St. Albert residents should pay close attention to the story (Gazette, April 12) regarding a proposed residential development called Keys Cross, adjacent to Erin Ridge. If I were a resident (and I am), I would raise the following questions for our council and the developer:
1) How do we support the proposed 500 school-age children that will live in this development as there is no school site proposed?
2) Given that Bellerose Drive will need to take a good portion of the hundreds of additional cars each day from the development, how can it, and Boudreau Dr., handle the additional traffic without significant upgrades (and therefore cost) to the city?
3) Will the development include any commercial development to offset the additional costs incurred to St. Albert residents, as residential taxes do not pay for their own costs?
4) Will the roadways employ the same standards of boulevards that we have established throughout St. Albert which also ensure sidewalks remain free of snow and roads allow for side parking?
5) Will St. Albert receive the off-front levies that offset our long-term costs or will the County of Sturgeon receive those funds?
I would encourage every St. Albert resident to ask these questions with the eye to keeping taxes from getting even more out of hand.
Ken Klak, St. Albert
