The owners of Lots one and two, District Lot 2821, and the owner of District Lot 191 S, being contiguous properties that are adjacent to the north-west village boundary are the proponents who have requested the village to consider supporting a boundary extension into the village. In addition to the privately owned properties, the landowners are also suggesting an area of Crown Land contiguous with District Lot 191 S be considered to be included within the village boundaries at the same time.
The Local Government Act sets out the process for a municipal boundary extension.
The following steps are involved:
1. The process begins with a council resolution confirming the municipality is willing to consider the boundary extension proposal. This resolution also authorizes municipal staff to develop the details of the proposal and to send it to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development for processing.
2. Submission of the proposal to the Ministry.
3. Minsitry review of the proposal.
4. Electoral approval either by way of an Alternate Approval process or a referendum.
5. Provincial approval.
6. Implementation.
Following council’ s passing of the resolution, the proposal will be developed by village staff. This work imcludes the following:
- approval / request of the property owners for extension.
- Consultation with the regional district in which the properties wishing extension currently exist.
- Consultation with any improvement districts - in this case, Keremeos Irrigation District would be consulted.
- Consultation with the Agricultural Land Commission if any properties within the area are in the agricultural land reserve.
- Consultation with the Integrated Land Management Bureau if any of the area includes Crown Land.
- Consultation with First Nations whose traditional territory includes the proposed municipal boundary extension area.
It is currently estimated that the municipal staff time involved in processing the request, sending out referrals and preparing documentation will cost $1,500.
The village currently feels that, having discussed boundary extensions on several occasions, this request, in coming from property owners, allows the village to determine the level of comfort with a smaller extension, prior to the village embarking on a process for a larger boundary extension.