Help improve development in Cochrane
Cochrane residents improve Cochrane development by asking Developers, Council, and Town of Cochrane Planning for specific improvements to major residential developments. You can help too!
This website was created and is maintained by Cochrane residents to help residents improve Cochrane by:
Notifying people when there are major developments, Open Houses, or Public Hearing for areas of Cochrane they care about.
Suggesting development improvement ideas for people to send to developers, Council, and Planning.
Development improvement ideas from residents have already resulted in substantial improvements including:
New pathway across Summit of River Heights
Saving the Willows wetland
Stopping 25m towers on the highest points in South Cochrane in Southbow Landing
There are two times when developers, Council, and Planning are required to ask for public feedback about developments:
Developer Open Houses
Council Public Hearings
Cochranites get to make decisions about major developments during Land Use Approval through our elected representatives on Council. For development to happen or substantially change, it must get land use approval. Land Use Approval is provided by Council and Council can:
Ask for changes to the development
Reject the Land Use application
Approve the Land Use application
The Town of Cochrane shares information on public hearings through the weekly newspaper ads and on cochraneab.civicweb.net
Examples of successful development improvements
These improvements were requested by residents and became real.
Saved Willow Wetlands. Residents asked that it not be paved.
Summit of River Heights pathway between old and new communities. Residents ask that the pathway be included to provide a pedestrian connection across the communities and to increase space between old and new homes.
Sign up to be notified about Cochrane Developments in your areas.
A map of neighborhoods is below the selections.
After you click “Subscribe” the form will disappear. Check your email and junk mail, you need to click the link in the email to activate the subscription.
FAQ
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We would love your support!
Sign up for notifications and contact developers and Council with your ideas.
You can also:
Donate money to pay for the website, mail service, and solution design.
Volunteer to enter development items.
Volunteer to review development items and create improvement suggestions.
Help in other ways that you think of
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The website was created by Neil Egsgard, a Cochrane resident who wants a better Cochrane. The website and newletters are run by a team of volunteer residents.
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No. The website and project is not connected to any election candidate, government officials, or developers. The project is by Cochrane residents for Cochrane residents. The project exists to help inform residents about developments in Cochrane areas that matter to them and to help residents ask developers and Council for improvements.
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Many people are not receiving or registering information developments in their neighbourhoods. This project provides another way to be informed in addition to Town ads and cochraneab.civicweb.net.
We have knocked on over a thousand Cochrane doors to notify Cochrane residents about development projects in their area and a large majority:
Had no idea the development was happening.
Had no idea that they could have input.
Were very thankful to be informed.
Residents have to actively seek out development information and then residents have to notify other residents about the development.
This project will bring development information to the residents where they want it.
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Some top reasons for limited public partificaption in local Alberta government are:
1. Lack of Awareness and Information
Many residents are unaware of local government processes, issues, and how decisions affect them.
Limited outreach efforts and complex policy language can make engagement challenging.
2. Perceived Lack of Impact
Some citizens feel their participation won’t make a difference, believing that decisions are already made by officials or influenced by special interest groups.
3. Busy Lifestyles and Time Constraints
Work, family responsibilities, and other commitments prevent many people from attending council meetings or engaging in consultations.
4. Limited Access to Engagement Opportunities
Public meetings may be held at inconvenient times or locations.
Online participation options may not always be well-promoted or user-friendly.
5. Political Apathy or Distrust
Some residents may feel disconnected from municipal politics or distrust politicians due to previous governance issues.
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We read the weekly agenda notices from the Town of Cochrane to identify development items and assign them an area.
We see or are told about Developer Open Houses.
In both cases, we record the details and assign the item to a neighbourhood(s).
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Volunteers:
Review Envison Cochrane 2050 and Cochranites’ priorities for Cochrane.
Review other relevant planning documents.
Review the planned development.
Figure out suggestions for improvements that would make the development better fit with the priorities of Cochrane residents.
Other Cochrane residents:
Think up development improvements.
Submit them to the project using the contact form or email below.
Suggestions are anonymous unless naming is requested by the submitter.
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Volunteers send out emails via a email service based on the area of interest. The intent is to do weekly emails with all notifications from that week and eventually automate the emails.
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You can see the list of development items on the google sheet
“Improve Cochrane Development: Council Agendas, Public Hearings, Open Houses” -
The website is privately run to make it easy to setup and maintain. Ideally, the project would transition to being supported by a not for profit or to the Town of Cochrane.
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Yes. We are talking with the Town about to best use this tool to improve Cochrane. The Town of Cochrane wants to improve Cochrane. The Town provided feedback that made the website better and helped our goal of improving Cochrane.
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Your information will only be used to send you notifications and your information will not be provided to anyone else. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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The project costs are below and are for the first year. Depending on usage, costs could increase.
Total: $2,568
Initial development: $1,500
Website hosting: $540
Domain registration: $36
Email newsletter: $492 -
The project is funded by donations from Cochrane residents. The project does not make money. Project team members are donating their own money to the project because they believe Cochrane residents can improve Cochrane Development by being more informed and engaged.
Contact Us
Use the form below or email info@improvecochranedevelopment.ca.
Tell us about local development notifications like signage, emails, letters, or door hangers.
Email a clear image of the notification to
Send us development suggestions or items.
Volunteer to:
Enter development items.
Review developments and create the suggestion documents.
Ask questions or send comments.
Donate to support the project.
Development items, suggested improvements, and questions
Below is a list of development items. They are available in Google Sheets.
To see current development suggestions and questions for an item, click the link under “Development suggestions for this item”.
If you want to share your ideas to the site below, use the contact form or email above.
Send your ideas to Planning (planning@cochrane.ca) and Council (cochrane.ca/government/council)