Niverville to amend annexation plan to 25 years

The Town of Niverville will amend its plan to annex 2,700 acres of land from the RM of Hanover after the municipal board recommended that it look to 25 years of growth rather than 50.

“We’re going to come back with an amended proposal…They recognize that NIverville needs more land beyond its existing borders so that’s the approach we’re taking. They want some kind of lesser ask and we’re revisiting our original proposal and seeing what would be better in keeping with what they are suggesting,” said Mayor Myron Dyck.

Originally, the town wanted to annex and develop 50 parcels of land eastward bordering both sides of Highway 311 right up to Highway 59.

Dyck said he was not surprised by the change. He said it was the previous provincial government’s suggestion that Niverville look at a 50-year growth plan. While land will be annexed from the RM, how many acres will be annexed is currently up for discussion.

The town would still be entering into an indefinite contract agreement with the landowners whereupon they would be guaranteed that no development and no changes in bylaws or zoning would be done regarding their land unless approved by the landowner.

Regarding taxation, the town plans to set the mill rates at rural levels so that landowners would not be subject to urban taxes.

The mayor reiterated that council is aware of the residents who spoke in opposition to the annexation and their concerns.

“This is not town council coming after anyone’s land – they can farm for the next million years if they want that is their right to do so. All that we’re doing is merely letting the province know that if Niverville was to grow, as forecast, this is the amount of acres that are needed for Niverville to grow.”

It’s expected the population will grow to 28,868 by 2056, according to a growth study commissioned by the town in 2022.

Dyck said if the farmers decide not to sell then the town will not expand its boarders and will have infill, something which it is currently doing with zoning that allows for multi-family dwellings in the town’s core.

“Most municipalities operate around five residential units per acre – we’re double that. We have a strong belief in multi-family both from a point of land use as well as point of financial sustainability and affordably for people. Not everyone can afford a single family home or some people don’t want to live in a single family home, they want an apartment or condo or townhouse.”

Currently, the province is re-writing plan 20-50, a multi-municipal plan that focuses on development for the next 26 years. The plan addresses density and Dyck said if Niverville joins the plan its density plan is already in place that would meet those targets.

“Niverville is a 15 minute community which simply means that you can get anywhere that you need to go for what you need to do inside the community in 15 minutes…Nothing more and nothing less.”

It is unknown when the town will be meeting with the RM to further discuss annexation.

Benefits to the RM of Hanover once annexation is approved is taxation on the annexed land at a de-escalating rate of 10 percent a year for 10 years and a share in the commercial/industrial corridor along Highway 59 should the annexation fall along that route.