The Town of Ponoka is wanting to update its Municipal Development Plan (MDP), and to do so it wants to hear from community residents.
Ponoka residents can learn more about the MDP, and offer input, by filling out an online survey at www.LetstalkPonoka.ca. The link with the MDP information will be listed under ‘Municipal Development Plan Public Engagement.’
For those more “hands-on,” the town is hosting an open house on the third floor of the Civic Centre from 1-7 p.m. Attendees of the open house will have the opportunity to learn more about the MDP from project members.
An MDP is a legislatively required document that is used as a guidance document for growth and change in the community.
“An MDP is basically a community-driven road map that includes a vision, goals and strategies for how the Town will work through things like land use decisions, development management and future investment in infrastructure and programs,” said Martin Kvapil, manager of development services at the Town of Ponoka.
“The Town is looking for the help of all residents and business owners so that we can work together to create a new MDP that shapes a vision for what Ponoka should look like in the future.”
Ponoka’s existing MDP was passed in 2013 and in the ensuing years the municipality has experienced “significant changes” including a population increase of just under 7 per cent and “several new planning initiatives” including an updated Land Use Bylaw in 2021, a Transportation Master Plan in 2020, and several other planning documents since 2017.
Public engagement for the MDP is expected to take place over the next several months, followed by a draft of the document being released to the community later in the year. Council is expected to give final approval on the document by the end of December.
For anyone having questions surround the MDP, contact the town at 403-783-4431, or jhofer@mcelhanney.com, who is consulting with the town on the project.