The fate of the Town of Stettler’s land annexation will soon rest with the Municipal Government Board.
Stettler town and county councils have both approved an annexation agreement that maps out future growth areas for both municipalities.
It also expanded the Town of Stettler’s south and western boundaries, encompassing six additional quarter-sections of land from Stettler County.
The last step will be sending the agreement for final approval of the Municipal Government Board, which will meet in the spring.
“We’d like to see it finalized as soon as possible,” said Town of Stettler administrator Stoutenberg, who noted the town has been very short of highway-fronted commercial land, in particular.
The annexation is supposed to meet the town’s growth needs for the next 40 years, providing more residential, commercial and industrial land.
Stoutenberg added he’s pleased that negotiations for the annexation — which also includes the town paying a one-time compensation of $288,000 for county infrastructure, and annual county payments to the town for recreation cost-sharing — are “behind us now.”
Talks have been ongoing since late 2007, but began moving “very quickly” after town and county representatives sat down with a mediator, he said.