Sundre council passed first, second and third readings of a fee bylaw for the connection of municipal water and wastewater services in town.
The bylaw establishes a connection fee of $15,000 for residential parcels and $25,000 for commercial.
The water and wastewater connection was updated in October 2012 to establish a connection for 46 lots on the east side of town. Currently, 41 lots on the east side have connected and paid the connection fee, according to Erin O'Neill, the town's manager of planning and development.
Council passed the bylaw after a unanimous decision to go to third reading during the council meeting on Sept. 16.
According to a report to council from O'Neill, each property owner is also responsible for any costs associated with the connection from the service to the property line and from the property line to their building.
Each connection shall include both water and wastewater services, according to the bylaw. The fee is reflective of the current costs associated with the services which include administration, contingency, engineering and GST.
It says the municipality is not requiring properties on the east side of the Red Deer River, adjacent to the services, to connect immediately.
It states that the requirement to connect to infrastructure and pay the connection fee will occur if:
Provincial or federal legislation mandates the connection to an available municipal infrastructure
The owner of a property applies for and is approved of a change of the land use zoning designation
Redevelopment of 75 per cent or more of the building
The owner of a property applies to have a new septic system installed
The owner of a property applies to have a new water well installed
If a lot is subdivided after the service has been provided, the new lot will require a new service to be installed and the connection fee will apply to the newly titled lot.
A memorandum of agreement was signed by the town and Mountain View County for the option of county residents to connect. This is why administration officials felt it was necessary to create a bylaw that establishes connection fees for the entire town.
