Council for the Rural Municipality of Hanover has approved a subdivision southeast of Kleefeld, but it comes with conditions.

In mid-December, a public hearing was held inside council chambers regarding a subdivision request by a Hanover councillor. However, Councillor Darrin Warkentin removed himself from the Council table prior to the start of the public hearing. 

Kleefeld Developments, on behalf of Darrin and Alwiera Warkentin, proposed the development of land southeast of Kleefeld for rural residential lots. The land is located at the junction of Road 32N and Road 28E.

The subdivision calls for the creation of 65 new lots on more than 100 acres of land. Administration told Council that no public green space is provided although the developer has discussed the possibility of a walking trail system within the affected area. 

Approximately 30 people attended the public hearing on December 14th. Hanover Reeve Jim Funk says most of them appeared to be opposed to this development. He notes there were generally two reasons for the opposition: drainage concerns and not wanting this development in that area. 

According to Hanover Administration, provincial regulations and municipal standards require the developers to engage with a professional engineer to design a drainage system that would result in a zero-runoff coefficient. What that means is that the water cannot leave the land any faster than it does in its current state. 

Following the public hearing, Council decided it needed additional time to consider the request, announcing its decision would be made at the next council meeting. 

That next council meeting has now happened and by a vote of five to one, the subdivision has been approved. Councillor Warkentin was not permitted to vote on the matter. However, the approval comes with conditions. 

In making the motion, Councillor Brian Esau stated that the developer will need to enter into a development agreement with the municipality. 

According to the Reeve, more study work needs to happen before this development can take shape. He notes there need to be studies regarding drainage.

"We have an existing problem there," he says. "And that is something that needs to be addressed."

Funk says they also need to take a look at things from a transportation standpoint. For example, Councillor Travis Doerksen noted that turning lanes may need to be built off Ridge Road to accommodate all of the extra traffic that will drive in and out of this development. 

Doerksen was the lone Councillor to vote against the motion. In addition to the potential traffic woes, Doerksen is also concerned with the poor drainage in the area.

"I don't want to compound the issue by not solving the problem first," he says. 

In making the motion, Esau noted how much interest there has been in Hanover in recent years for rural residential lots and he says it is time for more to be developed.

Meanwhile, Reeve Funk admits that this was not an easy decision for Council. He notes the outcry from the public forced Council to take more time in making a decision and to dig a little deeper to ensure the right decision is made. 

"The people showing, they have been heard and I think it is great for Council to see that," he says.

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