Richard Froese
South Peace News

A water and sewer project for Key Cove Estates subdivision in Joussard could get support from Big Lakes County as a local improvement project.

At its regular meeting July 27, council approved a staff recommendation to request the Key Cove Condominium board provide the county with confirmation that it wishes the county to proceed with a local improvement plan and confirmation that an authorized easement under the Condominium Property Act be granted in favour of the county.

“This is not a speedy process,” says Pat Olansky, director of development and planning.
“It looks like it will be a 90-day process.”

Council also passed a motion that the county request to Municipal Affairs that the process be shortened as stated in the Municipal Government Act and Condominium Property Act.

“If we could expedite it to go quicker, that would be good,” Charrois says.

However, others suggest council stay within the guidelines.

“There is a process you have to follow,” Reeve Ken Matthews says. “It does take time to go through the process.”

Prairie Echo – Salt Prairie Councillor Dave Marx says the county has to wait 30 days for any petition that may arise.

“A local improvement for the water and sewer project within the Key Cove subdivision provides an affordable alternative to the owners to service their lots,” Olansky states.

A delegation from Key Cove addressed council July 13. They requested the county assist Key Cove lot owners to cover project costs and recover funds through annual property taxes.

Council also directed administration to seek legal advice about the project.

“If the municipality is interested in providing some form of assistance to the condo owners, the manner in which this could be approached would be as a local improvement,” states lawyer Sheila McNaughtan, Q.C. of Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP.

The timeline for constructing the local improvement, given the requirements under the condominium act and the need to wait 30 days to allow for a petition to be received, indicates that it is highly unlikely that the county would be in a position to proceed with construction work earlier than 90 days.