The town of Carlyle is in negotiation with the Rural Municipality #63, Moose Mountain, to annex land to the west and south of town.
The move, which would more than double the size of the town, would see a total of six quarter-sections, plus some additional small areas, added to the town's jurisdiction.
Following months of negotiations between the town and the RM regarding reparation for tax loss to the RM, both councils met with landholders who would be affected by the jurisdictional change on the evening of Thursday, April 5.
"I want the town to be ready to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise," said Carlyle Mayor Don Shirley. "By having this land available, we increase the town's flexibility when it comes to interested parties that want to build within town limits."
"If a manufacturing operation wants to have a shop within the town limits, as an example, and they need five or six acres, we would be able to direct them to the present landholders, and the land would already be within the town's jurisdiction," Shirley said. "There wouldn't be any hold-up to development as we attempted to work out an annexation deal while the developer is left waiting."
The decision to move the border west was prompted by the present physical barriers the town is facing.
To the North is Highway 13; to the east is Highway 9; to the south is the waste lagoon, which the province requires there to be no developments within half-a-kilometre of its banks.
This leaves west.
The plan at present would see the entire section west of town, and the two quarter-sections directly south of it, added to the municipal boundaries.
The RM, for its part, has been working closely with the town to move the project forward, and has agreed on a payment equivalent of seven years of tax payments at their 2012 rates as the compensation for the move.
"I think the move is pretty positive, and the RM council has been pretty positive about it as well," said RM #63 Reeve Lyle Brown. "I think we all know the town needs to expand and grow, and have some control about how they're growing."
"As an RM, we have to deal with two municipalities in our boundaries [Carlyle and Manor,] and it is always the question about how we deal with them, how we help them, equally or however," Brown continued. "In this case it is a positive move for Carlyle, and the communication between them and us has been great."
The two councils are working closely with rate-payers in the area of the planned annexation to answer their questions and concerns as things move forward.
"We're still negotiating, and nothing is for sure yet, but it is all looking pretty positive," Brown said. "The final details may not be like they are right now, but as far as the compensation for the RM goes, I think the seven years of taxes is pretty solid."
"We recognize that we may have larger businesses that want to move in who want water and sewer and things like that," Brown said, "Things that we presently don't supply or have the infrastructure support."
"This plan would give them an option."
Brown also stated we would be happy to answer any question regarding the proposal from anyone.
As for the town of Carlyle, Mayor Shirley is excited by the prospects for the future.
"This will take a lot of the guess work out of future developments for us," Shirley said. "We aren't buying the land, but I think everyone will benefit from this."
"The landholders will have the ability to subdivide their lands, and the town will be ready to help developers make contact with those people to develop the land," Shirley said. "We'll have the opportunity to grow past where we are now, take advantage of opportunities as they arise, and diversify the economy in the town."
"I'm really grateful to the RM for working with us towards this goal," Shirley said. "The council has been great, and we've kept a good line open between us as this moves forward."
The annexation is still in the early stages, and landholder consultations are just beginning.
The Observer will continue to report on the project as it develops further.
