Readers write - ANNEXATION

While searching for information on annexation, I came across a post in the Morning Star written by a former Vernon councillor. The post was about a property owner in the Regional District whose property borders the boundary with the City of Vernon and had made application to the city to be annexed into the city so he could get connected to City Sewer services and hence get relief from problems he was having with a septic field.

The former Councillor's post appears to be in support of this resident and at the same time is taking a swipe at the Regional District.  He goes on to say “perhaps annexation would relieve some hardship ie, replacement of a failing septic field by a hookup to Vernon’s sanitary sewer”.

Now let us be clear about what would perhaps provide some relief. If the property owner is indeed having some septic field problems, getting hooked up to Vernon’s sewer services may well provide some relief, although it certainly will not be accomplished without considerable cost to the property owner. You will notice that the possible relief would come from being hooked up to the sewer service, and certainly not from the “annexation” into the City.  This so-called “relief” as a result annexation would come in the form of a 20 to 30% tax increase to the property owner in all likelihood.  Don’t you just love that kind of relief?

The writer goes on to say that the City realizes  “Piece meal annexations do create planning issues and that is why Vernon bundles such applications to be submitted annually to the province. To some measure it makes the problem more manageable. These requests are to join Vernon, not leave it”

Now let us be clear about this last point too. The writer may or may not be aware that the City has no mechanism by which a property may be extricated from within the municipality. That would explain why there are no formal requests to leave Vernon . . . . You can’t get your property out of the City’s confines once you are legally part of it. I found this out when a number of unhappy property owners just east of Tekmar on Silver Star Road had been annexed into the city of Vernon kicking and squealing as they were dragged into the city by the annexation process, which was apparently being driven by a Realtor/Developer, which is usually the case. They wanted to appear as a Delegation to Vernon City Council to get their property out of the city and back into the Regional District, and were told “There is no formal process in which Vernon Council can consider your request”. So, all these property owners got for their annexation relief was a 20 to 30% annual increase in taxes, and a quarterly sewer charge even though they were not hooked up to the sewer service. But they could pay several thousand dollars to get hooked up to the service if they wished to. I wonder if they are experiencing this wonderful feeling of relief.

So when someone says Vernon gets few requests to have property removed from that Municipality,  you now know why. There is no mechanism by which they are able to present their wish to City Council. If the writer thinks everyone is happy being inside the City of Vernon, give the residents of former Electoral Area A (The Landing) a choice and watch the exodus.

The writer points with the finger of blame at the Regional District for the continuing plight of the property owner with the sewer problems. I think if we look at the policy of the City of Vernon whereby if you want sewer services, you must join the city, we may find a key to resolution. Why not provide the sewer service at a cost to the property owner, for which they will have to pay anyway, leave the property in the Regional District and everyone should be reasonably happy.

This either/or attitude regarding sewer services seems unfair, punitive and certainly divisive, and the sewer issue seems to be the beginning of the larger problem, that being annexation. Neither of these matters are based on fairness. The City of Vernon has enough land within their boundary for 25 years of development. Why do they need more?

Surely some common ground can be found here. The “policy” is where the blame should be placed.

Ray Ivey

BX resident.

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