Over the years, there has been a significant demand for country residential development in the Sturgeon Valley. Given changing lifestyles, this demand is likely to continue.
The Municipal Government Board in its recent decision acknowledges the demand for country residential development in the Sturgeon Valley while also recognizing the needs for planned growth and development which is sensitive to the natural environment and views of adjacent municipalities.
This document is an Area Structure Plan for the Sturgeon Valley and is also referred to as the "ASP" or "Plan." The ASP Bylaw consists of text and maps, and may, in the future, include amendments to reflect changing circumstances.
This ASP has been prepared based upon a community consultation program with residents and property owners in the Sturgeon Valley area in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Government Act.
The purpose of the Sturgeon Valley Area Structure Plan is to provide a plan for how the community envisions its future and how growth and development will take place within the context of that Community Vision. The ASP contains a vision statement, strategies, goals, objectives and policies to guide council, approving authorities, review agencies and the public in directing and managing growth and change within the Sturgeon Valley.
Sturgeon County Council has been mandated to prepare an Area Structure Plan (ASP) for the Sturgeon Valley area in accordance with Municipal Government Board Order #77/98 and consistent with the policies contained in the County’s Municipal Development Plan Bylaw 818/96.
The Area Structure Plan addresses questions of supply of and demand for country residential development and provides for the following matters:
The ASP sets forth, in general terms the proposed pattern of land use within the Sturgeon Valley Plan to the year 2020. While the ASP is meant to be a long range document, it is intended that regular monitoring, review and periodic amendments may be required for policies in the ASP to remain current with changing trends, technologies, and growth within the region.
It is intended that amendments maybe undertaken where it is deemed to be in the overall interests of the County and community and in keeping with the overall vision, goals and objectives of the ASP. Refer to Policy 6.11.4 – Plan Amendments.
A systemic review of the Plan should be undertaken every five years from the date on which the ASP comes into effect.
The Sturgeon Valley Area Structure Plan area covers approximately 5,060 hectares or 50.60 km2 (12,501 acres, or almost 20 sections) of land completely within Sturgeon County, just north of the corporate boundaries of the City of Edmonton and east of the corporate boundaries of the City of St. Albert (see Map 1.1 – Regional Context).
As shown on Map 1.2 – Plan Area, the Sturgeon Valley ASP area can be defined as follows:
Northern boundary Highway 37
Eastern boundary Highway 28
Western boundary Range Road 253 (1 mile east of Highway 2)
Southern boundary Corporate limits of City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert
Map 1.3 provides an air photo mosaic of the ASP area.
Map 1.4 – Land Ownership shows land ownership within the ASP area outside the multi-lot country residential subdivisions. Appendix A also contains an ownership list.
Map 1.5 – Regional Influences illustrates a number of regional influences that will impact upon future growth and development within the Sturgeon Valley area.
The population of metropolitan Edmonton is projected to grow from its existing 900,000 people to 1,179,000 by the year 2020. During the same period, the City of Edmonton’s population is projected to grow from its current 642,000 to 829,000 people. St. Albert’s population is currently 50,000 people. St. Albert can accommodate a residential population of 75,250 within its corporate limits. Given St. Albert’s current rate of growth, this reflects only an approximately 14 year supply of land for residential expansion, far less than the inventory recommended in St. Albert’s existing Municipal Development Plan. Sturgeon County’s population in 1996 was 15,945. Given the Sturgeon Valley’s proximity to Edmonton and St. Albert, there will likely be continued pressure for residential development and urban expansion.
Edmonton Garrison, located on the eastern edge of the Sturgeon Valley, has and will continue to have a major influence upon the ASP area. Edmonton Garrison currently has a staff complement of 5,000 and there is a potential that this figure could increase to 7,000 in coming years. Increased employment at Edmonton Garrison particularly impacts traffic levels on Highway 28 and Sturgeon Road.
The ASP area is surrounded by major highway and transportation corridors, notably Highways 2, 37, 28, and the Transportation and Utility Corridor (TUC). As population increases, improvements are planned to these major provincial highways. Accessibility will also bring pressures for increased commercial and industrial development. It is important to note that lands for commercial and industrial expansion within St. Albert are limited.
Work is currently underway on design of the southwest leg of the ring road around Edmonton located within the TUC. Work on the northwest leg of the ring road, which will be adjacent to the Sturgeon Valley, is a longer-term project (10 years plus). A number of roadway penetrators are planned to extend northward from the ring road at 112 Street, 127 Street (existing), and 142 Street. The 142 Street extension is contemplated to form part of a St. Albert east bypass route to connect the ring road with Highway 2. A conceptual alignment is shown on Map 1.5 – Regional Influences.
The preservation and management of environmentally sensitive areas across municipal boundaries is also a concern. It is important that Sturgeon County work together with the City of St. Albert to preserve and manage the Sturgeon River Valley as an important natural asset. Also, it should be noted that River Lot 56 is a Provincial Natural Area and a significant open space within the ASP area.