Water Worries Don't Stop Town Plan

Over objections from environmentalists, a proposed new town west of Calgary took a major step forward Thursday after the Municipal District of Bighorn gave unanimous approval for developers to proceed with further plans for the former company town of Seebe.

The M.D.'s five-member council approved third reading of an area structure plan for the so-called Horseshoe Lands, located on the banks of the Bow River near Mount Yamnuska.

Although only one step in the process, "it certainly gives the developers more leverage," said Meghan Beveridge of the Bow Riverkeepers.

Water supply has been a major issue for the proposed development that would be home to 5,600 residents. Several environmental groups sent letters this week to the Bighorn council objecting to approval.

With a provincial moratorium on licences to withdraw water from the Bow, the developers will likely tap into a deep well drilled at nearby Exshaw.

"It appears this deep water aquifer is not connected to Bow, but they do not know that for sure. I think they are making decisions on a project-by-project basis, so that is unfortunate," Beveridge said.

But Dene Cooper, the Bighorn reeve, said the municipal district has forced major environmental changes from the developers' initial proposal. The developers now must come forward with concept plans, for each stage of development, which are subject to further scrutiny.

"There are about four major issues that still have to be worked through, including water," Cooper said.

Following the April public hearing, the M.D. outlined 27 major points of concern, including potential water sources and road access, which council wanted to see amended before third reading could proceed.

In all, 80 large and small changes have been made to the plan since second reading. Bighorn development planner Greg Birch said all of those points have been addressed to the administration's satisfaction.

Heather Wood MacFadyen, of the Bow Corridor Organization for Responsible Development, says the project should be halted pending a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) and water concerns.

"This development should not proceed until such time as a full EIA is carried out on the proposed Horseshoe Lands development project and the province has finalized and accepted objectives that define the required water quality of the Bow River," the organization wrote in a letter to the Bighorn council on Monday.

The entire council has been acclaimed for next month's municipal election, but Cooper says that did not embolden council to speed up approval.

A private developer, Moondance Land Co. Ltd., and a numbered Alberta company owned by the Stoney Nakoda Nation are proposing to develop the 245-hectare site at Seebe.

John Third, a spokesman for Moondance, said a concept plan for the first eight to 28 hectares will come forward to the M.D. council within six months. If approved, infrastructure and road work could begin next summer.

rremington@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2007