Hart Highlands Working Group To Be Established
“It is becoming very scary” says City engineer Dave Dyer.
Drainage entering the Fraser River from the watersheds (an area of about 560 hectares) has caused erosion and slope collapse. “The result is a 20 metre vertical cliff in a forested area that is not clearly visible to members of the public that may hike or venture into the area. Though there are no official City trails or pathways developed, there are bush trails established by the public” reads Dyer’s report to Council.
Mayor Hall says there are still many questions about the Hart Highlands project that need to be answered, and the project would not likely start until 2016. He said the residents deserve to have answers to those questions, including how much the project would cost each resident, what is the plan to get emergency vehicles into the area when roads are torn up.
There are questions about the price for phase 2 which at $2.9 million, is nearly twice that of the first phase.
Councillor Terri McConnachie says the price change in the Hart Highlands project is the difference of “a pinch, to a punch in the face.” She noted “The small communities grant is a very fickle situation, it’s here today it’s not tomorrow, so it’s not something we can control.” She called for cost certainty on the project.
Councillor Jillian Merrick applauded those Hart Highlands residents who worked hard to identify possible grants, but made it clear the property owners bear responsibility for this project. While recognizing some residents will face financial hardship, she stressed the goal is an affordable sanitary sewer connection for the area and would like to see the work to move forward.
As for the Fraser Basin Bench Lands, about 6% of the project cost can be funded from new development in the lower Malaspina (Creekside) area. The developer has already submitted $45 thousand dollars and further dollars will be forthcoming as that development proceeds.
If there is no grant, the cost of the Fraser River Bench Lands project would be added to the general tax levy and every property owner would have to help cover the cost of the remediation . If the application is approved, a grant covering two thirds of the project cost would be removed from the shoulders of the general tax payer.
The final vote was unanimous (Councillor Kohler was absent) in supporting submitting an application for grant funding for up to $1.41 million dollars for the remediation of the Fraser River Bench Lands to eliminate erosion and reduce the risk to public safety.
In the wake of the decision, Mayor Hall called for the development of a working group made up of 4 residents from the Hart Highlands and 4 from the City to “map out a plan for phase 2” .
Comments
Some people have been paying for services since 1972? Here’s a plan : charge the people of the Hart the install-rates from 1972 to install the system .Lol Still waiting for that Indoor swimming pool to be built.Nobody actually wanted the useless tennis courts.
Oh goodie – a working group. Just another way of trying to appease the people on the Hart without making a decision. Love Merrick’s comment – yes there will be hardship but we want to make it affordable. How to straddle the fence. At least McConnachie gets it. She is a great addition to this council.
As for the Fraser Basin Bench Lands, about 6% of the project cost can be funded from new development in the lower Malaspina (Creekside) area. The developer has already submitted $45 thousand dollars and further dollars will be forthcoming as that development proceeds.
If there is no grant, the cost of the Fraser River Bench Lands project would be added to the general tax levy and every property owner would have to help cover the cost of the remediation . If the application is approved, a grant covering two thirds of the project cost would be removed from the shoulders of the general tax payer.
REALLY!! There is NO WAY that the general taxpayer should have to pay for the Fraser Basin Bench Lands – 52 acres is owned by Fortwood Homes / 56 acres by the Roman Catholic Diocese and 3 acres by the city. Put it out to referendum and ask every taxpayer if want to pay or not!
The meeting today was a done deal … just lip service and yes let us have a working group and if it doesn’t work out.. well just blame the residents. As for Merrick’s comment at the meeting – “it was never owed” shows her intelligence.
It was pretty obvious that the decision to give this money to the Fraser River Bench land was made before the meeting ever started, and we were subjected to a dog and pony show.
Having said that, at least they now have something on record in regards to getting the job done in the Hart Highlands. Hopefully this working group can get it moving.
This is outrageous. I’ve hiked that area for over 20-years now, and it has always had bank erosion with large cliffs to the river and in the raven.
