The Issue

It is essential to manage Cranbrook's growth with a long term vision. The boundary extension is an opportunity to improve the quality of life in Cranbrook through controlled growth and prudent planning. A referendum on Saturday, November 14, 2009 will now decide whether or not the boundary extension will go forward.

Cranbrook needs to secure lands for future urban growth and the boundary extension will allow for careful planning while accommodating the city's growth well into the future. The lands in the boundary expansion are comprised of 9,583 acres. This includes 9023 acres of private land and 560 acres of Provincial Crown land. The private lands are owned by 673989 BC Ltd/Summit West Investments, 608534 BC Ltd., and John Romich. The Community Forest is not included in the boundary extension.

The lands, taken as a whole, provide significant opportunity for the City of Cranbrook to plan for the future. Bringing these lands under the City's jurisdiction will ensure an opportunity for the people of Cranbrook to have a say in how the lands are planned and in how our City will grow.

If these lands remain outside of our city's boundary, when development occurs, the people of Cranbrook will have no say. It's that simple. If development were to occur outside of Cranbrook, new residents would use our community's services and infrastructure without contributing in any way to its tax base.

Without the extension, Cranbrook will eventually suffer from fragmentation on its boundary -small parcels of land being developed without a cohesive and all-inclusive plan. And such problems will only become more acute as Cranbrook continues to grow. That is why the boundary extension is not only important but necessary - it ensures that a master plan will be in place to chart the course for development and to make certain that the needs of all residential, commercial and industrial sectors are provided for.

From the beginning, the issue of a boundary extension has included both public dialogue and input. This public transparency will continue so that the needs of the community are met.

Although Cranbrook City Council voted in favour of the boundary extension, due to the Alternative Approval Process, the City is now holding a referendum on the boundary extension issue. Referendums are binding on Council and a strong yes voter turnout is needed for the boundary extension to go through.

This is a once-in-lifetime opportunity that residents of Cranbrook must seize. If you care about the future well-being of our community and its citizens, please join the Yes to Opportunity campaign and vote Yes! on November 14, 2009.