MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council has approved an update to the municipality’s regulations regarding aggregate levies at private pits.
The county’s governance review committee met on March 30 to consider possible changes to the Community Aggregate Payment Levy regulations. Council gave first and second reading to the proposed changes in early May and passed third reading on May 26.
The bylaw defines aggregate as “sand or gravel as found naturally or processed and stockpiled.”
Regarding levy rate and payment and collection of a levy, the update to the bylaw reads, in part, that, “The uniform levy rate for all shipments of aggregate from a pit within the county shall be $0.40 per tonne of aggregate.” The previous rate was $0.25 per tonne.
The updated bylaw also states, “Within 45 days of receiving the semi annual aggregate tonnage roll, the county shall send out a levy notice, in form of an accounts receivable invoice, to each operator setting out the amount of the levy payable by the operator based on the aggregate tonnage roll submitted to the county.”
The Exemptions from Levy section now reads, in part, that, “No exemption shall be issued for any shipments from a pit owned privately, regardless if the shipment is for a use or a project that is being undertaken by or on behalf of the Crown or a municipality.”
The levy will be used to raise revenue for the payment of infrastructure and other costs within the municipality, the bylaw states.
Administration recommended that prior to final reading of the updated bylaw notification of the changes be provided to municipal partners that previously accessed aggregate from a private pit for their information.
One letter and one phone call was received, with both calling for the changes to come into effect following a transition period, said Chris Atchison, director of legislative services.
“That seems very reasonable to me,” said Coun. Peggy Johnson.
Council agreed that in order to accommodate contracts that have already been signed, the bylaw changes will come into effect on January 1, 2022.