The bank condition is no more an eminent danger now than it was at any time in the past. The only thing that has changed is Fortwood Homes, a for profit company that owns land they want to develop in the area. The area as far as I am concerned was never meant to be developed, because of its proximity to the Sewage plant (awful smell) and the pollution right across the river in the major industrial lands (to say nothing of a bank that has always been recognized as step and dangerous).
The city should not be out a dime ever for this irresponsible development. The whole community was all against this proposal when it all began. Most cited the increased traffic levels for residential streets that would be used as feeder routes for the development (some even mentioned the potential for the cost being downloaded to the city for this very concern). Everyone but the council under the direction of city staff at the time said Malispina and especially Cowart Road would not be able to handle the extra 5000 people that would now be the access points for the development.
Just the fact the city staff and the Fortwood Homes want to access this proposed development from the Pedin Hill Cowart road intersection is mental. We have problems with that hill as it is without all the extra North South light flipping causing greater congestion to a part of the city that is already recognized as the most congested in Northern BC for bad traffic infrastructure on 16west/Peden Hill.
I think Fortwood Homes should have to pay for the whole full cost of their development proposal. In fact I think if it goes ahead they should also have to pay for the full cost of an Ospika overpass at highway 16 (west of Walmart) as a condition for alleviating the traffic problems their Fraser River Bench will create.
If anything the Peden Hill lights should be removed in favor of on off ramps, but once the Fraser River Bench connection to Cowart Road is complete that will so much more costly to come up with a traffic solution to that problem spot at the bottom of Peden Hill. The city staff must be on the pay of Fortwood Homes, or they view these developments through a straw with parochial dollar tainted minds. They should lose their planning licenses over this kinds of things IMO.
If its good for the goose its good for the gander Fortwood Homes. Do they think we live in a city that should hand out corporate welfare like candy? There must be perks for the councilors from some of these developers for the developers to be getting the golden handshake from the inside like they seem to get.
Any grants should be going to fulfilling past infrastructure promises to existing residents who have been contributing to this city for 40+ years. If a developer wants to develop new areas of the city with less risk to the tax payer there is lots of infill that could take place considering population growth, Cranbrook Hill Crest, Blackburn, the Hart… the developer might just have to buy some other land they can try and get a sweat deal on that is more appropriate for city planning… or pay the full cost of their development.
IMO
Just watch the tax increase by the city will fall on homeowners as well, rather than major industry (major industry has seen massive decreases in their share of the property tax revenue for the city over the last two decades).
The city has no respect for anyone that is a captive residential tax payer as the last two decades have seen a massive transfer of taxation away from major industry to residential and light industry.
The city drives people away with these policy because the smart that can leave see it for what it is. PG will never be a place people chose in great numbers to retire on a fixed income with significant property. City Hall is about using residents as a hostage type to subsidize their great visions of PAC type proposals and especially the idea that they can spend to create a business environment under the fallacy of trickle down at the municipal level.
When the city fixes the hill then they will be responsible legally if anything happens in years to come would they not?
Would that are not be flood plain area? With many municipalities running into problems now how much will it cost residents of this city down the road?
L&M did a vehicle survey in 2005 of which they submitted for this project. The vehicle survey was for Malaspina Ave and Domano Blvd. “HUH” A decade ago.
There is to be an estimated 783 new dwellings allowing for an estimated 2,271 people for that area???
People will not travel down Malaspina and Domano they will use Cowart road.
We cannot afford to keep our existing infrastructure up.
Oh, and can’t wait for the first lamebrain person from city hall say they can’t tell people were they can live….
The ironic thing about all of this is when the city amalgamated it was certain developers and land owners that benefited, All the dealings could then be done with the city instead of someone from Regional District in Victoria…..
How do you get something done? A vested interest group spends a lot of money on a mayoral campaign, gets him (or her) elected and in control. He/she owes some payback to the financial backers and go on a rampage through the staff at the city and let go anyone that is in the way of the development that the backers want and put all others on notice to do as I want or you are gone as well.
No one has asked what happened to he old city manager? How about the one that “slid” into power and is now running the ship making changes? Did anyone see a posting for the new city manager position?
That is how you get a project built.
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