The City of Steinbach has presented its revised annexation plan. In a friendly arrangement with the RM of Hanover, it initially wanted to annex a 50-year supply of land for future growth. But, in January, the Manitoba Municipal Board ruled that the city would have to be content with a 30-year supply. It also suggested the annexation generally be limited to land west of Steinbach, south of Highway #52. But it agreed to re-open its public hearing on the matter for the city to give further input. That hearing took place Wednesday evening at the Steinbach Curling Rink. Troy Warkentin, the city's Chief Administrative Officer, outlines Steinbach's revised proposal.

"What the city is proposing is that land, for the most part, to the north and west of existing city boundaries, in between the current city limits up to and including the location of the wastewater treatment facility to the northwest of Steinbach, be approved as an alternative. In addition, there are certain lands on all quadrants around the city that the city has also put forward in its request to the board."

Warkentin says the land in Steinbach generally slopes downhill from southeast to northwest and the city has traditionally been developed accordingly.

Map showing how the city's water source is in the southeast corner and how water and sewage flow downhill to the northwest.

"A lot of it has to do with history really, going back to the origins of the city. The families that first settled the community used, to a large part, the natural topographical advantages and drainage systems that existed in the landscape at that time, developing in a southeast to a northwesterly pattern. This is also how the city developed its sewer and water infrastructure systems. The general layout of the city's infrastructure systems has its primary water generation and distribution system in the city's southeast quadrant which, from a land elevation perspective, is at the high end of the city. Alternatively, the wastewater treatment facility and the lagoon are located to the city's northwest which, from a land elevation, is significantly lower than the southeast quadrant."

Simply put, water and sewage flow downhill and it's most efficient to develop a community that way. Warkentin notes it is very costly to try and push water or sewage uphill. The Municipal Board announced it plans to issue a ruling with 30 days.

Read more:

Municipal Board Denies Much Of Steinbach/Hanover Annexation Plan