WHEREAS the current hamlet designation requires a majority of the occupied dwellings be on parcels of land smaller than 1,850 square metres; AND WHEREAS these communities of small holdings are urban in nature and require a high standard of utility servicing due to increased environmental standards which often cannot be afforded; AND WHEREAS these small communities have existed for several decades, and the parcel size is arbitrary;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta to amend Alberta Transportation grant program guidelines to increase the parcel size to at least 2,500 square metres required to designate a community as a hamlet in order that these small, long-term communities have the opportunity to qualify for the funding they require to upgrade and maintain their utilities, streets, and road infrastructure.

The municipality currently has only three hamlets designated as official in the view of the province. We have been asked to bring a draft resolution forward through the AAMDC Central Zone meeting and then AAMDC, to request the province to consider revising the parcel size to allow for the inclusion of additional communities eligible for hamlet grant funding.In 2000, we forwarded a detailed study of the hamlets within the municipality’s boundaries. Subsequent to the submission of this study, the province approved funding for only three of our 15 potential hamlets, those being Langdon, Shepard and Madden. With the funds provided by the province and the matching funds on a 75-25% basis, we were able to completely base and pave all three hamlets in 2001.Alberta Transportations criterion that a majority of parcels must be under 1,850 square metres is the main obstacle to the designation of more of our hamlets. While several of our hamlets do not meet the parcel-size criteria, they meet all other requirements and are considered urban in nature in our rural municipality.Staff at the Municipal District of Rocky View is proposing that the parcel-size restriction of less than 1,850 square metres be increased by doubling the size or increasing it to 2,500 square metres.

The AAMDC has no resolutions currently in effect with respect to this issue.