Homeowners to share cost of flooding problem in Lower Sackville
Posted Feb 26, 2013 06:08:52 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Solutions are coming to fixing flooding across HRM.
With a tight vote of 9-8, Regional Council has approved staff’s recommendation to approve a interim two-year storm water infrastructure solution, a first step in solving flooding in HRM.
The plan means costs for installing a deep storm sewer will be split three ways between property owners, HRM and Halifax Water to the tune of over $3,300 each. In addition, homeowners will also have to pay a $3-5,000 hook up fee.
But the decision didn’t rush through the floodgates.
Lower Sackville Councillor Steve Craig didn’t think homeowners should pay the 1/3.
“I’m against homeowner funding for two major reasons,” Craig said. “One, the objection for homeowners to pay for service that should’ve been there from the beginning. Homeowners have been paying through taxes and ongoing expenses to fix damage to their property. Some people are retired and on a fix income, and can’t fund a solution or sell their homes.”
While most Councillors felt a solution had to come sooner rather than later.
“This is a far, far, far superior to what we’ve had before,” said Waverly, Fall River Councillor Barry Dalrymple. “And this is chance and hope for residents to get this work done and provide them some relief. I won’t support alternatives.”
The two-year interim period is part of a future five year capital program. HRM funding will be coming from the annual three million dollar Halifax Water dividend.
