(CHAT News photo)

By Alex McCuaig

IDP Meeting

Greenhouse corridor main issue as inter-municipal development plan meeting draws large crowd

Feb 27, 2020 | 10:07 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – More than 100 residents of Medicine Hat, Redcliff and Cypress County turned out Thursday night to a joint meeting of the three municipalities on the proposed Tri-Area Inter-municipal Development Plan (IDP).

The planning document features a number of growth development areas along the borders of the three municipalities from an urban reserve for Redcliff west of the town, considerations for an expansion of the city’s airport as well as a commercial-industrial area along Township Road 120.

But by far the biggest issue on the minds of the public who address the meeting was the proposed greenhouse corridor which would be located west of the airport.

Mike Schlenker, owner of EGS Farms, says about a third of the 1,500 acres that make up the proposed greenhouse corridor falls within his operation that has been in the family for nearly 70 years.

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“We’re actively farming,” said Schlenker. “I guess we look at where the next generation is going to end up and a lot of them have the intent or interest in farming – that’s what we do.”

He said the with his land falling within the greenhouse corridor, he fears he won’t be able to sub-divide his land to let family members set up a farm operation.

Holly Turnbull who lives off Holsom Road also raised concerns about the environmental impact on endangered or threatened species by the greenhouse corridor, “and by what I see as a lack of depth and forward planning in this Tri-IDP.”

Coun. Kris Samraj who was part of the initial working group on the plan said the IDP is about developing a coordinated way plan land use between the three municipalities.

“I think what people need to understand about what we are trying to do here is – we are trying to manage growth in a responsible way,” said Samraj. “We’re trying to avoid having factories next to houses next to feedlots.”

Third reading of the proposed IDP will be heard over March at each respective municipality.