Community development comprises a significant share of a town council’s time and energy. Development planning is, after all, the backbone to a thriving, growing community. On April 26, Niverville’s town council held a second open house to get the public in on the conversation. A formal adoption of the new development plan is set to take place at a public hearing later this fall.
The Manitoba Planning Act requires all municipalities to review and adopt new development policies regularly. Development plans give direction to community leaders, allowing them to determine the most effective use of land in the present and into the future. Zoning bylaws aid in regulating that development.
Niverville’s last development plan was adopted in 2008. Since that time, the community has experienced incredible residential growth and annexed new parcels of land to encourage further population and business growth.
“Land use decisions affect the way people live, work, and play,” reads a report from Sison Blackburn Consultants (SBC) Inc., hired to do an extensive analysis of Niverville in 2017. “Niverville is a rapidly growing community and is experiencing change. Many residents living here today did not live here when the plan was last reviewed. The review is an opportunity to share your ideas and concerns about how your community should evolve over the next 25 years.”
Many details need to be considered when drafting a new development plan. Council must educate themselves on all current regulations, reports, and growth strategies. They must also determine the town’s current conditions in terms of land drainage, water and wastewater services, transportation networks, greenspaces and trails, and community services.
With help from professional consultants such as SBC, council can look into the future to determine population estimates, ongoing land supply and demand, as well as the community’s development opportunities and constraints. Based on this information, a clearer path can be marked out for the years to come.
2016 census data proved integral to mapping the community’s present and future. Compared to data derived for the province as a whole, Niverville has a large proportion of young families and children, as well as larger households on average. Between 2011 and 2016, the town grew at an annual rate of six percent, five times faster than the province’s average during that period.
Should the community remain on this trajectory, not enough land will be available to sustain residential property development for the next 25 years, unless serious consideration is given to multifamily housing options which require less land per family unit. While this is always a sound investment for any community, SBC is confident that the current growth rate won’t be sustained into the distant future.
From the 105 survey respondents at last fall’s open house, SBC compiled data which was also crucial to council’s development considerations. The top three words residents used to describe their hometown were “quiet,” “growing,” and “friendly.”
Sixty percent of respondents said that they valued the small town feel and sense of community; 51 percent would like to see greenspace, street, and sidewalk improvements; 49 percent would like to see additional businesses and services come to town; and 36 percent were concerned that the current rapid pace of growth was overwhelming the town’s existing services.
Amalgamating data from the analysis and resident responses, council’s focus will be on maintaining the small town feel by implementing growth management strategies. Special attention will also be given to Niverville’s Main Street corridor, improving the look and vibrancy to create a more cohesive community meeting place.
Moving forward, council will continue to address the quality and capacity of municipal services and infrastructure. Working against urban sprawl by encouraging more compact development patterns can help reduce those costs. In turn, compact development often means multifamily housing units, addressing another key area of concern for a community wishing to provide affordable housing options to its residents.
Providing quality greenspace and recreation options are high on council’s agenda. Hespeler Park and the wetlands project on the south end of town will continue to undergo improvements and change. The Community Resource Centre and new high school recreation features, coming soon to the north end of town, will provide ample opportunity for active community living. Developing a safe transportation route between these sites will go a long way toward strengthening community interconnection.
Finally, attracting employment opportunities will be key to creating a well-rounded community. Establishing a business-friendly environment is essential for reducing the need for residents to commute to work and for enhancing the local tax base. Newly annexed land is already being developed into commercial and industrial parks.
Working alongside the Chamber of Commerce, council is implementing strategies to promote the community for business development, as well as to encourage home-based and small-scale business through incentive packages.
