VILLAGE OF CEREAL Order No. 16915 IN THE MATTER OF THE "Municipal Government Act": File No. 241(A)3 AND IN THE MATTER OF an application by the Council of the Village of Cereal, in the Province of Alberta, to annex certain territory lying immediately adjacent thereto and thereby its separation from Special Area No. 3. Pursuant to Section 20 of the Municipal Government Act, the Council of the Village of Cereal, in the Province of Alberta, petitioned the Local Authorities Board for the Province of Alberta, for the annexation to the Village of all that territory described as follows:
farmers. Lot prices and property taxes are low in comparison to the larger communities. From a population of 220 persons in 1975, the Village grew to 231 persons in 1977 where it remained until 1981 when it reached the present population of 252 persons. It is projected that, at an annual growth rate of 2 per cent, the Village could reach a population of 350 persons by the year 2001. It was submitted that the Village of Cereal's population growth has been limited by the lack of available serviced residential lots, a situation that has existed for the past 5 years. There is also an absence of sites for industrial development and, specifically, for storage sites by those businesses in the gas development industries. The said territory is contained in two parcels. The first, containing 8.09 hectares (20 acres), is located to the east of the Village of Cereal's east boundary and south of the Canadian National Railway station grounds. A 0.81 hectare (2 acre) lot has been subdivided out in the northeast corner of the parcel and it is on this site a "truck service stop'' is planned. This lot presently contains a quonset type building, once used as a garage. The remainder of the parcel is owned by the Village and it is proposed that the majority of these lands be developed for residential purposes with a small portion to be used for a new hospital. The Village can readily service these lands with sewer and water utilities by the extension of the existing lines. Storm waters now drain to the south by surface drainage through these lands and the practice would continue for the parcel. The second parcel, also owned by the Village of Cereal, consists of a 12.07 hectare (29.82 acres) triangle located to the southwest of the Village and includes a portion of Highway No. 9. These lands are proposed for industrial storage and no utility servicing to the area is planned. The Village of Cereal obtains its water supply from wells which may be added to, thereby increasing the system's capacity. Improvements to the water supply system, constructed in 1979, increased the storage capacity. A sanitary sewage system, using treatment lagoons, serves the community. It was stated that both systems had sufficient capacity to service the Village's requirements to the year 2001. The Board inquired about a large area in the west end of the Village of Cereal situated between Highway No. 9 and the Canadian National Railway line that appears undeveloped. It was reported that this area contains the Village's ice arena and curling rink, ball diamonds, rodeo grounds and a camp site. While not all the property is intensively used, when certain events are held, such as the local rodeo, most of the vacant area is required for vehicle parking. It was also claimed that it is a difficult area to service with utilities. It was noted at the hearing that the Village of Cereal does not have a General Municipal Plan, but that one is in the process of being completed. The Palliser Regional Planning Commission considered the matter at its regular meeting of June 5, 1984, and advised the Board that "...the Commission has no serious objections to this annexation application." Alberta Agriculture, in a memorandum to the Board dated May 9, 1984, submitted the following comments: "1. Canada Land Inventory (CLI) agricultural rating for the parcels under consideration is 4s. Soils of this class are low to fair in productivity for a fair range of crops but may have high productivity for a specially adapted crop. Based on Alberta Hail and Crop Insurance Corporation data, for lands under cultivation, these soils have a productivity rating of 50-54 percent. As such, these lands are considered better agricultural lands. Considering the small size of the parcels under consideration, the absence of arable agricultural use land, and that no lower quality alternative sites exist, Alberta Agriculture has no objections to the proposed Cereal annexation.'' 2706
In advising that the Department had "...no objections to the proposed annexation" Alberta Environment, in a letter to the Board dated April 27, 1984, raised the following points: "Most of the area is now native grassland, a small area appears to have been cut for hay and some is used for storage of equipment. The Canada Land Inventory agricultural capability for the area ranges from 4s to 6. We have shown the approximate location of the poorly defined drainage pattern on the attached map. Some ditching or storm sewer work will be required to handle the drainage. Some fill will be required to raise the elevation of some lots that would be created. The fill required can be obtained from within the easterly area proposed for annexation." By memorandum to the Board dated May 22, 1984, Alberta Transportation expressed the following concerns: "This Department has concerns with the potential adverse impact that expansion of the Village south of Highway 9 will have on the operation of the highway. 1. No provision for a direct crossing of the highway exists or is shown. The use of the highway for short urban trips, increased numbers of turning movements and pedestrian movements associated with urban development on both sides of the highway make the proposed annexation undesirable south of Highway 9 from the point of view that the highway operation will be prematurely downgraded. 2. If the annexation south of Highway 9 is allowed to proceed, this Department would suggest that as a condition of any urban development on the portion south of the highway, the local road system be reworked, at the Village's cost. Construction, to connect by a service road paralleling Highway 9, the east-west road allowance on the southern boundary of the parcel south of Highway 9 to the north-south road allowance is required in order to eliminate the skew intersection, and the short weaving/turning movement on Highway 9. It is expected this will become a problem intersection as traffic crossing the highway increases with urban development." The Board, having considered the evidence presented at the hearing has arrived at the following conclusions: 1. That the Village of Cereal, having all the basic urban amenities and its attraction for the areas' retiring farm population, will continue to grow in population for which the annual growth rate of 2 per cent is not unreasonable. Because of competition from nearby larger urban centres, industrial and commercial development in the Village may be limited. 2. That there is insufficient land within the Village of Cereal that may be economically serviced with utilities for residential and institutional purposes. 3. That the parcel of the said territory that lies to the east of the Village of Cereal may be readily and economically serviced with utilities, is a logical area for the Village to develop its residential and institutional land uses and should be annexed to the Village. 4. That the annexation of the second parcel to the south of Highway No. 9 is strongly opposed by Alberta Transportation. Further there would appear to be alternative lands within the Village that may be utilized for the purposes proposed. This parcel should not be annexed to the Village at this time. 2707
V. That the effective date of this Order is the First (1st) day of January, 1985.