Growth planning for area communities is an important part of ensuring that future development pathways are set and information is readily available to prospective home builders, developers and commercial interests. The Village of Muenster has undertaken important work leading to an update of their official community plan (OCP) and zoning bylaws. The documents are available for viewing at the Village Office in Muenster or on the village website.
This will lead to a public hearing on June 18, 6:00 pm at the Council meeting to be held at the Village of Muenster office.
The bylaws and community plan were last updated in 1986, says Chief Administrative Officer Jan Sylvestre, and the update was needed to reflect the current reality and future needs of the village.
“We acquired some grant proceeds to enable us to hire professionals to make sure our new OCP and bylaws will be meeting the standards of the provincial government in terms of all the categories that they require,” Sylvestre explains.
The process started in 2024 with a community hall meeting allowing for input. There’s some fine tuning to be done before the plan and the associated bylaws receive their final readings. The public hearing will allow for final questions or feedback before the final readings are undertaken.
The new bylaw updates will clearly define any limitations on dwellings set as sizes, setbacks, material, construction restrictions, among others.
A big part of the discussion is around future growth. Available lots in the village are dwindling, down to six. That’s below the stated threshold where the community needs to look for options to expand.
In the case of Muenster, the expansion is likely to take place to the west given that the village is locked in to the north and east by Highway 5 and to the south by railway tracks. Another consideration is the potential for commercial development along the Highway 5 corridor.
“Part of the work that we’ve done includes the regional corridor project map. We’re working with the City of Humboldt and the RM of Humboldt to lay out what’s the best fit for everyone on both future commercial and residential development between Humboldt and Muenster adjacent to Highway 5.”
The balance between residential and commercial development is at the forefront, particularly when it comes to Highway 5 proximity and the other physical restrictions in play.
"We’re poised for growth,” Sylvestre confirms. “We’ve done so much engineering work. We’ve studied the conditions of our assets from sewer lines to water lines to surface road work. We’ve worked with geo-technical engineers within the village over the last two to three years.”
Armed with an understanding of what is available, what needs repairing, and what needs to happen to foster growth, the Village is moving ahead confidently with its OCP and future development plan. The good news is the availability of grants for infrastructure projects and funding through housing accelerators.
While the community smaller with a more restricted tax base than larger centres, Sylvestre says Muenster boasts a K-12 school, a store, a daycare soon to be constructed, a post-secondary facility with St. Peter’s College, along with numerous businesses, contractors and other assets that make the community attractive to homebuilders, developers and commercial enterprises.
“With all our data, we know that we can maximize the housing infrastructure funds that could cover up to 73 percent of the infrastructure construction costs. That will increase accessibility to housing opportunities.”
With a second intake of applications this fall, the village hopes to take full advantage of those opportunities.
It all adds up to Muenster preparing for growth and placing itself in a position where it’s an attractive option for business, home developers and individuals looking for a progressive community right in the heart of a growing region.