In December 2006, Council adopted a new Reserve Policy. The policy aims to manage the County's reserve lands, protect lakeshores, public lands and the natural environment, while also ensuring everyone has access to enjoy these areas.

The use and misuse of these public lands has long been a difficult issue to manage and in recent years, encroachments on reserves have become more common.

What are reserve lands?
Lacombe County is responsible for two sources of public reserve lands: environmental and municipal.

• Environmental Reserves (ER)
• land that is managed by the local municipality
• intended to protect the natural environment, people and property from hazardous conditions (such as flooding and unstable slopes)
• provide public access to or along lakes and rivers
• Municipal Reserves (MR)
• land that is managed by the local municipality
• intended to provide recreation areas for the use and enjoyment of local residents and the general public
• may provide water access and undeveloped green spaces that act as buffers between different land uses

Managing reserve lands
Reserves are public spaces. Lacombe County has a responsibility to ensure that they remain safe and available for the public to use and enjoy.

• Appropriate uses for ER:
• left in their natural condition
• trails where suitable
• along lakeshores and rivers, a limited number of public pathways and stairs may be permitted to allow safe access to the water
• winter storage of boat docks and boat lifts may be approved where environmental conditions are suitable
• Appropriate uses for MR:
• recreation facilities, such as sports fields, play structures and skating rinks
• associated facilities, such as parking lots and washrooms
• public trails
• natural green spaces
• winter storage of boat docks and boat lifts

How could the policy affect you?
If you live near municipal or environmental reserve land:

• You may be required to remove encroachments or unauthorized structures.
  
  Private facilities and structures, such as sheds, fences, gardens, driveways, pathways, stairs, decks, lawns and fire pits, are frequently found on environmental and municipal reserve lands. Property owners will be required to remove the facility or structure if they are causing, or are at risk of causing, environmental damage, or if the County deems the facility obstructs public access to the reserve lands.
• Where the County allows an encroachment to remain on a reserve, you will be required to enter into a license agreement.
  
  In some instances, the County may consider allowing an encroachment to remain on a reserve and enter into a license agreement. The property owner will need to pay a fee to the County for the encroachment to remain on County land.
  
  The agreement will outline:
  • term of the license
  • permitted use of the building or structure
  • insurance requirements
  • stipulation that minor maintenance may be completed, but the building or structure cannot be improved, expanded or replaced and when it reaches the end of its lifespan, the owner is required to demolish it and reclaim the land.

For more information on the reserve policy and how it may affect you, contact:

Public Works
Lacombe County
(403) 782-6601
plodermeier@lacombecounty.com