Ken Brown Letter

July 19, 2016

To: Colin Richards
Senior Planner
Leduc County
County Centre
Suite 101,1101 5th Street,
Nisku, Ab
T9E 2X3
colin@leduc-county.com


Cc: Leduc County Mayor and Council
http://www.leduc-county.com/contact (online form) or
Lynn White, Executive Assistant
Council/Administration
Lynn@leduc-county.com


Leduc County Mayor
John Whaley
johnw@leduc-county.com


Leduc County Council, Division Three
John Schonewille
john@leduc-county.com


City of Leduc,
Mayor Greg Krischke
mayor@leduc.ca


City of Leduc,
Councillor Terry Lazowski
Infrastructure & Planning Liaison On City Council
tlazowski@leduc.ca


City of Leduc,
Councillor Beverly Beckett
Infrastructure & Planning Liaison On City Council
bbeckett@leduc.ca

From: Ken G. Brown, a concerned long term resident of Leduc County, next to Saunders Lake

Re: Saunders Lake Area – Proposed Changes to the Future Land Use Concept
File ASP1601-01 Dated June 21, 2016

Dear Mr. Richards,

This letter is written to express my concerns about the proposed significant changes detailed in the document: Saunders Lake Area – Proposed Changes to the Future Land Use Concept File ASP1601-01 Dated June 21, 2016.

I live on the family farm within the County areas being considered, approximately 1 km from the western shore of Saunders Lake, at the NW corner of Twp Rd 500 and Range Road 245. My family has owned the land since 1934.

When I was a child growing up in the early 1950's, within a kilometer of Saunders Lake, I thought nothing of drinking water from the creeks, and swimming in the lake. I have always thought that someday my grandchildren could enjoy the natural environment the way I did. Now this is all becoming increasingly in question, and already I would not dare drink the flowing water. How bad is that? What are we as a society doing to the places we live in? When I was young, the roadsides in the Saunders Lake area were all lined with Wild Roses, Saskatoon bushes and other wonders. Where have all the wild roses gone? Does this important link to a vibrant ecosystem concern our community planners at all?

As we all know, our desired future determines what we do today, i.e. a clearly visualized future determines our present. I am very concerned that the proposed changes to the Area Structure Plan for Saunders Lake appear to be rushed through before adequate consideration and consultation with the general public has taken place. Only some of the affected landowners were notified about the changes and not enough time has been given to thoroughly consider the implications, particularly since it is summer holiday time when many people are away. What is the hurry? And why throw out the current young, duly considered and approved, area structure plan? The generally accepted term is "follow the money". We must ask, 'who stands to gain and at what cost to our community?' Questions and issues surrounding this type of major industrial encroachment and degradation of environmentally sensitive areas is of concern to more than just the landowners and must not be rushed. The area is of great value to not only the County landowners but to all of the citizens of Leduc, an urban center that is so near to the areas affected by the proposed changes. The population of the City of Leduc has just recently exceeded 30,000. How many of these members of the community know about the jewel that is the Saunders Lake Area, this vibrant ecosystem that is within a kilometer of Leduc's eastern boundary? How many citizens know what they stand to lose as a result of these proposed changes? The new plan and the timeline for its consideration and approval do not give our citizenry enough information and time to consider the significant implications of moving forward in this way.

To my way of thinking, Nature is the highest form of development, and the more that mankind does to the land, the lower the resulting quality of the results. For example, I would rank developments something like this - highest quality to lowest: highest is unspoiled Nature, then parkland, agricultural, residential, light industrial, heavier industrial, resource extraction, and finally, community dump. It makes very little sense to consume all the acres right next to the highest form of development (Nature), with the lowest forms (heavy industrial and dump). We all must pay attention to the quality or the air, water and soil. This is the foundation of all life. When industrial development comes, the first thing that is done to the land is to violently strip all remnants of Nature from it, then add back paved roads, gravel yards and concrete parking lots, then buildings. We already have the travesty of the area dump located right next to the once pristine Natural area that contains Saunders Lake. Many local politicians agree that this should never have been allowed, and it should never be allowed to expand. Similarly, the lower forms of development I describe cannot be allowed to further encroach from the west.

