Potential Negative Impacts: Environmental Impacts:
According to Sturgeon County: “The Sturgeon Valley is a rural community next to the cities of Edmonton and St. Albert characterized by scenic rolling countryside; good quality farmlands; important river, wetland and ecological areas; and attractive multi-lot residential subdivisions. These attributes provide an enjoyable environment which residents wish to maintain. Our collective vision is to preserve, protect, and enhance to the greatest extent possible the irreplaceable attributes of the rural and natural landscape for present and future generations. Future growth should be directed and managed in a way that maintains the

predominantly rural character of the area and protects the natural environment, and connects to the more urban areas identified in the Sturgeon Valley South ASP.” (Reference Material 1: Page 12)

Sturgeon County states that their objective is to:

• "Protect the environmental integrity of the Sturgeon River Valley. » Protect wildlife habitat and the integrity of wildlife corridors”. (Reference Material 1: Page 22)
  
• How does this urban plan preserve, protect, and enhance the irreplaceable attributes of the rural and natural landscape for future generations?
• How does low, medium and high density housing as seen in cities and what is expected to be built in Sturgeon County maintain the rural character of the area and protect the natural environment and the wildlife within it?
• We are concerned that urbanization will remove habitat for all the wildlife that rely on these areas for food, shelter, and breeding
• We are concerned that urbanization will remove open spaces and land that people value
• We believe the current plan as laid out, directly contradicts the county’s own commitment to a greener future
• Once precious land is lost to urban building, it is lost FOREVER!

Societal Impacts:

• How is this development directed by residents of Sturgeon County? It would seem that Sturgeon County is making decisions NOT in the best interest of the county and residents
• Food security is a very big concern as farm land is developed. Why are we wasting valuable farm land for unnecessary development?
• Looking at Strathcona County as a template, they have 9 members of council. Five of these council members are chosen from Sherwood Park, which is essentially a city like what is planned in Sturgeon County Valley. Because of the the large population, the mayor is typically from there. This means that in Strathcona County, there are 6 votes from the urban area to three rural votes, which creates a forever urban advantage. As a result, Strathcona County’s Land Use Bylaw has a heavy urban bias. If such a change were to take place in Sturgeon County we are very concerned that it is very likely that it would also have a heavy urban bias and would forever change the county
• We are concerned that more council members leads to increase in taxes to pay for them and their expenses. Sturgeon County staff has already greatly increased
• We are concerned that this drastic urbanization would negatively affect all rural residents

An increase in population would also:

• Lead to more traffic
• Increase noise level
• Potentially lead to increase crime
• Negatively affect the electrical grid
• Sturgeon Hospital already has ridiculously long waiting times. How would 61 000+ extra people in the Sturgeon County Core and Valley affect necessary hospital and doctor waiting times?
• How will it affect other essential services?

Cost:

• Significant up front county investment is required potentially leading to large future tax increases