Back to SearchDeveloped over the past three years, Lake Country's Transportation for Tomorrow 20-year infrastructure plan now has the go ahead with one of the final steps being the adoption of a funding strategy so citizens can immediately realize the benefits of the plan.
Most everyone agrees that healthy transportation infrastructure planning is important and that most municipalities are behind in funding the maintenance, renewal and improvements required. Lake Country places a high priority on making sure the plan and funding process is transparent so tax payers can see the amount dedicated to roads and transportation infrastructure year over year as a line item in the tax notice, and see meaningful improvements on road condition and transportation updates in the community.
After two months of reviewing and discussing funding options, Council has made a decision to implement a funding model over the next four years that includes a $125 parcel tax to every property in 2016 which will be supplemented with consecutive property tax increases of up to a maximum of 1.83% which equates to approximately $35 per household with an average assessment value of $500,000 per year in the following three years.
"Providing safe and enjoyable ways of getting around Lake Country is the Transportation for Tomorrow vision," said Mayor James Baker. "After learning about the status of the 200 plus kilometres of roads in Lake Country we saw a presentation from the specialist transportation consultant in October, and then had some lively debate over a few evenings on the various funding options that were put forward. We worked hard to balance the need to catch up on the $30 million backlog and secure our future while carefully considering the costs for our citizens."
"In this year's community survey, and in recent public input on developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan, we've heard people say they want safe places to walk and ride," said Director of Infrastructure Services, Greg Buchholz. "Road condition and maintenance was recognized by those that did the survey as the single most important transportation issue in Lake Country. Real long term solutions can only come from a committed and cooperative effort by informed citizens and the District. Timely decisions needed to be made and priorities set."
The Transportation for Tomorrow plan presents an affordable solution for the implementation and sustainability of the District's transportation vision focusing on roadway infrastructure and its importance for not only vehicles but pedestrians, cyclists, accessibility and transit users alike. Crafting the plan began in 2012 and included a public engagement process in 2013. The plan addresses three categories that are key to keeping our roads serviceable.
1) Maintenance: required to ensure they are safe and passable.
2) Renewal: as they won't last forever.
3) Improvements: to meet our community vision of providing safe alternatives to cars.
Levels of service are balanced against costs to get to solutions that are considered appropriate and affordable for our community. The level of service standards are tailored specifically to meet the needs of Lake Country considering our unique community character and values in retaining a rural aesthetic as well as an interconnected and engaged social fabric. Roads are critical since they are the physical conduits that connect each one of us to our family and friends, schools, places of work, amenities and services.
Find out more, read the reports, and see the public outreach videos and ads on the Transportation for Tomorrow section of the District website.
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For more information contact:
Mayor James Baker
250-766-6670 mayorandcouncil@lakecountry.bc.ca
Rose Bronswyk Kassa, Director of Finance, District of Lake Country
Tel 250-766-5650 (ext. 209) or rbk@lakecountry.bc.ca
Greg Buchholz, Director of Infrastructure Services, District of Lake Country
Tel 250-766-5650 (ext. 222) or gbuchholz@lakecountry.bc.ca
Most everyone agrees that healthy transportation infrastructure planning is important and that most municipalities are behind in funding the maintenance, renewal and improvements required. Lake Country places a high priority on making sure the plan and funding process is transparent so tax payers can see the amount dedicated to roads and transportation infrastructure year over year as a line item in the tax notice, and see meaningful improvements on road condition and transportation updates in the community.
After two months of reviewing and discussing funding options, Council has made a decision to implement a funding model over the next four years that includes a $125 parcel tax to every property in 2016 which will be supplemented with consecutive property tax increases of up to a maximum of 1.83% which equates to approximately $35 per household with an average assessment value of $500,000 per year in the following three years.
"Providing safe and enjoyable ways of getting around Lake Country is the Transportation for Tomorrow vision," said Mayor James Baker. "After learning about the status of the 200 plus kilometres of roads in Lake Country we saw a presentation from the specialist transportation consultant in October, and then had some lively debate over a few evenings on the various funding options that were put forward. We worked hard to balance the need to catch up on the $30 million backlog and secure our future while carefully considering the costs for our citizens."
"In this year's community survey, and in recent public input on developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan, we've heard people say they want safe places to walk and ride," said Director of Infrastructure Services, Greg Buchholz. "Road condition and maintenance was recognized by those that did the survey as the single most important transportation issue in Lake Country. Real long term solutions can only come from a committed and cooperative effort by informed citizens and the District. Timely decisions needed to be made and priorities set."
The Transportation for Tomorrow plan presents an affordable solution for the implementation and sustainability of the District's transportation vision focusing on roadway infrastructure and its importance for not only vehicles but pedestrians, cyclists, accessibility and transit users alike. Crafting the plan began in 2012 and included a public engagement process in 2013. The plan addresses three categories that are key to keeping our roads serviceable.
1) Maintenance: required to ensure they are safe and passable.
2) Renewal: as they won't last forever.
3) Improvements: to meet our community vision of providing safe alternatives to cars.
Levels of service are balanced against costs to get to solutions that are considered appropriate and affordable for our community. The level of service standards are tailored specifically to meet the needs of Lake Country considering our unique community character and values in retaining a rural aesthetic as well as an interconnected and engaged social fabric. Roads are critical since they are the physical conduits that connect each one of us to our family and friends, schools, places of work, amenities and services.
Find out more, read the reports, and see the public outreach videos and ads on the Transportation for Tomorrow section of the District website.
-30-
For more information contact:
Mayor James Baker
250-766-6670 mayorandcouncil@lakecountry.bc.ca
Rose Bronswyk Kassa, Director of Finance, District of Lake Country
Tel 250-766-5650 (ext. 209) or rbk@lakecountry.bc.ca
Greg Buchholz, Director of Infrastructure Services, District of Lake Country
Tel 250-766-5650 (ext. 222) or gbuchholz@lakecountry.bc.ca
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