I grew up here as did my children, and now my grandchildren come to live and play in this place. What is done today affects all our future generations. I am wondering: What will be left here for our grandchildren? Are our current planners throwing away the Natural beauty and highest form of development for short term gain? What legacy do we wish as a community to pass on to future generations? Will it be an industrial wasteland or will it be clean natural areas, to be enjoyed by all of the community.

The Saunders Lake Area needs to be considered as a whole, and not split into smaller pieces in order to divide and conquer. The existing Saunders lake Area Structure Plan is far better than the newly proposed changes. The existing approved plan keeps a buffer zone between heavy industrial developments, while phasing in better forms of usage as developments come closer to the lake. The greenbelt next to the lake should be expanded not decimated. This area is a major wildlife corridor.

We need to take care to protect our precious environment. A Google search provides a definition of environmental protection: "it is a practice of protecting the natural environment on individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of both the natural environment and humans. Due to the pressures of population and technology, the biophysical environment is being degraded, sometimes permanently. "

The City of Leduc Municipal Development Plan states in part:
"VISION — BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF INTEGRITY, UNITY AND STRENGTH
In 2035, Leduc will be a vibrant community where growth is balanced and sustainable
• where a strong business community is fostered
• where residents enjoy active healthy lifestyles with a strong sense of belonging
• where our natural environment is healthy and clean
• and where our local government is responsive and accountable."

The Leduc County Municipal Development Plan, MDP states in part:
" PART TWO: PLANNING GOALS
The following planning goals are the ideals that Leduc County will strive for:
1. Preservation and enhancement of the agricultural community. 

2. Population growth in desirable locations. 

3. Rural and alternative life style choices. 

4. A compatible and harmonious land development pattern. 

5. Strong and sustained economic growth and tax base. 

6. Efficient and economic provision of municipal services and facilities. 

7. Protection of significant environmental areas and prevention of land, water, air, noise and visual pollution. 

8. Mutually beneficial relationships with neighboring municipalities and other authorities. "

The proposed further significant industrial developments -so close to the Saunders Lake Valley, will certainly result in degradation of the quality of the air, water, and soil in the area, doing irreparable harm. To do so is in total opposition to the accepted vision statements in the many existing planning documents pertaining to the area, and is not in the best interests of our future as a community for future generations. Once the area's ecological vibrancy and its Naturalness is gone it cannot be brought back. It is gone forever. The areas we are concerned with would be far better set aside as a parkland reserve with recreational features, or with designated residential access to the valley, rather than to industrial development.

Here are some recommendations that could help the County of Leduc become a national and world leader in responsible development:
1. Keep the existing Saunders Lake Area Structure Plan substantially and widen the greenbelt around Saunders Lake as much as possible to a minimum of 1 km if not more.
2. Keep the estate residential buffer zone between industrial developments and the greenbelt around the lake but add a high berm along all industrial boundaries.
3. Put into place stringent light pollution restrictions.
4. Ensure that no contaminating runoff will ever reach the lake.
5. Include the dump and its operations as part of the structure plan. Clarify and inform everyone that this is the case so that its effects are not whitewashed, hidden and ignored. It is well known that it is impossible for dump membranes to completely stop leakage of toxic fluids into the surrounding geology. Consider carefully: How is this affecting our well water nearby?
6. Close the dump as previously promised in the original plans and restore the area to its natural state to the extent possible. The current location, next to our precious lake is no place for a dump.

Given more time, many more suggestions are sure to arise from the collective intelligence of our community. We need that time. And we need the input of all of our citizens.

Let us go forward in a way we can be proud of in the future.

Ken G. Brown, BScEE,
Local County resident
kbrown@me.com