The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor The City of Flin Flon is cracking down on residents who use vacant land near their homes as a personal storage space. Throughout the community, residents who park vehicles or store items on municipal or Crown land are receiving ultimatums: take it away or pay up. The city is charging an increasing number of lease fees on such properties, with the vast majority of people paying $10 a year. Coun. Bill Hanson said it's about managing the lots and knowing 'who has what where.' 'So what we've done is, we've been turning a lot of those into leases because then we can manage (them),' he said. 'Otherwise it's unmanageable.' The latest residents to be hit with fees are those using back-alley space behind the northernmost block of Queen Street, nearest the Perimetre Highway. Leases At their regular meeting last week, council voted to impose leases for 380-398 Queen Street. City Hall estimates there are between 200 and 250 lot leases now in effect. Virtually all of the lots are too small for home construction and incur the $10 fee. But there are a small number of larger lots, which could house homes, where residents must pay $24 a year. Lots that are on municipal, not Crown, land, also incur property taxes for those using them. City council announced last year they would be clamping down on the abuse of vacant lots. 'I just want people to be forewarned,' Coun. Colleen McKee said at the time.
