The Mayor of Steinbach has responded to concerns expressed by Keystone Agricultural Producers and Manitoba Agriculture who dislike the city's proposed annexation plan. They told the Manitoba Municipal Board that the affected area includes prime agricultural land and feel the city should expand to the south and east instead of mainly to the west. They also feel the city should add only a 20-year supply of land instead of the proposed 50-year supply.
Mayor Chris Goertzen says Steinbach was founded and based on people in farming and the city knows the importance of agriculture to the region and says the city took that into account in coming up with the annexation plan. Furthermore, he says comprehensive growth studies took place before the annexation plan was put together.
"We recognize that, number one, we needed to make sure that we expanded in an efficient way that will not cost the region a lot of money. Secondly, we needed to make sure that there's open land that's available for development, not areas that have large amounts of land that has been broken up into small parcels or has been occupied by poultry farms, for example. So it was looked at comprehensively through these studies and we made sure that we were making the right decision for the long-term viability of the city and the region."
Goertzen also says areas to the south and east of Steinbach are at higher elevations which would make development difficult.
"Servicing any community uphill is very difficult and very costly and very inefficient and so that was also part of the discussions when it came to the area that needed to become part of the city. In the long run, this is the most efficient and effective way to expand the city."
Goertzen adds the city is confident it made a solid argument to the Manitoba Municipal Board which is currently reviewing the plan.
"We were very pleased with how the presentations went. We saw clearly that we demonstrated, through the consultants that we had there through the presentations we made as a city, the need to continue to think long term. We look forward to hearing from the Municipal Board as well as looking forward to making this come to fruition in the coming months."
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Fri, Apr 26, 1:00 PM
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