The City of Cranbrook will soon be hosting an open house intended for property owners in the Shadow Mountain Subdivision to discuss options and costs for a proposed Local Area Service (LAS).
The LAS would see a sanitary sewer connection to the City’s sewer collection system at a cost of over $8 million.
Currently, there is no connecting sewer system from Shadow Mountain to Cranbrook. Shadow Mountain homes are currently serviced by a temporary onsite sewer holding tank system, the City says, which requires storing and trucking sewage under a permit.
Curtis Penson, Manager of Engineering and Field Services with the City of Cranbrook, says that the City has been talking to, and meeting with, the developers and owners surrounding the proposed LAS.
“Holding an open house is important to inform owners of the latest cost estimate, design work and to get feedback of the local area service to potential incorporation in the Local Areas Service petition,” Penson explained.
When the Shadow Mountain development was first created over 10 years ago, the plan was for the developer to initiate construction of sanitary sewer infrastructure to connect the development to the City’s sewer system, the City explained in a press release.
“The development lands have gone into receivership at least two times and the land has now been sold to multiple to developers and owners, meanwhile the necessary sewer system to connect Shadow Mountain to the City sewer was never completed as people have continued to buy lots and build houses over the years. This longstanding issue from the past needs to be addressed now,” the City said.
LAS agreements see that residents of the area pay for the installation of utility services, rather than all City taxpayers. If the LAS is not successful, the onsite sewer system permits will need to be renewed between Shadow Mountain, Interior Health and the Ministry of Environment.
The estimated cost of the project is $8.7 million, the City says, with the City holding around $600k from development securities.
“A portion of these funds are currently being used to undertake a detailed design of the works. It is estimated that once the design and engineering are complete $200,000 to $300,000 security funds will remain to put towards the construction costs,” the City adds.
The City would also fund a portion of the project - covering the costs of oversizing and owning a portion of the works.
The cost of the oversizing is estimated at $1 million. Options for funding this are being explored by staff and brought to Council for consideration, the City says.
Some of the oversizing is for the provision of a water main and service needed at the City-owned lift station for odour control, operational, maintenance and safety.
A date for the open house has not yet been set, and Penson says he will be working with the Home Owners Association and Stratas at Shadow Mountain to determine a date, perhaps around the first week of March. Invites will be sent to home owners.