Heather Wright/The Independent

Horst Richter is getting his land back more than a decade after he first donated it.

But it will cost him some cash.

According to a bylaw passed, without comment, at the Oct. 14 Petrolia council meeting, Richter will pay all the fees associated with returning the land, including legal fees.

In 2014, Richter donated five acres which was land-locked by homes fronting on Eureka Street and the industries on Centre St. He told administrators and the mayor of the day it was to be a park.

The town gave him a $50,000 tax receipt and for years the land was vacant.

In 2016, Richter proposed a development south of the park. The plan, approved by the town, included a walkway to the proposed park. Richter later sold the property to a private developer.

The park was still on the radar as staff told neighbours in May 2021 the town planned to fence the property for a potential dog park.

Then in 2024, private developers proposed a 48 condo development beside the donated land. Three months later, the town staff wanted to sell the property.

“Staff originally produced several concepts of what these lands could be used for to engage public enjoyment, unfortunately with further research into each of the concepts it proved not feasible to proceed,” wrote Clerk Mandi Pearson.

Richter was surprised and said of the town wasn’t developing a park, he wanted it back.

Eventually, in Nov. 2024, the town agreed to put the acreage up for sale. But Richter went to his lawyer determined to the get the property back.

“If there is no way that they’re going to do a park, then give it back to me and I’ll do a park. I have the equipment. I have excavators, dozers, dump trucks. I have the stuff. I’ll do what I envisioned the town would do,” he added.

After the vote to sell the land, Richter found a new lawyer to pursue the case.

Oct. 14, council passed a bylaw returning the lands. Council, according to the bylaw, passed an in-camera motion earlier this year to “retransfer” the land to Richter’s company, Countryside Realty.

The developer will pay a “nominal consideration” of an unspecified amount for the land and pay all closing and legal costs for both himself and the town.