Welcome to the Dunnottar Ratepayers Association Website DUNNOTTAR RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT'S UPDATE February 2020   Recent local events, could they affect Matlock area residents? Arthur Conan Doyle "Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." Information contained herein is sourced from the Red River Planing District (RRPD) Location of document: https://rrpd.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/341l6 Path to document: Home Open Adgenda Item Attachments Regular Board Meeting 2019 November Open Public Hearing - Development Plan By-law No 272_19 Document from page 1 of 2nd PH_Report to Board_DP272-20 November 2019.pdf "3.3 Map Re-Desianation in St.Andrews (Matlock area) The RRPD Board proposes to re-designate the Matlock area (located south and west of the Village of Dunnottar) from “Resort ” to “Settlement Centre”. The majority of this area is already developed and is an extension of the developed neighborhoods of Dunnottar, which are proposed to be designated as “Settlement Centre”. Redesignating the Matlock area to match Dunnottar appears to be a logical continuation of the “Settlement Centre” designation for an already developed area." And the entire Village of Dunnotar was incorporated as “Settlement Centre” by Development Plan By-law 272/19 Location of document: https://www.redriverplannina.com Path to document: Planning Community Plans ByLaws Studies Development Plan Update Project Public Consultation Events Document: from page 38 of Development Plan Update May 2019 Open House Draftpdf “SETTLEMENT CENTRE (SC): Is a designation for areas where a range of urban, semi-urban, and suburban land uses or developments either presently exist or may be considered. Typically, settlement Centres have piped municipal wastewater and / or drinking water systems available, or are planned to provide these services in the future when they are economically viable. Settlement Centres function as administrative and service centres for their respective municipality. Settlement Centres found throughout the RRPD include the Village of Dunnottar; unincorporated town of Birds Hill (East St. Paul); Clandeboye, Petersfield and Lockport (St. Andrews); East Selkirk, Grand Marais, Libau and Lockport (St. Clements); and Middlechurch (West St. Paul). ” Location of document: https://www.redriverplannina.com Path to document: Planning Community Plans ByLaws Studies Development Plan Update Project Background Documents 1) Document from page 10 of RRPD Wastewater Management Plan.pdf "Densification of residential development in Settlement Centres and General Development Areas where appropriate services can be provided will be encouraged to make the provision of sewer and water services increasingly fiscally feasible." 2) Document from page 12 of RRPD Wastewater Management Plan.pdf “2.3 Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Municipal wastewater system components can include a combination of wastewater treatment plant, lagoon, lift station and force main. The most common funding formula for municipal wastewater systems is a combination of a Local Improvement District (LID), grant funding through Provincial and/or Federal governments, tax debentures and user fees from each service connection. Recently municipalities have accessed capital funds from the Federal Gas Tax Fund to support public infrastructure projects that achieve positive environmental results. The specific design configuration and functionality of a system may vary among projects and the project developer would be responsible for capital construction costs. The municipality would administer the ongoing operating costs funded by service fees paid by users on the system within a LID. User fees currently fund all municipal wastewater annual operating costs within the Planning District at a total cost of approximately $2.7 million. This figure includes the $500,000 annual budget in the Village of Dunnottar for the truck hauling program from on-site systems that is operated as a municipal service. ” 3) Document from page 13 of RRPD Wastewater Management Plan.pdf "The establishment of piped wastewater service is a key planning consideration given the projected population increase and future intensification of residential development in settlement areas adjacent to the Red River north of Winnipeg. Subdivision development projects should he                 required to incorporate centralized piped wastewater depending upon the size, location and land use designation." Question: Though the text in #3 represents a different area, could it apply to the Matlock area in the future? The Village of Dunnottar already had a Development Plan prior to joining the Red River Planning District. The RM of St. Andrews incorporated new lands as “Settlement Centre” adjacent to the Village of Dunnottar. It did this very late in the process November 20th 2019, well after all open houses (May 31 and June 21,2018) and provided the public no reasonable opportunity to be involved in the change.
President's Report: Attention Dunnottar Residents - Special Bulletin Notice As you may be aware the Village of Dunnottar Council are again pursing funding for a Lower Pressure Sewer System .  It seems the Mayor and Council have a short memory. The Municipal Board received many phone calls and 897 letters of objection because of the cost to install the system and the maintenance of it.  The main Pipe lines would run down the Front Street or Back lane if the Village Council gets the Funding from all Governments. The On-Lot Piping, Electrical, etc. would be the responsibility of the Residents and these costs would be in the Thousands of Dollars .   After the 2012 Referendum was held and residents came out by the Hundreds and the vote was (NO 901 to YES 377).   Now my question is why council is pursuing this Low Pressure Sewer System again when the Majority of Residents said NO? Keep in mind the current Truck Pump-Out System requires no Long Term Borrowing or Maintenance Costs. Remember a Low Pressure Sewer System requires a Holding Tank .  