TOWN OF LACOMBE
BYLAW 280.1

WHEREAS notice of intention of Council to pass this Bylaw has been published in the Lacombe Globe on April 9, 2002 and April 16, 2002; and

WHEREAS a Public Hearing was held on Monday, April 22, 2002 to allow the general public to provide input into the proposed amendments to the Plan;

NOW THEREFORE the Municipal Council of the Town of Lacombe, in the Province of Alberta, under the authority and pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Government Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. M-26, enacts as follows:

1. Amend Section 2.6 Purpose by adding a new clause 2.6.2 that reads as follows:

"The Town of Lacombe recognizes the importance of the natural environment for maintaining a high quality of life, and will emphasize that integration and preservation of the natural ecosystems identified in the Natural Spaces Management Plan are to be incorporated into the West Area Structure Plan by ensuring that any proposal for the subdivision and/or development of Rank 2 or Rank 3 lands seeks to implement the vision and recommendations of the Natural Spaces Management Plan.  In this plan "Conservation Features" shall mean the lands inventoried, evaluated, and categorized by the Natural Spaces Management Plan and identified on Figure 3 and that consists of the following classifications:

a)  "Rank 2 lands" are defined as natural sites that have the potential to remain sustainable within the urban environment and are significant to the community because of their size or features and are considered to have:

(i) low to moderate species and habitat diversity consisting of common species but low to moderate probability of rare species within the habitat, and

(ii) low to moderate connectivity to ecosystems across the landscape and function as a linkage between other significant natural areas the site, and

(iii) some ecosystem fragmentation and low to moderate potential for natural sustainability, and

(iv) can withstand various degrees of human use and disturbance.

b)  "Rank 3 lands" are defined as natural sites that are undisturbed or relatively undisturbed sites with natural features being of value to society and have ecosystems worth protecting as these areas have a high potential to remain sustainable within the urban environment and are significant to the community because of their size or features and are considered to have:

(i) high species and habitat diversity consisting of common species but a high probability of rare species within the habitat, and

(ii) high connectivity to ecosystems across the landscape and the habitat provides for all or significant components of life cycle stages and functions as a major destination linkage between other significant natural areas, and

(iii) no ecosystem fragmentation and high potential for natural sustainability, and

(iv) due to the environmentally sensitive features are susceptible to further disturbance.

c)  Any words or expressions used in the above descriptions to have the meanings assigned to them as listed in Table 2.1 of the Natural Spaces Management Plan. 

2. Section 3.1 Significant Features, clause 3.1.2 is amended by adding after the last sentence the following words:

, as the wet meadow feature in this plan area is unique on the Lacombe landscape and is sensitive to disturbance, specifically alteration of the natural drainage patterns.  The conservation of the natural features within the Plan area, as identified in Appendix A of the "Natural Spaces Management Plan", and the protection of the existing wildlife corridor that enhances interconnectivity of natural spaces within the Whelp Creek system of low lands and escarpments.

3. Amend clause 3.1.3 by deleting the following words:

   in the form of environmental reserve dedication and the Town may impose a development setback requirements.

   and substitute with the following:

   a 15 metre wide environmental reserve strip and where site topography contains unstable or steep slopes additional environmental reserve may be required.  The Town may impose a development setback to protect the upland forest areas that may be contained on future residential or commercial lots.

4. Section 4.2 Landscape Conservation, clause 4.2.1 is amended by inserting after the words "Whelp Creek" in the last sentence the following words: 

   or any road works that propose to cross Whelp Creek

5. Clause 4.3.4 is deleted and substituted with the following words: 
   
   The majority of residential expansion will occur in the central area in the W ½ of Section 25, with residential development occurring between Whelp Creek and the escarpment to the east.  This central area contains approximately 26.52 hectares (65.53 acres) of land that is suitable for fully serviced urban residential development. These future residential areas can accommodate approximately 106 dwellings or 339 people, based upon 4 dwelling units per gross developable hectacre.

6. Clause 4.3.5 is deleted and substituted with the following words: 
   
   In the northwest corner of the plan area, the area west of Whelp Creek and to the east along the County grid road, or the extension of Woodland Drive there is another 12.5 hectares (30 acres) available for Highway Commercial development.

7. Clause 5.6.6 is amended by adding to the end of the clause the following words:

The Town will require an additional 10 m buffer strip adjacent to the Woodland Drive right-of-way and the Environmental Open Space area to act as a transitional ecosystem.

8. Substitute the revised Figure 3, which is attached and labeled Attachment 'A' and shall form part of this Bylaw.

9. This Bylaw shall come into effect upon final passage thereof.

INTRODUCED AND GIVEN FIRST READING this 25th day of March, A.D. 2002.