11-15-"l2 16:13 of Sherwood #159 385-352-1768 T-482 . Cornwall Street . 5 rural municipality 159 i?axjsos 352-170 NEWS RELEASE November 15"' 2012 RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF SHERWOOD DISAPPOINTED BY COMMENTS OF NEW MAYOR The Rural Municipality of Sherwood #159 is very disappointed with recent remarks made by the newly elected mayor of the City of Regina, Michael Fougere, following a meeting of its Executive Committee on Wednesday. The RM of Sherwood. similar to the Province ofsaskatchewan. is a proponent of growth and is supportive of appropriate development opportunities within its boundaries. The RM of Sherwood is equally cognizant of the legitimate interests of other stakeholders in proposed developments including those of the City of Regina. Over the last years. successive councils of the RM of Sherwood have worked towards the adoption of a comprehensive Official Community Plan which will govern all aspects of future growth and developments within the RM. The RM of Sherwood's proposed OCP respects all areas designated for future growth by the City of Regina based upon its most recent growth projections (a population in excess of 300.000). The proposed OCP also requires all future developments in all potential future growth areas of the City to adhere to the same development standards as would be imposed by the City of Regina. While the proposed OCP receives consideration from the Province, development within the RM continues to be governed by the "Sherwood -- Regina Planning District Development Plan" and the "Sherwood -- Regina Planning District By|aw" which, in the view of the RM, deters and discourages development instead of promoting it. Recently, several developers approached the RM of Sherwood with development plans that fit in well with the proposed OCP, related to lands that were not part of the City's future growth projections (absent a small area on the City's eastern edge) and complemented existing and planned adjacent land uses. in order for these developments to move ahead, the RM sought the City's consent to amend the current zoning for the lands and fully expected the changes would be supported. The RM of Sherwood is very surprised that the City would put these proposed developments at risk by refusing to support the zoning change on the basis that the areas might potentially be needed for long term residential developments (presumably meaning when the city reached a population in excess of 300,000). Especially troubling is Mayor Fougere's statement that approval of any future developments -should wait until the City updates its own OCP which he says will not even be completed until late 2013. 11-15-'12 16:13 FROM-RM of Sherwood #159 3%-352-176 T-42 F-397 The RM of Shewvood and_ its administration have been meeting regularly with representatives of the City of Regina and are in the process of negotiating a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Regina which will guide the parties on all future matters of mutual interest including land use issues. It was the belief of the RM of Shenivood that these discussions were going well and it was therefore caught off guard by the recent decision. The RM of Sherwood is disappointed by the decision of the Executive Committee of the City of Regina and, given all the RM's efforts at building a sound relationship with the City of Regina, even more so by the tone of the comments from Mayor Fougere only days into his mandate. The RM of Sherwood will ask the City of Regina to re-consider its position on the zoning issues and remain hopeful the developments, which will also be of great benefit to the City of Regina, will not be opposed and that the relationship between it and the RM of Sherwood can move forward in a positive and cooperative fashion. For more information, contact: Rachel Kunz Administrator RM. of Sherwood No. 159 Phone: (306) 525-5237 . -.. - -