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Enterprise trying to take control of land Herb Mathisen Northern News Services Published Monday, December 12, 2011
"It's finally come to a head," said Mayor Al Flamand, chairing his final council meeting on Dec. 5. He said the hamlet has been meeting with the territorial government for the past four years and it is nearly ready to make its formal land request. "We know what we are going to do and what lands we are going to apply for," he said. "We are going to own our own land. The benefit to each and every one of us is immediate, for everyone who owns land and wants to own land in this community." Flamand said the hamlet is looking to take control of an area south of the hamlet, west from the highway directly across from Klassen's Homes down to the escarpment. It would also seek to take over leases within the hamlet held by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA,) which would allow the municipality to settle leases with would-be homeowners. Flamand estimated 50 per cent of Enterprise residents own their land presently. He said the move to take control of the land would remove roadblocks for prospective residents and businesspeople, currently required to have their plans approved by MACA and various First Nations bands - a process which can take upwards of six months. "When development comes, we can make it simpler, easier and faster," he said. Before the proposal goes to council for approval, though, Flamand committed to giving the public a say in what land they'd like to see the hamlet pursue. He said a town hall-type meeting could be held to let residents weigh in with their thoughts. A date has not been set for the public forum, because a new hamlet council will be in place by the next council meeting on Jan. 9. Flamand said the next council will likely schedule and organize the meeting, adding the date, a chart of the proposed land application and additional information relating to the land request might be sent out in the hamlet's monthly newsletter prior to the meeting. Flamand said if a potential landowner has been eyeballing a certain area, they should have a chance to raise that with council before the hamlet plan is given a final go-ahead. "We need to give them that opportunity before we apply for the land," he said. Councillors Jim Dives, Tammy Neal and Craig McMaster all agreed. Peter Groenen, the hamlet's senior administrative officer, said, in total, the hamlet is looking at acquiring nearly 300 hectares, but he wouldn't get too specific about the areas targeted in the proposal, as the community's plans have not yet been finalized. "It's roughly about three times the size of the community," he said, adding the land would consist of residential and industrial parcels, with the potential for the development of some recreational areas as well. Groenen said the application would go to MACA, which would then take it to land claim groups for discussion. That process, he said, takes 90 days. From there, the territorial government, the executive council and finally the NWT commissioner would have to sign off on the transfer. He said if the application was made in January, the transfer could come through by September or October. He said council would then decide how to zone the new parcels of land, adding that any lots taken over that were already zoned would stay as they were and would require public consultation to rezone. At the moment, Groenen said he is awaiting estimates from MACA on what the proposed land will cost to get surveyed. He noted the hamlet must survey the acquired land in order to gain title over it. Coun. Joe Lalonde suggested that, if the application goes through, the hamlet should gauge public opinion to determine which pieces of land should be surveyed first and which should be put on hold. "Surveying does cost a lot of money," he said. Groenen took note of that idea, adding the municipality would be in a position to recover costs from the land surveys through the price of the lot, if council wished.
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