At the March 4th meeting, Council was asked to comment on a proposed amendment to Peterborough’s Official Plan
The clause in question prohibited the extension of municipal services such as water, sewer and utilities beyond its borders except to service city-owned facilities such as the Peterborough Airport. The proposed amendment would allow the city to extend services to a neighbouring municipality should a mutually-beneficial economic development arise.
The proposal represents a significant shift in attitude. The shortage of serviced industrial land has been a challenge in the area for more than thirty years, with City, County and Economic Development officials alluding to a multitude of lost opportunities and businesses looking to relocate to the area were unable to secure the serviced land they required. Still, the city held firm in its refusal to consider cross-border servicing. A year-long negotiation between city, county and township staff under the guidance of a provincially appointed facilitator in 2017 resulted in a proposal where 4140 acres were to be transferred from Cavan Monaghan to the city, with payments to the township flowing over 25 years. The deal collapsed after it was rejected from Peterborough City Council in a unanimous vote.
This amendment does not introduce a specific project or property that might qualify for cross-border services, but means a proposal is possible, given the right conditions, on a case-by-case basis.
In its response, Council agreed in principal with the proposed amendment and requested that the amendment include the caveat that any development opportunity arising outside the city boundary would require a motion of support from the host municipality prior to any consideration of extending services and that the city establish and publish guidelines that will be used to evaluate mutually beneficial development opportunities. KG
