The document summarizes a presentation about developing a Growth Management Strategy (GMS) for the Town of High River. The GMS will provide a roadmap for sustainable growth over the next 30 years, focusing on increasing density targets and reducing costs and environmental impacts. It discusses moving to more compact, mixed-use development compared to conventional suburban sprawl, and highlights the financial and safety benefits of higher density development. Community feedback will be gathered early in the GMS development process.

1. G rowth M anagement S trategy TOWN OF HIGH RIVER December 7, 2011

2. Introduction Fazeel Elahi, Current Planner Town of High River Planning Project Team Khalid Mohammed, Project Lead Policy Planner Ian Fawcett, Senior Policy Planner Approximate presentation time: 30 minutes

3. What is the purpose of this meeting? Provide information about the development of the Growth Management Strategy (GMS), process and timeline. Highlight some of the issues the GMS will deal with. Provide an opportunity to share expertise and knowledge regarding growth issues. Encourage comments, feedback and questions early in the process.

4. Presentation Outline What is a GMS? Why does High River need a GMS? What will the GMS contain? Cost of Growth Different forms of growth. Smart growth and Sustainability. Prospects of higher density. Project timeline.

5. 2. Why have a (GMS) ? New development to be compact, mixed-use, walkable and connected. The GMS is part 2 of the Town Plan . The Calgary Metropolitan Plan (CMP) requires: Alberta Land Stewardship Act requires planning for the long-term. Minimum 25% of new development to be in existing developed areas (infill). Increased densities for all new development. Integration of transit infrastructure . 1. What is a ‘Growth Management Strategy’? It is a roadmap of how the town will grow . 30 years growth and addresses servicing. The north annexation .

6. 3. What will the GMS Contain? The GMS will focus on the north annexation area. The GMS will also contain policies that relate to undeveloped land. It will illustrate how future growth can be more sustainable by: Reducing ecological footprint. Reducing auto-dependency. Producing housing choices to suit all income levels and an aging population. Promoting pedestrian friendliness. Providing new employment opportunities.

7. What will the GMS Contain ? Cont’d.. Final document will show policies on: Demographic trends and forecasts. Distribution of major land uses. Municipal services. Other community services. Neighborhood services. Development patterns. Identify ASPs and OPs and required content. Planning for a range of new employment opportunities. Development phasing. The GMS implementation process.

8. North Annexation

9. Undeveloped Lands Within High River (Current Boundary)

10. 7. What is the Cost of Growth? Different forms and patterns of development affect capital, operating and replacement costs. Capital costs are: One-time expenses, which may be spread out over many years. Example: construction cost of new roads. Operating costs are: Recurring expenses related to the operation and maintenance of infrastructure and facilities. Replacement Costs are: Costs incurred when facilities and infrastructure has to be rebuilt or replaced.

11. City of Calgary completed a comparison study of two growth patterns: Cost of Growth Cont ‘d Key Findings Are: Land required for sustainable development pattern is 25% less. Cost to build sustainable development pattern is 33% less. Sustainable development pattern will result in a 55% cost savings for water and wastewater systems. Sustainable development pattern would be less expensive to maintain.

12. Comparison of capital cost for each growth pattern ($billions) -33% $9.6 $14 $23.6 Total -46% $0.2 $0.3 $0.5 Fire Stations -54% $3.0 $2.5 $5.5 Water and Wastewater -36% $6.4 $11.2 $17.6 Roads Construction Percentage Difference Sustainable Conventional Services

13. Annual Operating Cost for Each Growth Pattern Total Cost ($billions) -14% $0.13 $0.86 $0.99 Total -18% $0.05 $0.23 $0.28 Fire Stations -55% $0.30 $0.03 $0.06 Water and Wastewater -18% $0.04 $0.19 $0.23 Road Operations Percentage Difference Sustainable Conventional Services

14. Who Pays for Growth? What does a developer pay for new neighborhoods? What do municipalities pay for new neighborhoods ? Developers pay for the following infrastructure: Installation of: storm & sanitary sewers, landscaping, watermains and local roads Fire stations, police stations, arterial roads, recreation amenities, transit facilities, parks and libraries. The municipality assumes all operating and replacement costs, including: refuse collection, snow clearing, street cleaning, drainage, fire and police protection, libraries and parks and recreation facilities. Ongoing maintenance or repair and replacement of: storm & sanitary sewers, landscaping, watermains and local roads.

