Recent disputes between some residents of Bragg Creek and Rocky View council have prompted the Infrastructure and Operations committee to draft a new set of standards for roads crossing environmental reserve land.

The disagreement stems from a motion carried by council on May 26, 2009. County council approved an application by a Bragg Creek family to construct a roadway over municipally owned lands, designated environmental reserve, to gain legal and physical access to the southern portion of their property, located within the Wild Rose Estate community.

"Under Rocky View’s current servicing standards, roads are required to meet specific standards regarding size and right-of-way," said Rick Wiljamaa, engineering services manager with Rocky View’s Infrastructure and Operations department.

"This may not be prudent for areas such as environmental reserves because of the large road standard that we have and the uniqueness of the area and environmental concerns and constraints."

County administration was encouraged to consider alternative road standards and responded with a proposal to reduce road standards for individual situations for which a smaller right-of-way may be appropriate.

Presently, the lowest road standard for the community would require a seven-metre gravel road within a 20-metre right-of-way. The proposed road standard for environmental reserve crossings would require a six-metre gravel surface within a 12.5 metre right of way.

The proposed road standards will be brought forward at an upcoming council meeting for further review and adoption.

"What you’ve presented here seems to be very practical and (makes) sense," said Councillor Harvey Buckley.

Buckley said he would like to see a clause added to the proposal wherein the biodiversity of the area would be disturbed as minimally as possible during construction.

"I would so move that a standard be added to the proposal that minimum foliage disturbance be maintained for the construction of the road," he said.

Chief Administrative Officer Rob Coon said he intends to keep residents of the community apprised of any new developments and hopes this proposal will help to alleviate at least some of the negative opinions towards the project.

"I think the issue of the standards, while it is attempting to mitigate some of the concerns about crossing the environmental reserve, I don’t think it will alleviate all of their concerns."

While Coon admits both Rocky View County and residents of the Wild Rose Estates community are faced with a difficult situation, little else can be done to address residents’ concerns.

"Based on the comments that we received, it essentially comes down to ‘don’t do it,’" he said. "Council has already made a decision and we are proceeding in that fashion."