Red Deer County council voted unanimously to accept a Pine Lake concept plan that will be used as a guiding document for long-term development in the Pine Lake area. The proposed document was originally being considered as a Pine Lake Area Structure Plan, which council defeated before both recommending and accepting it as a concept plan in last week’s council meeting.

“The plan’s goals are to provide a framework for all future development in this popular recreation area east of Highway 2,” said Curtis Herzberg, Red Deer County manager. “All future development will be considered using the recommendations in place in this concept plan, which recognizes the importance of protecting important features of this area, including agriculture, the natural environment, and the need to protect water quality of the lake.”

Highlights of the plan include the identification of areas for development, including five residential nodes, two commercial nodes and three proposed low to medium intensity recreation lots, inclusion of three existing Area Structure Plans (ASP), areas where roads, intersections, and access upgrades may occur in the future as nodes are developed, the importance of maintaining and enhancing public access and open spaces so the general public can continue to enjoy the lake and any proposed new multi-lot developments in the plan area will require the preparation of a Local ASP

“Population pressures on recreation areas like Pine Lake make it important to have a long-term plan in place to guide development,” said Herzberg.

– Fawcett