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The Town of High River has launched a two year monitoring program to measure the success of the innovative new Land Use Bylaw that was adopted by council in April 2017.

"The new bylaw is a shift from traditional land use planning, where everything is based on the segregation of land uses with a particular focus on low density development," said Khalid Mohammed, manager of planning and development services with the Town. "The new bylaw focuses on more efficient use of land and resources through higher density and mixed use development based on smart growth principles."

The underpinnings of the new Land Use Bylaw are: less regulation, not more; a user friendly, web-based, interactive system; simpler language and processes; creation of a resilient community by supporting growth and development within an environment that removes barriers and maximizes the opportunities for success. 

"It is very important that we evaluate the bylaw's effectiveness," adds Mohammed. "Our intent is to encourage sustainable and high quality development in our community. Municipalities across the country, as well as the planning professional institutes, will be interested in our results." 

The monitoring program will evaluate the following metrics for achieving predetermined targets: customer service and understanding of the bylaw; consistency of decisions; tracking infill development; mixing of land uses; innovation, quality and creativity of development projects; processing timelines; and economic impact on the community.

The planning department will be engaging with a variety of audiences to assist in the monitoring process, and identify any elements of the bylaw that may need further review or revision. These audiences will include High River residents, the development community, the business community, realtors, consulting firms, Town staff and council. 

Data will be collected through focus groups, surveys, stakeholder interviews, staff observations and comments from applicants.

The two year monitoring program will run from October 2017 until October 2019. A final report will be presented to council on the study's findings, as well as any recommended changes to the Land Use Bylaw. Interim reports may also be presented to council throughout the process to address any time sensitive elements of the bylaw.

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Attendees of the Seniors Day event on October 1 at Sunrise Village got the chance to try out the community's new Trio-Bikes and learn about High River's Cycling Without Age program.

The Town of High River, like many municipalities, is engaged in an ongoing beaver management program to control beavers that are posing a risk to municipal infrastructure and private property.

Beavers present a range of challenges to municipalities including flooding of public and private property through the damming of storm water retention ponds and river canals, as well as the removal of large numbers of trees.

Beavers are only controlled in areas where they have been deemed a risk to Town infrastructure or private property.

Unfortunately, relocation of beavers to another area is not an option, as there is nowhere for them to be released.

The Town has hired a certified trapper that uses a variety of humane methods to remove beavers from town. The trapper has over 25 years' of experience and the safety of the public is their main priority while working within Town limits. If a firearm or other weapon is to be used for hunting, the RCMP is notified and all necessary restrictions are followed and precautions taken. 

Beavers may be hunted and trapped, without a license, during all seasons in Alberta.

The Town of High River has many natural areas that are attractive to both people and animals. 

The Town understands that residents will have a range of views on this issue. Beavers are only removed in areas that they are posing a risk and using humane methods by a professional trapper.

The Town of High River has obtained the necessary regulatory and landowner approvals to begin construction on the southern section of the "5 Street Dike." 

This project is required to increase the natural flood mitigation protection this area already has to meet the Town's design standard. Once complete, this dike will provide protection to the river flows experienced during the 2013 flood, plus one additional vertical metre.

The dike will be constructed west of 5 Street along the Highwood River, north of the Little Bow Canal to 498 Avenue. This project will also include riverbank armouring along sections of the river.

Construction was awarded to Devcon Inc. through a public tender and work will begin on October 10. Crews will be working intermittently throughout the winter. Work on the northern section will begin in the spring pending water act approvals.

Total project completion is anticipated for summer of 2018.

Funding for this project comes from several Government of Alberta sources including the Flood Recovery Erosion Control Program and a Special Flood Mitigation Grant from Alberta Environment and Parks.

Drivers are asked to use caution, obey construction signage and watch for increased truck and equipment traffic in the area. 

Updates on this project will be posted to the major project map at www.highriver.ca 

Submitted by Our High River

Our High River is excited to release the community's feedback from the "Vital Focus: The Community's Voice on Business and Economy" survey. When the Vital Signs report was released in 2016 it revealed citizen priorities for High River, one of which focused on improving local employment opportunities and business diversity. 

To get a better look at what was required to move this priority forward we took a more focused approach and sought additional information from residents and business owners. The response was awesome! We heard from 627 people (which included over 190 of local business owners) who provided their feedback on our local economy and business.

To view the report online visit www.highriver.ca/vital-signs . If you have any questions please contact Kalie Mosig at 403-603-3560.

Vital Signs® is a community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada that measures the vitality of our communities and identifies significant trends in a range of areas critical to quality of life.