Cranbrook, BC (September 20, 2022)  

Council endorsed a petition process on Tuesday night to allow residents of Shadow Mountain to determine if a new sanitary sewer force main should be built connecting the development to the City of Cranbrook’s sewage treatment system, through a Local Area Service (LAS) bylaw. 

A temporary onsite sewer holding tank system currently services Shadow Mountain, which requires the storing and trucking of sewage under a permit.

An LAS may be initiated either by owners of property in the proposed local area or by the municipal Council. In this instance, the City is looking to establish a local area service to provide sewer service to only a segment of the municipality (Shadow Mountain), with all costs of the service paid for by the property owners within that area through a parcel tax. The cost of this project is not borne by the general taxpayer.

The petition process is unique as it is a “petition against”.  Anyone against the project must vote; it is not a petition for the project. If enough owners vote against the project, it will prevent the project from moving forward. This petition is only open to those owning property within the Shadow Mountain development.

“The City is attempting to develop this project on behalf of the various landowners and strata properties at Shadow Mountain,” says Curtis Penson, Manager of Engineering for the City of Cranbrook. “If the LAS petition determines not to fund the proposed sewer system project proposed by the City, this will no longer be a City lead project. The onsite sewer system permits will need to be renewed between Shadow Mountain and Interior Health and the Ministry of Environment.”

Residents and property owners at Shadow Mountain will receive a notice package in the mail about the proposed sanitary sewer project and the LAS in the coming days.  Those interested in submitting a vote against this proposed project must file their submission to the City of Cranbrook no later than 4:00pm MT on Monday, October 31, 2022.

To help property owners of Shadow Mountain understand the scope of the project, and learn about the LAS, we have provided a number of important documents below:

• City Provides Answers and Public Clarification Around Shadow Mountain Sewer LAS   *Added February 1, 2024
• Public Notice - Shadow Mountain Local Area Service
• Mail Notice of Local Area Service & Petition Against
• Proposed LAS - Costs Per Lot Document   *opens as an Excel spreadsheet
• Frequently Asked Questions - Shadow Mountain Sanitary Sewer Construction LAS
• Shadow Mountain Sanitary Sewer Construction Local Area Service Establishment Bylaw No. 4094, 2022
• Loan Authorization Bylaw (Shadow Mountain Sanitary Sewer Construction Local Area Service) Bylaw No. 4095, 2022

A virtual open house has been scheduled on Tuesday October 18, 2022 at 6:00pm MT.

If you wish to participate in the open house, the City requests that you pre-register. Please send your name, address and phone number to [email protected] prior to October 18, 2022.

o    On the day of the open house please call in by 5:50 p.m. to confirm your registration
o    Call 1-833-313-1490, meeting number is 146 580 503 6
o    If asked for an attendee number, enter the “#” symbol
o    You will be able to hear the meeting, but you will be placed on hold and muted until it is your time to speak.

Should the LAS move ahead, the City would issue an invitation to tender for construction of the sanitary sewer work in early 2023, with substantial project completion by the end of 2023 and the collection of the parcel tax beginning in the summer of 2024.

For more information, please email [email protected] or call 250-489-0230.