which are best accomplished by a redevelopment plan accompanied by a stringent fiscal impact assessment. But even in this case, our administration can pick from the positive aspects of smart growth that fit the redevelopment proposal. Council should keep these factors in mind as they proceed.
I am also pleased that council supports the renaming of the Villeneuve Airport to the “St. Albert-Sturgeon Airport.” Whether we like it or not, Edmonton’s City Centre Airport will eventually close and as Malcolm Parker, St. Albert economic development advisory committee (SAEDAC) chair has told council, this closure will provide economic opportunity for St. Albert.
Sturgeon County will be reviewing a Villeneuve area structure plan in the near future and St. Albert should attend those hearings and review the long range plans to ensure that the approaches to existing runways and future runways are protected. My son is a commercial pilot and we have often landed at Villeneuve and have talked about the future potential of this airport to serve our industrial/commercial base.
Bob Russell, St. Albert