15. Who Pays For Growth Cont’d The conventional development subsidy will cost Calgary tax payers $400m over the next 5yrs ($80m per yr). Options to make up this deficit are: Raise property taxes. Find new sources of revenue. Reduce or eliminate some infrastructure. Reduce or eliminate services. Seek private capital partnerships.

16. 4. Different Forms of Growth Conventional Development Conventional vs . Sustainable Low density residential development Strip commercial development. Focus is on non-contiguous land development. Consumption of more land. Require more services. Automobile-dependent residential development Poor social and cultural networks.

17. Sustainability Defined Sustainability is the quality of a process or state allowing it to be maintained indefinitely. Only 47% of Canadians have heard of sustainability. 80% of Canadians rate sustainability as a top or high priority national goal. 85% agree we need stricter laws and regulations to protect the environment. 92% approve of mandatory standards. Most Canadians do not think individual actions will make a difference.

18. Sustainability Challenges Cheap plentiful resources (water, electricity, land, oil & gas). Social dream of SFD with white picket fence – this is demand. Development charges norm instead of full cost recovery. Short term, non--integrated fiscal planning cycle. Car dependent infrastructure. Provincial planning legislation encourages sprawl over infill.

19. Different Forms of Growth Cont’d…. Sustainable Development Growth is contained within and around existing urban centres. Development in sensitive environmental areas is discouraged. Reduce servicing needs. Incorporates “ Smart ” Growth Principles.

20. 5. What is “ Smart Growth ” ? Build complete communities. Compact development Urban Form. Create pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods. Create strong sense of place. Create a range of housing opportunities. Provide a variety of transportation choices. Encourage growth in existing neighborhoods and commercial nodes. Preserve environmental areas. Make development decisions that are cost effective. Encourage community engagement. The following are the key principles of ‘Smart Growth’?

21. Smart Growth Cont’d Higher Density? Cost of Growth ? Single-family homes on small lots Attached homes

22. What is Density? Residential density is: “ the number of dwelling units on a site expressed in units per gross acre…”

23. Why Consider Higher Density ? Town Plan requires it, as it is committed to ensuring that the town is developed sustainably. CMP requires that development of greenfields achieve 8-10 upga. High River MetroQuest study. Cost of growth.

24. High River Density Target New suburban development in High River has a residential density of 5 ~ upga . Future greenfield development should be at a density of 8-10 upga . The existing footprint will intensify by 25%. 5 upga, High River, AB 9 upga,

25. Density Targets in Other Municipalities Red Deer - between 8 and 10 units per gross acre. Lethbridge - 8 units per gross acre. Cochrane - 8 units per gross acre. Grand Prairie - 8 units per gross acre. Other municipalities in Alberta have proposed similar higher density: 8 upga, 10.5 upga,

26. 6. Prospects of Higher Density Alberta’s accident rate higher than the national average. Alberta has over 112,000 motor vehicle collisions every year. Cost of motor vehicle collisions in Alberta is 3.9 billion per year. Mitigation Measures include slowing down . Good street design reduces number of accidents. We would like to review the current road standards. 1. Public Safety 2. Urban Design and Public Safety

27. Segregated land use. Poor street connections. Trips between destinations use arterials roads. A conventional subdivision

28. Mix uses reduce trips. Interconnected grid Walkability A mixed use neighborhood

29. When You Think of Density … Crowding Monotony Too much asphalt and not enough green No privacy

30. Visualizing Density 8.9 UPGA 9.0 UPGA 10.6 UPGA

31. Visualizing Density Cont’d

32. Visualizing Density Cont’d

33. Visualizing Density Cont’d

34. Sustainable Urban Built-Form Home buyers preferences. LEED Canada for Neighborhood Development system (LEED ND).

35. What is a Healthy Community? … is one where a strong relationship is established between human health and the built environment , including, but not limited to, transportation, infrastructure, social planning, community design and the development of sustainable communities .

36. Economic and Health Impacts! Heart disease and stroke costs the Canadian economy more than $22.2 billion every year in physician services. $2.1 billion in Canadian health care costs are attributable to physical inactivity. 12% of Canadians walk or ride bikes to work, school, libraries, grocery stores (41% in Denmark, 46% in Holland). 60% of Canadians are overweight or obese. 32% of deaths due to cardiovascular disease - up to 80% can be mitigated by lifestyle changes.

37. Design Healthy Communities- Streetscape Design

40. Summary Key Questions! How do we develop healthier communities? 2. How to make it more attractive in new areas to develop in a more compact form? 3. How do we reduce the cost of new development?

41. It is not about panicking….

42. Rather basic, fundamental change…

43. 8. Project Timeline

45. Comments/Questions