Plans for Rosebud designed and delivered

Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor

 

Growth in Rosebud received a boost with Wheatland County council’s approval of the Rosebud Area Structure Plan (ASP), hamlet boundaries and the Rosebud River Ridge development.
Public hearings were held on Aug. 16 and subsequent approved votes for second, third and final readings were given.
Council reviewed and corrected portions of the final ASP document, and planner Gerry Melenka reviewed some of the new additions such as the proposal for an open space master plan for recreation and tourism in the area.
“The open space master plan will hopefully make Rosebud a recreation destination, while protecting the small artistic flavour of the hamlet,” said Melenka. “One thing is clear that in Rosebud, compared to anywhere else in the County, there are a fair amount of mixed-use options. We tried to stay on top of changes and expansion to allow future growth.”
There was consideration of existing properties and utilizing areas like the old railway line for possible future development of a walking trail. The hamlet and expansion areas fall under environmentally-sensitive guidelines and those are clarified in the plan.
“This plan sets the stage,” said Melenka. “Considerable cooperation between landowners and the County will make future development happen.”
There were some areas that required clarification for people attending the public hearings. One was waste water and storm water management.
“We still don’t have clear answers, but we haven’t restricted where it can go. There are a lot of options on the table,” said Melenka.
One landowner wanted clarification on the hamlet boundary changes that affected her property. It was stated that in her case, the land would be reclassified to country residential, but she could continue with current agricultural uses.
The 17 residential lots and one commercial lot for the Rosebud River Ridge development was approved, and a spokesman for the Rosebud School of the Arts present at the meeting said the project would provide much needed accommodation for staff and students.
“We are glad to hear it is an open and fluid document and available to change,” said planner Patricia Maloney about the ASP. Maloney presented plans for Rosebud River Ridge development.
The ASP, boundary changes and Rosebud River Ridge development plans and attached maps can be viewed on the Wheatland County website under the Aug. 19 agenda attachments.