WINNIPEG — A group of north Kildonan residents are breathing a sigh of relief after learning they won’t be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in improvement fees.
Homeowners on the south side of Templeton Avenue had received proposed payment notices of between $76,000 and $361,000.
READ MORE: Old Kildonan residents could face massive road improvement fees
On the north side of the street a large housing development required road and other infrastructure improvements.
According to a city bylaw, a development company may attempt to recoup a certain percentage of infrastructure improvement costs from other property owners who benefit from those improvements.
In this case, Genstar asked that 13 property owners on the south side of Templeton, including 11 homeowners, pay around $1.6 million.
However, on Monday afternoon, just hours before those homeowners were set to fight the proposed fees in a meeting at City Hall, Genstar decided not to proceed with the cost recovery request.
“We’re so thrilled with the outcome. The phone chain went down the street telling people, we were so excited once we got the call and there’s relief because it’s been very, very stressful for all of us,” said Cherry Karpyshin, whose share of the proposed fee was $76,000.
“I am pleased with this course of action as the request in front of us would have put a disproportionate financial burden on residents living on the South side of Templeton Ave,” wrote Old Kildonan city councillor Devi Sharma.
In the future, continued Sharma, money would be collected and paid to the developer when the land on the south side of Templeton is subdivided, protecting homeowners who do not wish to sell their properties.
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