Blackfalds annexation gains provincial approval
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Blackfalds has grown by just over 2,100 acres.
The province passed an Order in Council on Thursday approving the annexation of land to meet the town’s growth needs over the next 30 years.
The bulk of the annexation area extends the town’s northern and eastern boundaries as well as a portion of its northwest corner.
Town council sought the annexation to accommodate growth patterns that had far exceeded goals set in 1991, the last time an annexation was completed. Municipal officials at the time had felt the annexation would serve the town’s growth needs for 25 years.
Terry Engen, reeve of Lacombe County, said on Thursday that the two municipalities co-operated fully throughout negotiations, with the county offering its final approval last April.
From there, the proposal had to go through an approval process with the Municipal Government Board, which makes its final recommendations to the Legislature.
In setting terms of the annexation, county officials had to deal with a number of concerns from residents, mainly regarding worries that property taxes on farm land would rise once that land became part of the town, said Engen.
Through its negotiations with the town, county council was able to find a solution that eased most people’s concerns, he said.
“I think we stretched the bounds as far as we could like with the Municipal Government Board on maintaining taxes in the rural community for as long as we could. I think that helped some of our ratepayers. It wasn’t exactly what they wanted, but it was as best we could do.”
Engen said Lacombe County enjoys a strong working relationship with the Town of Blackfalds.
“We’re able to sit down and negotiate on different things. Certainly, I would say that it’s very amicable.”
Blackfalds mayor Melodie Stol was not available for comment on Thursday.
bkossowan@reddeeradvocate.com
