Coalhurst Town Council held its first meeting of the new year on January 20.
Council defeated Land-Use Amendment Bylaw No. 468-25. That followed a mandatory public hearing about a property at 4708 7 Street.
“The proposed amendment would have redesignated the vacant residential lot from Small Lot Residential to Two-unit Residential to enable the potential future development of a dwelling with a secondary suite. While the lot meets minimum TUR requirements and is serviced by an alley that could accommodate on-site parking, Council did not approve moving forward with the redesignation,” notes the Town.
According to the Town, several residents attended the public hearing and shared concerns, including increased traffic, noise and parking pressures, perceived rental saturation in the neighbourhood, the presence of short-term rentals, protecting the residential character of the area and potential additional strain on infrastructure.
“There were also concerns about the precedent that approving the redesignation could set. Additional written opposition from nearby residents was also collected and read into the record,” the Town adds.
On the heels of recent disruptions in other Canadian cities caused by major water main breaks, Council asked Administration for an update on the Coalhurst’s water pipe condition, leak detection and preparedness for both small and catastrophic leaks.
Administration says the Town operates about 20 kilometres of water distribution mains, including a six-kilometre supply line that delivers potable water from the City of Lethbridge.
“The system includes about 15.6 kilometres of PVC pipe and 4.48 kilometres of asbestos cement pipe. PVC mains are estimated to have a service life exceeding 100 years, while AC pipes typically last up to 75 years. The Town’s oldest water mains are AC pipes installed in 1980,” the Town explains.
Administration says a comprehensive review of the potable water system, including recommended replacement priorities, was completed through the 2025 Infrastructure Master Plan, in an effort to support longevity and replacement planning.
Coalhurst’s emergency preparedness requirements under Alberta Environment and Protected Areas legislation were also discussed. These include maintaining a Drinking Water Safety Plan and a Water Emergency Response Plan, with both reviewed and updated annually. Officials say these plans identify risks, mitigation strategies and response procedures for emergencies like main breaks, pressure loss or contamination.
For leak detection, officials say monitoring includes comparing Town and customer meter information, reviewing flow meter data and responding to customer reports.
The Town notes that larger breaks are supported by high-flow and low-pressure alarms at the water distribution reservoir to help staff respond quickly.
Administration also notes that the Town is exploring an asset management software system to track municipal infrastructure, including areas like age, condition, value and projected replacement costs.
