Steinbach city council took a tour late Tuesday afternoon of all the parcels of land that are being annexed from the RM of Hanover. The city expects the annexation of 2,800 acres to become official January 1st. The largest new area is to the northwest of the current Steinbach boundary but there are also additional parcels on the other three corners of the city. Mayor Chris Goertzen says the tour has given council good background information as it prepares to revise the city's Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw to include the new areas.

"What's important is that we have a plan in place so that the development is orderly and that it's efficient. Seeing it firsthand, first of all where the water is draining, what shape the roads are in and what proximity it has to other facilities in the city, I think is really important. So council got a firsthand look at where these facilities and infrastructure pieces are at."

Goertzen notes all existing land uses in the annexed area will stay the same for the time being. He says the revised Official Community Plan will provide a guide as to how the city wants the land to eventually be used.

"Whether it's where green spaces will be, whether it's where added industrial or commercial land will be or whether additional residential areas will be developed, those are all part of the questions that are going to be asked and answers will be found as we go through that process of the Official Community Plan."

He expects it will take most of next year to finalize the revised Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw which will guide development in the new areas over the coming decades.

"There will be consultations and we'll make sure that people are involved who want to be involved and who live in these areas."

Areas in green will become part of Steinbach under the annxeation plan.