A final decision for an application for the Town of Stettler to annex six quarter sections from the County of Stettler could he handed down by this fall following a public hearing March 3 by the Municipal Government Board (MGB) in Stettler.
“We received four written submissions,” said case manager Rick Duncan of the MGB.
However, just two of those people addressed the board during the hearing at Ramada Inn.
From here, the panel will take all the information from the hearing and present a report with recommendations to Municipal Affairs Minister Hector Goudreau.
“Our report and recommendations will take about three to four months and then it’s up to the minister to accept, reject or modify the application and then present it to the cabinet,” said Duncan.
Both the town and the county want the annexation to become effective on Jan. 1, whether it be 2010 or 2011.
Council leaders came away optimistic that the application will be fully endorsed.
“I thought there would be more objections considering the number of letters,” said County Reeve Earl Marshall.
“I think the recommendations will come pretty quick.”
“By the comments we heard, there are some concerns but nothing that we can’t overcome.” said Town of Stettler Mayor Dick Richards, stating that annexation will benefit the area.
“It’s what’s right for the community and puts a plan for both the town and the county to move forward.”
“What matters most it that it’s complete and the date is secondary.”
Mayor Richards also noted that the cooperation of the town and county has led to a proposal that is strongly supported by affected residents and property owners.
Only concerns in the proposed western boundary on Highway 12 were voiced by two of those people who filed submissions, with the area planned for highway commercial growth.
“We have expressed our opposition to annex our properties to the town over the past three years and neither town or county councils has ever listened,” said Anne Swainston, a long-time property owner in the Repp residential subdivision located on the western boundary of the town just north of Highway 12.
“I don’t want to be part of the Town of Stettler – I feel I would not get any benefit from it.”
Her words were also echoed by neighbourhood resident Karen Thorkelson.
South of the highway in the same area, Challenger Development Corporation requested conditions to enable the company to develop wells in the area.
“We don’t want to be restricted by where we can locate our wells,” said general manager Brent Hepfner.
“I’m not going to argue with the need for the town to grow.”
In response, the town plans to address these concerns.
“For the Repp subdivision, there is potential for the town to designate a transitional zone similar to what the town has done just east of the downtown core,” said Dave Dittrick, contract development officer for the town.
“We will limit access for heavy vehicles in the Repp subdivision.”
“We are also willing to work with Challenger with an area structure plan to identify drilling sites and pipeline corridors.”
To provide for more residential and commercial land for the next 40 years for the town and county to grow, the town – with full support from county council – has applied to annex about 364 hectares (900 acres) that includes:
• Four quarter sections to the west of the town along Highway 12, being Section 1-39-20-W4M.
• One quarter section west of Tower Road, being the SE 7-39-19-W4M around the Emerson subdivision.
• One quarter section to the south of the town along and to the east of Highway 56, being the SW 31-38-19- W4M.
Terms of the annexation agreement define the municipal taxation and compensation to be paid by the town to the county.
Owners of just seven of the 43 affected properties either oppose the proposal or object with conditions, the town reports in its application to the MGB while 36 property owners either did not respond or support the annexation.