Fire Hydrant Gouging

Eleven years ago when Highlands started up--as part of the Development Permit's commercial zoning rules--the requisite fire hydrant here had to be situated within "x" (if I recall, it was 75) meters from the clubhouse front door.

To comply, the hydrant was installed approximately 30 meters inside the fenceline, making it a "private" unmetered hydrant.  It provides fire protection for myself and my immediate neighbours, as no municipal fire hydrant is nearby to duplicate the service.  More than that, my private fire hydrant provides deep discounts for my immediate neighbours as they're now within the three hundred meter distance that fire insurers require as "full" protection.

So each year I get an invoice for my "private 150mm unmetered fire main" from the Regional District of North Okanagan.

What started in 2002 as yet another nuisance tax bill from one of the myriad local governments has, in 2012, culminated in my abject outrage at the ferocity of tax gouging.

The invoice in 2002?  $266.00
In 2011?  $383.80
In 2012?  $454.38!

These invoices appear to be growing inexplicably (my hydrant has never fought a fire, luckily).
So I phoned James dePfyffer at the Regional District to enquire about the "private" designation.

I asked James whether Coldstream is also charged for their private fire hydrants by the Regional District.
Since, like me, Coldstream doesn't own the water.
And like me, they do own the unmetered hydrants on their land (the road rights-of-way).

Maybe it's water ownership.  So who owns the water?  The Greater Vernon Water Authority, administered by the Regional District of North Okanagan.
Maybe it's hydrant ownership.  So who owns the hydrants in Coldstream?  The District of Coldstream, also located on their own land...municipal rights-of-way between fencelines and roads.
And also unmetered.

It could therefore be argued that Coldstream's hydrants are also "private".
Possibly successfully argued.

James dePfyffer said: "That's a good question."

"Certainly has nothing to do with downloading of any imaginary services," muses Kia.

The question stands:  Is Coldstream also taxed on their private fire hydrants on their land?

The "good" question was never answered.