NEEA and the Area Structure Plan

      As we begin to prepare for NEEA's presentation for the Area Structure Plan (ASP), we will continually address the misinformation from GEA and their Local Food Team?  NEEA feels this will be the only way they and North Edmonton Agricultural Producers (NEAP) will get the ill informed support. NEEA will report the truth from within our Community and from the land owners perspective. This information is what GEA does not want you to know.           Our members attended some of the open houses hosted by these two groups which was to be open to all? Continually, our members were silenced during question sessions by not answering questions we crafted to publicly inform those in attendance. Many times we were asked by those in attendance to share our thoughts after the meetings. Those in attendance noticed it was intentional that we were being silenced by the Local Foods Team chair and organizers. Many had never been told there was a lobby group representing the community who did not support the views of these two groups.

      This is the latest by GEA, for all those who attended City Council for the Food and Ag policy, you will have more insight than those who did not and will realize again, they are misleading the public. Much of what is written was proven inaccurate at the public hearings on the City Wide Food and Ag Strategy (CWFAS).

Heads in the Sand, Good Information be Damned:

8 Facts on True Costs of Losing Farmland to Urban Sprawl

Edmonton’s City Council seems poised to approve a plan that preserves virtually none of the prime farmland in Northeast Edmonton before taking a look at good information about the value of Edmonton’s remaining agricultural land.  The proposed Horse Hill Area Structure Plan (ASP), slated for Public Hearing on February 25 and 26, 2013,(1:30 to 9:30 both days) would convert almost all remaining farmland to low density residential and retail development.  Mounting evidence about the true costs of converting farmland to urban sprawl raises serious questions about the wisdom of the proposed Horse Hill ASP. 

Other municipalities have successfully implemented alternate solutions to “business-as-usual sprawl” where regulatory and fiscal policies align to support the creative use of existing spaces in already built areas.  Portland and Vancouver are leaders of the “smart growth” pack.  Our City could choose to embrace such policies, and simultaneously reduce sprawl and preserve farmland.  Instead, the current choice is to not even gather good information to show us the trade-offs between different decisions.

We are aware of skilled consultants the City could engage to use state-of-the-art methodologies, such as Multi-criteria Analysis, Total Cost Assessment, or Full Cost Accounting, to provide comprehensive assessment of the costs and benefits of the proposed ASP and alternative land use scenarios. City Councilors are requesting information on alternate financial scenarios in controversial decisions like the new arena[1], but have voted down motions to do the same in the case of converting prime farmland to other uses.  The City is aware of these options, but is choosing not to gather this information so necessary to making wise decisions.

Please read the attachment for 8 facts on the true costs of losing farmland to urban sprawl. Let us know if you have any questions or require additional information.

Local Food Team - Greater Edmonton Alliance

www.greateredmontonalliance.com

      The Horse Hill ASP is about to go to Public Hearings, a collaborative effort by not only GEA, North Edmonton Agricultural Producers (NEAP), NEEA members, many City Dept.'s as well as many other stakeholders.
     
       Here are just a few of the facts provided by NEEA and its members at City Council;

During and since annexation (1981);

      The Province of Alberta made it very clear in the annexation order that "All" the annexed land in the City of Edmonton, including that in NE Edmonton will be ultimately used for urban development and will be designated as agriculture as as interim use! 

      The farmland which is designated to be preserved in NE Edmonton is that of which the landowner wants to preserve by their own choice through ownership. To represent any more of that land as agriculture will be against the wishes of the TRUE and RIGHTFUL landowner. 

      Had the NEAP members ( 6 existing farmers who between all of them own approx. 200 ha.) had simply continued to own their land today, rather than selling much of it in early 2000, would have been in control of this land they seek. Today they want to represent their property rights for agriculture ( to date none of the six have preserved in perpetuity through the Edmonton Area Land Trust) but NEAP and GEA wish to control the future of our property rights? 

NEEA has never suggested to have any of the NEAP members lands to be put into housing or development!

NEEA and their members are more than frustrated with the facts and wishes of our property rights being misrepresented and misleading. 
     
1) The above comments, much of the prime farm land in NE Edmonton being used for urban development? It was proven in City Council during the public CWFAS hearings that two previous detailed land studies prior to and including the most recent by HB Lanarc for NE Edmonton, this land is "slightly" better than the other two growth areas in the city.

      2) "Other municipalities have successfully implemented alternate solutions" 
Who? Where? 
       We heard all these general generic terms at the City Wide Food and Ag strategy!  Supply the information and the facts or else it's hearsay.
       This ASP allows those who want to keep their land as agriculture to do so! Notice not to "preserve it" as they still have not?
         
      3) We are aware of skilled consultants the City could engage to use state-of-the-art methodologies, such as Multi-criteria Analysis, Total Cost Assessment, or Full Cost Accounting, to provide comprehensive assessment of the costs and benefits of the proposed ASP and alternative land use scenarios.
                                                                              ?
      
       NEEA's solution;
Cut the cost to the taxpayer... Don't sell "OWN IT" just like NEEA members! The City of Edmonton already spent $ 750,000.00 to conduct the Food and Agriculture strategy which was driven by NEAP and GEA without the inclusion of our community before at Municipal District Plan (MDP). City Council made the correct informed decision!

       NEEA members, own the same land as NEAP members land, not once had we asked this organization or their supporters to represent it for us! 
       
      We, as the "farmers" since 1981 knew what was going to happen in the long run! Why are these farmers confused? Their land will continue to be farmed (as long as they wish to) as it is today. Their problem is they have sold much of the land they need to continue their commercial business. 
      
     NEEA, as owners of this land will support the ASP,  it is our right to do so. It has been accomplished as a collaborative effort with much of the heritage being incorporated into its design. Farming can continue and neighborhoods will be designed to allow residents who work in all parts of the city as well as the immediate vicinity to the Edmonton Energy and Technology Park to have a place to live and play.