MDP | City of Chestermere

Roadmap to the Future

DROP IN PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE

Join the project team at a drop-in style open house to learn about the draft MDP and provide your feedback.

Date: Monday, January 20, 2025

Time: 5 – 7 p.m.

Location: Chestermere Recreation Centre (lobby)

ONLINE SURVEY

Complete the Round 2 online survey by January 24, 2025.

Take Survey

The City of Chestermere is updating its Municipal Development Plan (MDP) to ensure our community continues to grow in a sustainable manner. The new MDP will establish a vision for the City and guide future growth, land use and development, economic opportunities, public spaces, and infrastructure over the next 25 years. The vision and policies identified in the new MDP will provide direction and guidance for Chestermere’s tomorrow.

Why is this important?

Our community is evolving and so is the world around us, and so are our needs and aspirations. The current Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is nearly 10 years old and a lot has changed, so it’s time to reflect on where we are today and where we’d like to go.

The new MDP will tackle our City’s most pressing topics, including:

Housing availability
Infrastructure costs and maintenance
Managing our tax base and service delivery
Enabling cost-effective growth and development
Supporting the social needs of our community
Providing recreational opportunities
Seeking to continue the unique Chestermere identify
Economic development

The MDP update will include various opportunities for the community to participate and provide input. Learn more about how you can get involved below.

Project Timeline

The project timeline aligns with the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB)’s mandate for all municipalities to update their Municipal Development Plans by August 2025.

Planning Framework

MDP Considerations

The MDP update is a comprehensive and complex process that integrates a variety of inputs to shape our planning decisions, with the ultimate goal of creating a cohesive vision for our future.

What the City cannot control in developing the Municipal Development Plan!

The provincial government created the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board Regulation (Alberta Regulation 190/2017), which resulted in the forming of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Broad (CMRB) in 2018. The City of Chestermere falls within the CMRB boundaries and is required by law to obtain approval from the CMRB to the adoption of statutory documents, such as the Municipal Development Plan. Therefore, this document must be consistent with regional policy and must meet the CMRB’s Growth Plan, which outlines a range of infrastructure requirements and minimum density levels that must be achieved by the members of the CMRB. To find out more, click here: Calgary Metropolitan Region Board

Understanding regional density requirements

The rational for the region to establish minimal density levels is linked to creating fiscal resilient communities through capitalizing on key infrastructure, such as transportation, sanitary, water, parks, storm etc. where the majority of capital and operating costs is spent.

As a member of the Calgary Metropolitan Regional Board (CMRB), The City of Chestermere’s new MDP must align with the following statutory density requirements outlined the CMRB’s Growth Plan.

75% of new residential areas must include:

**Minimum Density *Units Per Hectare**

Example

Masterplan Communities

20 UPH

Lakeview Drive

Mixed Use Centre / Transit Oriented Development

37 UPH

Rainbow Falls Manor

Infill and Redevelopment

No minimum density requirements

No more than 25% of new residential areas are to include:

**Minimum Density *Units Per Hectare**

Example

Residential community

12 UPH

Seagreen Link

Designing Density

During Round 1 engagement, we heard a variety of comments surrounding residential densities, including support and opposition to higher density residential buildings and added housing diversity.

At the present time, the City is obligated to comply with minimum residential densities within two key documents:

1. The Calgary Metropolitan Region Board’s Growth Plan, and;

2. The water and wastewater servicing agreement with the City of Calgary.

Under legislation and agreements, the Draft MDP aligns with these two documents, with all new residential developments complying with these minimum densities (shown in the table above).

The reasons for minimum density relate to:

1. Capitalizing on infrastructure to help reduce significant increase in taxes.

2. Avoid continue greenfield expansion into agricultural lands.

3. Provide greater housing choices for residents of Chestermere.

Of the various opinions heard in Round 1 engagement regarding density, many were related to the design of high-density housing. One way the Draft MDP addresses these concerns is including policy that requires the City to update its Design Guidelines shortly after the adoption of the MDP. While design doesn’t help some factors that we heard were a concern, such as traffic, and pressure on infrastructure, updated Design Guidelines would help higher density residential developments fit better within the character of Chestermere by reducing the overall appearance of increased density. For more information, review the Draft MDP below.

GET INVOLVED

Since completing Round 1 of engagement, the project team has been working on a draft MDP that reflects the values and priorities of the community. Now, we’re excited to take the next step together!

ROUND 2 ENGAGEMENT: REVIEW THE DRAFT MDP

We have prepared a draft MDP that will guide Chestermere over the next 25 years.

To enable the MDP to work towards achieving the needs and aspirations of our community, we’ve identified key policy areas within the draft document that that your input would be most valued. These include:

– MDP principles

– Growth management

– Designing density

– Recreation

– Social and cultural fabric

– Getting around

– Land use concept

These focus areas will form the basis for our online survey and drop-in open house discussions.

We have also provided the draft MDP in its entirety to create a transparent process and to help you gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of the plan.

Your participation in Round 2 engagement is critical to helping us shape the final version of the MDP.

View the Draft MDP