Don’t think that the Funding Process will take 20 to 30 years. The Village pursued Sewers in 2006 and were ready to dig in 2012.   The Dunnottar Rate payers Association is asking for another Referendum before Council spends Tax Dollars on Studies again.  A Sewage Advisory Committee was formed and on July 15, 2006 and the committee spoke to the attending residents on these topics: 5.1 Current Private Truck pump-out system  5.2 Village Owned Truck pump-out system 5.3 Gravity piped system 5.4 Low Pressure System (Not Pursued due to high Capitol and Operating costs) 5.5 Vacuum System  ( Not Pursued due to high Operating Costs , Heavy dependence on automatic Mechanical Valves , concern for cold weather operation. Ed Strauman President JULY 11, 2016 Please have a look at this article from The St. Andrews Record News. Note the highlighted extra costs asociated with their sewer which does not even mention on lot costs to the homeowner such as a holding  tank, electrical hook up, excavation, etc. � APRIL 12, 2016 I was recently contacted by a couple looking for a cottage lot at Sunset Beach, just north of the Grand Beach area. They were in shock at the sewer and related fees forwarded to them. The fees are as follows: 1. A required fee of $12,500.00 to pay for a low-pressure sewer system. 2. An option to amortize the $12,500.00 sewer fee over 20 years at $871.07 per year, making the actual cost of sewer fees $17,421.00 per lot. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING FEES: 3. A $1,500.00 Municipal Permit Fee required by the RM for trenching and hydro connection to on-lot septic pump. 4. The Permit Fee DOES NOT COVER trenching costs, electrical costs, on-lot septic pump costs or on-lot septic tank costs or any other electrical, hydro connection or like fees. Do not let the pro-sewer lobby in Dunnottar continually downplay the true cost of sewers. The couple I spoke to at Sunset Beach said they were told that $25,000.00 to $30,000.00 were the expected sewer costs if they bought the lot and built a cottage. This couple have now suspended their cottage search in the Sunset Beach area partly due to these high sewer costs. Ed Strauman, President, Dunnottar Ratepayers Association DUNNOTTAR RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT'S UPDATE APRIL 2016 The Dunnottar Ratepayers Association has been made aware of a Winnipeg based development group showing interest in pursuing multi-family housing options from Gimli to Matlock. The DRA has also learned the Dunnottar pro-sewer lobbyists are pursuing a MANDATORY sewer designation for Dunnottar. What this means, is there will be no options to fight the installation of a sewer system as the Province will simply rubber stamp the sewer installation with no public input. We assume the designation of Dunnottar's current pump-out system as a public utility by the Public Utility Board last March is a precursor to having the Province declare sewers mandatory for Dunnottar. Remember, it was only last Spring that Dunnottar residents were blind-sided by the Public Utility Board ruling that Dunnottar was instituting a flat rate for sewage pick-up. The PUB hearing held last June in Dunnottar was held after the PUB made the decision. Ironically, the PUB told Dunnottar officials to do a better job of informing the public. On November 27, 2015 I was invited by Mayor Gamble to a COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS MEETING. Supposedly, this committee was formed to save municipal operating funds and reduce environmental impacts in the area. With the meeting being only a few minutes old, a permanent resident also asked by Mayor Gamble to attend the meeting, stood up and said Dunnottar needs sewers. It is obvious that the result of the July 2012 sewer referendum means nothing to those who want to pursue sewers at any cost in Dunnottar. Remember, sewers are needed to allow development in Dunnottar.  Is this what people want for the pristine park-like setting of Dunnottar? I have recently been contacted by other Ratepayer Associations saying they have concerns about sewer costs and development in their areas. In talking to Ratepayers in West St. Paul and St. Malo, Manitoba, I was given figures between $20,000.00 to $30,000.00 for sewer installation costs. Ed Strauman, President, Dunnottar Ratepayers Association We, at the DRA, are committed to keep Dunnottar residents informed on local issues. �
Contribution-2012-05-14.pdf  [318.93K]
PUB_letter.pdf  [67.48K]
Referendum Results - July 2012 �Referendum Question� �Yes �No "Do you support the installation of a low pressure sewer system as proposed by the Village of Dunnottar Borrowing By-Law No. 891/12" � 377 � 901 �29.5% �70.5% With the conclusion of the by-election and referendum, the Dunnottar Ratepayers Association kindly requests residents remove the red and white signs from their property.� Removal of signs will help restore community harmony and enable everyone to enjoy a well deserved summer.� �� �
June 2, 2012�- The Public Hearing that�Never Was� � On May 25, 2012�Mayor and Council held a 'Special Meeting' to postpone the public hearing scheduled to occur on June 2nd.� Approximately 150 residents arrived on June 2nd expecting to meet with Mayor and Council to discuss their concerns.� Residents�arriving were disgusted with the lack of respect for their time, effort and money spent to attend the meeting. �Click here to read more.�� �
May 9,�2012��Are�You Uncertain�About the Low�Pressure Sewer? ����� Village�Council is again pursuing a costly, unnecessary and environmentally unfriendly low pressure sewer system. If you are uncertain or confused by documents and information Council has provided, we strongly encourage you to spend 25 minutes and watch our informative and objective video. To watch the video click here or click�anywhere on�the image to the left. Click the PDF file below to download a revealing article about the problems encountered at Ma-Me-O beach, Alberta when they decided to install a sewer system Ma.pdf  [253.1K]

Ratepayers Express Their Concerns

Read more...

Are On-Lot Cost Estimates Optimistic?

Read more...

Concerned Ratepayers Ask Mayor and Council Questions

Read more...