Fairly or not, there have been two nagging perceptions about St. Albert city councils: they’re business-unfriendly and they take forever to make a decision.
On Monday evening this council took a major step towards erasing both those perceptions by voting first to proceed with industrial development in an area in the west section of the city and then immediately afterwards voting to initiate annexation proceedings.
Maybe the reminder from Mayor Nolan Crouse that “tonight is not D-Day” gave the councillors the courage to make a decision on the land, one step towards avoiding another years-long debate like the city suffered through with Ray Gibbon Drive.
As Coun. Malcolm Parker said, this has been a “hot topic” since 2007 so it was time to move ahead and send the signal that council recognizes that economic development is of the highest priority. St. Albert will likely always be a bedroom community but it will still need the financial benefits of light industrial developments to avoid increasingly higher residential taxes that would seriously hinder any efforts to provide low-cost housing that’s so desperately needed.
The vote to move towards zoning 700 acres of land in the west of the city, north of Meadowview Drive, was a difficult and emotional one. Coun. Wes Brodhead said he lost sleep agonizing over the decision, as it goes against the wishes of landowners who were told when their land was annexed years ago that it was needed for residential growth, and the decision may derail the plans of Sobeys to build in that area.
However, it was the right decision, and one that showed council can be decisive and that it is interested in attracting light industrial development. The location is key. Its proximity to Ray Gibbon Drive, the Villeneuve Airport, and rail access make this attractive for light industrial development. Don’t be thinking smokestacks – that’s not going to happen in St. Albert.
The 5-2 council vote is probably indicative of the feeling in the city. There are some opposed to industrial development of any kind, but most recognize that controlled industrial growth is necessary for a variety of reasons.
The decision doesn’t mean we’re going to see the construction of warehouses begin in the near future. There’s still a long process ahead and a number of major questions that need answering, including how will the area be serviced, who will pay for that and how will the city go about marketing the lands?
A solid marketing strategy is essential to ensure the 700 acres don’t sit vacant for years. With Edmonton’s industrial development bumping the city’s boundaries, an aggressive marketing strategy will be imperative to attract industries.
Feeling decisive and perhaps having a huge weight off their shoulders, council then voted to initiate annexation of lands for industrial purposes. Coun. Len Bracko said during debate that if zoning the west lands industrial doesn’t work out they can always change it to residential. Let’s hope council stands firm on Monday’s decision and doesn’t rely on a cop-out plan.
