A stretch of Coal Mine Road will be closed indefinitely in order to spur development in the annexed lands.
During a lengthy public hearing on the Erin Ridge North area structure plan (ASP), council was told if the northeast portion of the road wasn’t closed, Landrex Developments would not be able to install new water and sewer to service the annexed lands.
As a result, council voted to close the road in stages as other future roads in the area are constructed.
“Whatever happens with this particular area, a portion of Coal Mine Road would have to be closed anyway in order for development to proceed. By that time, people would have found alternative routes anyhow,” said Coun. Lorie Garritty. “This particular development is the ideal development for St. Albert. It’s great to start to open up the annexed lands that we have.”
The 129 hectares in the ASP, which up until last year had been called Hunter Ridge, will accommodate around 3,000 residents, and includes predominately multi-family and low-density housing, commercial space along St. Albert Trail, churches and a proposed school.
Previous versions of Hunter Ridge pre-date St. Albert’s 2007 annexation of 1,336 hectares from Sturgeon County. The plan has been adjusted numerous times since to accommodate city administration, public and council feedback.
Until Monday night, only one matter remained outstanding — the partial closure of Coal Mine Road, which drew a small crowd of people both in favour and against the closure.
According to Patrick Shaver, project manager for Landrex Developments, a partial closure of Coal Mine Road is necessary in order to install underground water and sewer extensions that would accommodate the lands.
The developer would rather turn the former road into a trail than re-build the road, he added.
The city, however, advised council to keep the road open between Range Road 253 and St. Albert Trail until the future northeast sector arterial road is developed, possibly 20 to 25 years from now.
Since the public hearing opened in late October, city administration met with Landrex and ISL Engineering to find a compromise to the road closure issue, however no agreements could be reached.
Further traffic studies found an average of 2,000 cars a day travel on the road — 60 per cent of which originates from Erin Ridge.
Shaver said if Coal Mine Road was closed there would still be connections from Erin Ridge to Erin Ridge North. It was always Landrex’s plan to integrate the new community with the existing one.
“There is no need for Coal Mine Road. Traffic goes around the neighbourhood, not through the middle to make a connection for the county,” said Shaver, who stressed the importance of getting the ASP approved in order to spur residential and commercial development next year — a priority for council.
“We’ve had a number of businesses, from service stations to retailers, that are very interested in the area, but we cannot move any further right now until we have an approved ASP.”
Council gave first reading to the ASP, but is still waiting for input from the Capital Region Board, along with the fiscal impact analysis. Sturgeon County has given the plan its support, after initially raising numerous concerns.
Erin Ridge North is the first ASP to be brought before council since 2007.
The public hearing will resume on Jan. 11 at 5 p.m.
