The Town of Penhold is moving aggressively ahead with annexation plans that will double the physical size of the community.
The completed annexation plan between the town and Red Deer County is expected to keep pace with the town's growth.
“Penhold has been growing at a rate that is consistent with the need for more land,” said Jim Wood, mayor of Red Deer County.
“Whether it takes 20 years or 30 years, I think it's important to know where (annexation) is going to take place, what will be annexed during that time and what the plans are for the type of development that will take place.
“We want to make sure that all communities are able to be sustainable and have a balanced tax base including residential, commercial and industrial,” he added.
Penhold mayor Dennis Cooper said the proposed annexation would include a mix of development for residential, commercial and industrial.
“We're probably looking at about 70 per cent residential and 30 per cent industrial and commercial,” said Cooper. “There's some land we can't develop because it's in the flood plain of the Waskasoo Creek. Of the eight quarters or 1,260 acres (in the proposed annexation) we're losing at least a quarter to flood plain land,” he added.
Wood said they will look at a number of factors before finalizing the process.
“How the county will continue to grow, how Penhold will continue to grow and how it will impact our agricultural producers,” he said.
Rick Binnendyk, Penhold's chief administrative officer, said the town and county have been meeting with area residents directly affected by the proposed annexation to discuss the process and answer questions.
“Things are moving forward," said Binnendyk.
In addition to learning about the annexation of land from Red Deer County, local residents will also have an opportunity to learn about the inter-municipal development plan (IDP) -- a plan that involves potential future lands for either Penhold or Red Deer County.
"We're identifying our long-term growth strategies and we're working together as to how the areas might work in cooperation," said Binnendyk. "If the county is looking at doing something in that particular area, they'll be talking with us, if we're looking at moving into that particular area we'll be talking with them.
“It formulates a great collaborative working partnership," he added.
The IDP boundary includes approximately 3,360 acres of land, noted Binnendyk, while the land to be annexed would double the size of Penhold, adding an additional 1,260 acres of land for a total of 2,560 acres. Penhold currently sits at about 1,360 acres or eight and a half quarters, he added.
The proposed annexation will extend north and east of the current Penhold boundary.
"The annexation is for us to have a focused long-term growth plan for the community. As the economy picks up we want to be ready and we want to be ready to facilitate the need for future development," said Binnendyk. "When growth begins to occur we'll be ready for it."
The Town of Penhold is hosting an open house about annexation at the Penhold Regional Multiplex Nov. 23 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Red Deer County officials are also attending.
Mayor Dennis Cooper
"We're probably looking at about 70 per cent residential and 30 per cent industrial and commercial. Of the eight quarters or 1,260 acres (in the proposed annexation) we're losing at least a quarter to flood plain land."
