More housing opportunities are coming to the community of Mitchell.

On behalf of Prairie Horizons Development, Marcel Jodoin appeared before Hanover Council this month requesting permission to develop 48 residential lots and two commercial lots on the east end of Mitchell. The plan includes 15 two-unit lots and two multi-unit lots. The portion north of Pinehurst Lane is intended to be a single unit development.

Hanover Planning Manager Jeremy Neufeld says the affected area is the final piece of land owned by Skyprom Marketing. Neufeld says the plan is consistent with the development plan and a concept plan developed for the larger area. Administration supports this development.

In a letter to Hanover Council, Margaret Rempel of Rempelco Acres Ltd noted a couple of concerns. As the farming family on the adjacent parcel of land, Rempel noted a concern with regard to drainage. She says an agreement was signed with the previous owner of the land being subdivided that the relocation of the drainage ditch would continue to allow for drainage from the neighbouring agricultural land owned by Rempelco Acres.

A second concern was with respect to the "huge volume" of construction debris that finds its way onto their property. Rempel notes large pieces of plastic and rigid insulation repeatedly end up on their land. Rempel says it would be appreciated if the amount of debris littering their field could be considerably reduced and also that they could be compensated for the cost of annual cleanup.

In responding to these concerns, Jodoin noted that drainage flows in a northwest direction. He says they plan to have a swale on the eastern edge of the development and can address this concern in the development agreement. With respect to the construction debris, Jodoin noted this was the first time he had heard of this concern and said as developers they would do what they can to address the problem.

Mitchell area Councillor Brian Esau says he sees construction garbage all the time and he feels for the landowners. Neufeld noted the municipality could talk with their bylaw enforcement officer about stepping up enforcement. He says erecting a construction fence only catches anything that flies low to the ground. Neufeld says it is the plastic from shingles that seems to be the biggest culprit and says a fence will not do much to solve that problem.

In the end, Hanover Council agreed to approve the development request.