The Town of Okotoks held two open houses last week to showcase the first draft of their Municipal Development Plan.

The MDP outlines the town's plan for growth over the next several decades, and has been in development for over a year now.

Colton Nickel, Development Planner for the town, says housing was a large concern from residents who attended the open house.

"Feedback yesterday saw a lot of focus on diversifying the housing stock in Okotoks. There was a lot of concern over the predominance of single family homes within the community, and just a desire to see greater diversity. More multi-family options, options for seniors, for young people looking to buy their first home. Affordability was a key component of that as well."

Senior Planner Amanda Brinda says diversity in housing is a large component of the plan.

"When people get to the point where they're wanting to move out on their own, or they're getting to the point where they're an empty nester, they need a smaller or more affordable place, we need to have those options for people."

Brinda says the plan covers a broad range of topics when it comes to development, including environmental impact and planning around possible flood events.

"This plan proposes that we also really limit development and subdivision within the flood fringe, so the entire flood plain, in order to avoid having situations again where we have businesses and residents displaced, property damaged, and potentially people in danger, if we have a major flooding event here."

No more open houses are currently planned, though feedback is still being collected via an online survey.

Click here to see the first draft of the plan, or to take part in the survey.

 

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