The City of Humboldt and the RM of Humboldt are developing a joint zoning bylaw and community plan for development along their shared border.

“It’s very valuable because to move ahead in the future when we want to sell our land and rezone it for other purposes, we know that the City of Humboldt is already going to be okay with it, so it’s going to speed the process along,” RM of Humboldt administrator Corinne Richardson said.

The RM currently has exclusive authority on the area right outside the city limits; the city has exclusive authority within.

However, a joint district plan for that doughnut-shaped area for would be a better process, City of Humboldt manager Joe Day said.

“The district plan basically talks about some of those fringe areas and how we can jointly approve them so there aren’t any misunderstandings.”

The issue most recently came up in a motion before Humboldt city council to approve the RM re-zoning some vacant agricultural land just west of the city to commercial land.

While the city doesn’t have formal authority, its views are taken into consideration by the province for final approval.

Having a joint bylaw would speed up the process for people to buy commercial land in the RM, Richardson said.

“In the past they weren't able just to purchase land and put a business on there. Because it would have to go to our meeting, back to the city, back to ours, back to their planners.

“Where now, with the new planning committee, they’re going to decide right then that yes, this is allowed so they can start their business tomorrow.”

The plan is expected to be formalized by the fall.