RDCK goes to public for approval on sustainable living service
By Nelson Daily Editor
By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily
The City of Nelson is the odd municipality out in the establishment of a community sustainable living service in the regional district.
Alternative approval process will be used to obtain the assent of the electors to establish the service in every area of the regional district except Nelson. City council opted to pull out of the service earlier this fall when they felt they could provide many of the services themselves.
The new service would provide coordination, research, analytical, development and management services relating to the social and economic development of the area.
Some of the services are currently provided — such as review of applications relating to the Agricultural Land Reserve and climate change initiatives — but new ones would include region-wide economic development initiatives, affordable housing strategies and other initiatives of importance to the greater community.
Establishing the service for the 2011 taxation year will formalize the service and provide clarity with respect to taxation requirements. The amount to be requisitioned (taxed) for the service is less than .024 cents for each $1,000 of net taxable value of land and improvements.
However, this is not new taxation. This is the amount that is currently included in General Administration taxation for the service.
The board of directors of the Regional District of Central Kootenay gave third reading to the bylaw to establish the service.
Approval for the service has been granted by the Ministry of Community and Rural Development.
The AAP process closes Nov. 29.
For more information (pdf) on the bylaw, electoral response form and the notice of alternative approval process, click on http://www.rdck.bc.ca/publicinfo/notices.html?action=display&id=326.
