Chronicles: Earthquake and tidal wave: the terrible twins of destruction
NORTH OF 50, Page g 12
WEDNESDAY
Column: Aging parents — where to turn when you notice changes
LIVING, Page 9
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Wednesday, January 20, 2016
◆ CONTAMINATED SOIL
Shawnigan group appealing assessments LEXI BAINAS CITIZEN
Cowichan Thunderbirds point guard Humza Khan drives to the net to score two of his 16 points in an 84-48 win over the visiting New Westminster Hyacks last Friday. See page 21 for the full story. [KEVIN ROTHBAUER/CITIZEN]
A growing group of Shawnigan Lake homeowners is demanding a reduction in their property assessments due to concerns raised about contaminated soil dumping in their watershed. Vicki Tyner and her husband, Bill Clark, are spearheading the push. They are not neophytes at tackling BC Assessment. Last year they were able to get 20 per cent reductions in assessments for eight properties because there was a licensed grow-op in their neighbourhood. Now, in 2016, they are taking on a new problem. The Citizen spoke to Tyner and Clark on Sunday, Jan. 17 and they outlined their view of the situation. “We feel that the value of the properties in Shawnigan Lake have gone down just because of what’s going on with the [contaminated soil] dump,” Tyner said. “A real estate agent told me
yesterday that of all the house sales with a realtor from July to December in the Shawnigan Lake area, 27 per cent of those sales were for below the assessed value.” Tyner has talked to several realtors that are seeing what’s happening in the market on a daily basis and the soil dumping is a prime subject for conversation. “Almost 100 per cent of the time now, when people are looking at houses in this area, the realtors are asked about the water issues and what’s happening there. And, because it’s in court right now, there’s not a lot to say.” Although last year’s appeal was successful, Tyner and Clark are starting from scratch in 2016 with BC Assessment. “We’re going into this not with those coloured glasses on but it’s about awareness as well. So far I have 125 names of those who have expressed interest in appealing,” Tyner said. See REGIONAL, Page 4
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