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Council green lights land disposal work plan

Rocky View County (RVC) administration has been directed to proceed with the 2018 Disposal Work Plan – which will see surplus former road allowances sold to adjacent land owners – following a unanimous council vote at a regular meeting June 12.
Land Disposal
Rocky View County council considered a number of road related items at its June 12 meeting, including the sale of 11 unused road allowances.

Rocky View County (RVC) administration has been directed to proceed with the 2018 Disposal Work Plan – which will see surplus former road allowances sold to adjacent land owners – following a unanimous council vote at a regular meeting June 12. According to Corey Graham, Municipal Lands Administrator, the 2018 work plan consists of 11 closed road allowance parcels titled fee simple. “The lands have been circulated to various stakeholders, internally, and confirmed not to have a utility purpose for the County and no known affect to the community development or proposed recreation master plans,” he said. Graham added the lands have been assessed and administration has engaged an independent appraisal vendor to determine limited open market discount methodology to arrive at a market value threshold. Further, he said the lands would only be sold to adjacent landowners – no other offers would be considered. “Administration will ensure all parties for each individual road allowance receive the same deal per acre, in an effort to maintain harmony in the community,” Graham said. Net proceeds from the land sales will be transferred to RVC’s Tax Stabilization Reserve.

Road Dedication

Council unanimously assigned a 0.08-acre portion of County-owned Municipal Reserve (MR) land – located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Bearspaw Road and Burma Road – to be dedicated to the road plan with the purpose of enhancing intersection safety. “There is no specific plan for that intersection, right now,” said Doug Hafichuk with Engineering Services. “Right now, it’s primarily about providing improved visibility – although, long-term, we will be putting in a right-hand turn lane to improve the intersection.” Graham added any technical concerns would be addressed through subdivision. “For council’s information, this is a two-way stop from east to west, and people consistently blow it,” Coun. Samanntha Wright said. “Anything that helps with visibility, I’m totally supportive of.”

Road Closure

An amended bylaw for the closure, consolidation and sale of an unused road allowance known as Range Road 45 received second and third readings. According to Angela Pare, Engineering Services support technician, the bylaw will see the 5.98-acre undeveloped road allowance consolidated with adjacent land and sold to those land owners for $14,000, plus $2,750 for the cost of appraisal and applicable taxes. All incidental costs to create title and consolidation will be at the land owner’s expense, and the terms of the sale must be completed within one year. Council gave first reading to the bylaw at a public hearing Jan. 9, Pare said. The bylaw was then forwarded to the Minister of Transportation for approval, which was received in March. Second and third reading passed unanimously, and council then voted unanimously to sell the land.

Tax Relief

Council also voted unanimously to approve a tax cancellation request in the amount of $2,935, due to fire damage. According to Barry Woods, manager of Financial Services, the rate-payer who submitted the written request vacated the house February 2016. RVC’s assessment department inspected the property, he said, and provided an estimate of the municipal taxes that council could cancel at its discretion. He added the County has historically considered it equitable to cancel municipal and emergency services taxes due to fire loss.

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