Jackie and Oral Neilson are seriously choked about being taxed for a sanitary sewer lift station in Lancaster Heights.
As are 60 other homeowners in the Comox neighbourhood.
"I'm really distressed about this situation," Jackie said Wednesday before the parcel tax review panel, which is Comox council.
The Neilsons purchased their house on Avro Arrow Drive last summer. They have contacted their lawyer, builder and realtor, none of whom knew anything about the situation.
Had the retired couple known they would be on the hook for an extra yearly tax, they would have lived elsewhere — a sentiment shared by other area residents at a standing-room-only meeting.
"I don't need surprises like this in my life," said Jackie, who suggests someone forgot to do their homework.
That someone appears to be developer Harold Long who, according to finance director Donald Jacquest, agreed to notify potential homeowners about the local service to fund operation of the station, which lifts sewage to the regional district's 'megalift station' at the bottom of Jane Place. The cost is estimated at about $165 per parcel per year.
When Jacquest contacted Long this week to confirm notice had been provided, the developer said he "had dropped the ball," Jacquest states in a report to the review panel.
Jacquest is disappointed Long did not notify residents, as agreed when the Town established a bylaw and approved the first of his subdivisions.
Coun. Ken Grant said if the Town leaves such matters in the hands of developers, it will encounter similar problems in the future. He proposed taking a bond from Long since he failed to provide notice.
In 2008, the town approved the first of three subdivisions that would depend on a lift station for sanitary sewer service. The parcel tax is intended to pay for lift station costs, which exceed the cost of the gravity sanitary sewer and sewage treatment that the lift station also uses.
"Therefore we don't feel it is a double charge since this is a unique cost applicable only to these homes," Jacquest states.
He said he could not roll out the parcel tax sooner because he did not have a handle on the amortization of the project until last spring.
Should council decide against singling out Lancaster Heights residents, the Town would need to charge each Comox resident about $4 per lot for each lift station approved.
Coun. Marcia Turner motioned for more information about notification, developer responsibility, and future connections and contributions.
The panel voted to refer the matter to the April 13 committee of the whole meeting.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
Union Bay Residents' Association - A Front For KIP
Union Bay Residents' Association - Created to Promote KIP
