Municipal Drain Construction Cost Recovery
Policy CS-22
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- Approval Date: November 22, 2022
- Approval Authority: Council Resolution No. 08
- Effective Date: November 22, 2022
Purpose
The Drainage Act requires that Council shall, by by-law, impose upon the land assessed for the drainage works the assessment with which it is chargeable, and the amount so imposed is payable in such instalments as the council may prescribe.
Norfolk County provides for options for payment of construction costs of municipal drain assessments to any landowner over a period of time to be collected through taxes.
Implementation Procedure
Upon calculating the actual net costs to individual landowners for the construction of a municipal drain, the County will supply an invoice for the total cost to be paid, including a letter that outlines payment options.
Payment options are as follows:
1. Invoices up to and including $500
If invoice is $500 or less, payment is due by the invoice due date.
Payments not made by the invoice due date will be immediately transferred to the applicable property tax account and collected in the same manner as taxes. A tax account adjustment fee will also be applied, as outlined in the User Fees and Service Charges By-Law. Subsequent to the transfer, penalty and interest charges will be applied in the same manner as taxes.
2. Invoices greater than $500
Option A: Lump Sum Payment
Remit payment by the invoice due date.
Option B: Financing
Invoices outstanding after the invoice due date will be financed and recovered through property taxes.
Invoices between $501 and $5,000 will be financed and collected over three (3) years.
Invoices greater than $5,000 will be financed and collected over five (5) years.
Should a landowner choose Option B: Financing, the following terms will apply:
- At any time, the landowner may payout the balance owing, including interest. For landowners looking to settle the balance owing after the invoice due date, interest for the entire financing term must be paid as drain construction projects are typically debt financed by the County.
- Interest applied is determined by Infrastructure Ontario’s 5-year amortizer rate at the date of Council approval of the drain construction billing by-law, plus the County’s administration charge.
