Campbell River taxpayers have weighed in on the city’s proposed Area D boundary extension.
City Clerk Peter Wipper announced Tuesday that he received forms opposing council’s proposal to extend its city boundary southward in order to provide 535 northern Area D properties with city sewer service.
“I confirm that the city received 14 valid elector response forms from city residents before the July 21, 2014 deadline indicating their opposition to the boundary extension,” Wipper wrote in a report to council.
The forms were part of the Alternate Approval Process which technically passed because less than 10 per cent of eligible Campbell River voters signed and delivered an opposition form to city hall. However, that vote is a moot point because in a referendum on June 28, Area D residents voted overwhelmingly in opposition, with 589 no votes (84 per cent) and 110 yes votes.
“Since voters in Area D voted against joining the city, the AAP process has become redundant,” Wipper said.
If the project had gone ahead, it was expected to cost Campbell River taxpayers an extra $24 annually in user fees for the next 20 years, in order to pay off an anticipated $3.9 million project debt. Area D residents would have had to pay a one-time hook up fee of $9,300, either in one lump sum or over the course of 20 years, likely starting in 2015. Residents would have had five years to connect to the city sewer and pay another $1,800 connection fee.