St. Paul – Five years of planning, public meetings and landowner concerns have led to some major changes in how land north of St. Paul could be developed.

The County of St. Paul has given first reading to a revised St. Paul North Intermunicipal Area Structure Plan, which keeps hundreds of acres designated for agriculture instead of future urban residential development.

The updated plan also moves away from annexation, changes how drainage would be handled and looks at ways the Town and County could work together on future development without significantly increasing infrastructure costs.

County council unanimously gave first reading to Bylaw 2025-08 during its November 10 meeting. The Town of St. Paul gave its corresponding bylaw first reading on November 9.

What is the St. Paul North development plan?

The plan covers approximately 587 hectares, or 1,450 acres, along the northern edge of St. Paul, including eight quarter sections in the County.

The area stretches from Range Road 95 (57 Street) on the west to Highway 881 (40 Street) on the east, with Township Road 582 running through the middle.

It is designed to guide development over the next 50 years, identifying where agriculture, housing, businesses, industry, roads and recreational spaces could be located.

That doesn’t mean construction is about to begin. The plan establishes a long-term framework for future development rather than approving individual projects.

Landowner concerns lead to changes

The planning process began in fall 2021, but it hasn’t been a straight road to approval.

An earlier version received first reading in January 2025, followed by a public hearing in February.

During that hearing, landowners raised questions about how the plan could affect their properties and asked for more time to understand the proposed changes.

Rather than moving ahead with final approval, council postponed the remaining readings to allow further discussions between affected landowners, the Town and the County.

Those conversations resulted in several significant revisions.

One of the biggest changes involves land south of Township Road 582.

Property in the north half of Section 8 and northwest quarter of Section 9, Township 58, Range 9, west of the Fourth Meridian, was originally proposed for urban residential development.

That land is now proposed to remain agricultural.

The revised plan still includes some residential development, but a large portion south of Township Road 582 would remain designated for agriculture.

No longer focused on annexation

Another important change involves how the Town and County could work together as development occurs.

The earlier plan included a section addressing annexation, a process in which land moves from one municipality’s jurisdiction to another.

That section has now been replaced with a focus on joint economic areas and shared servicing agreements.

In simpler terms, the revised approach considers ways the Town and County could cooperate on development and infrastructure rather than relying on annexation.

The plan also includes opportunities for commercial and industrial development, particularly along major transportation routes, while maintaining agricultural and country residential areas.

Changes could help keep infrastructure costs down

The revised plan also takes a different approach to drainage and stormwater management.

Instead of relying primarily on urban-style underground drainage pipes, the plan prioritizes overland drainage using ditches and culverts.

The change is intended to reduce costs and better reflect the agricultural, country residential and industrial uses proposed for the area.

A combination of drainage methods is also proposed for portions of Sections 9 and 10 to help manage stormwater while keeping infrastructure costs down and preserving land for development.

The Transportation Impact Assessment and servicing plans were updated to reflect the revised land uses and infrastructure approach.

Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors accepted the updated traffic assessment in June 2026.

Five years and four rounds of public engagement

The project has gone through four phases of public engagement since 2021, including interviews, surveys, an open house and public hearings.

Following the February 2025 public hearing, council directed further consultation rather than proceeding with the original plan.

Major revisions were communicated to landowners in September 2025, with additional changes shared in spring 2026.

The County received the finalized version of the revised plan on November 3.

Because the changes were substantial, the municipalities are proceeding with new bylaws and another public hearing instead of completing approval of the original proposal.

Residents can have their say December 8

The revised plan is not yet approved.

County council has scheduled a public hearing for December 8, 2026, at 11 a.m., giving residents and affected landowners another opportunity to provide feedback.

Following the hearing, council can consider whether to proceed with the remaining readings of the bylaw.

For landowners who have been involved in discussions for years, the latest version represents a significantly different approach from what was first proposed.

And while the plan is intended to guide the next 50 years of growth north of St. Paul, the next step is giving residents another chance to weigh in before those plans become official.