Did you ever wonder why rural land costs so much?

[Dave2]

While in this hot weather some of the fortunate ones are thinking about going to this guys party and it is this time of year that city people tend to head out into the boonies for relief from the heat.  

Hopefully you have a friend who has a big piece of country property and while you are enjoying the cold one(s) (only 2) you ask him if he ever thought of severing off a parcel.  (hoping you can buy it)

He quotes you a horrible price   .  but have you ever thought it is not his fault.  The problem is all the big city costs and regulations that are being forced on a lot of country municipalities against their will by the province.  Don't believe me?  The following is quoted directly from a rural municipality website.  I may have problems that the table does not reproduce but you can follow the figures and the headings yourself.  

Of interest this municipality is several hours drive from Toronto out in the middle of nowhere.

COST TO SEVER A PARCEL OF LAND
The following table represents an estimate of costs for a typical property to be severed and creating one new building lot.  Probable costs are those which the majority of property owners will likely have to pay.  Potential costs reflect additional costs based upon specific situations.  All estamates are subject to change as a result of conditions including location of property, land features and conditions imposed by the by the Committee of Adjustment in the approval of the application.  For additional information respecting upcoming meetings minutes of prior meetings and current applications for severances, please see the page for the Committee of Adjustment on this site.

Description   Probable Costs   Potential Costs  

Township Fee   800.00             800.00

Conservation Authority
 Fee               300.00              300.00

Health Unit Fee 375.00            375.00

MDS Report -  800.00

Planning Report 450.00            450.00

Survey            3000.00          3000.00

Hydrogeological Analysis
And Terrain
Report        - 7500.00

Peer Review of Hydrogeological and
Terrain Report - 2500.00

5% Parkland Levy (Based on $30,000 Value)

=                   1500.00           1500.00

Drilled Well     5000.00           5000.00

Confirmation Of Prior
Severances        100.00            100.00

Off Site Sewage
Report                 50.00            50.00

Legal               500.00            500.00

Total            12075.00        22875.00

[ruok]

Dave2 is right on the mark with his financial analysis for a simple severance. Add in the countless months of correspondence back and forth with the different offices involved and it becomes hard to justify.

[Frank]

Dave

No party as we are out of power with the storm that hit yesterday.

Survey and well costs can be a lot more...or less, depends on situation.

Legal costs, wow...I want the name of that lawyer.

[ErnestBidder]

  The thing that drives me absolutely around the bend is this peer review horseshit! You hire a qualified, licensed guy, pay him a fortune, and then pay some dink 1/3 of a fortune to read the report and agree that it's kosher? WHAT UTTER CRAP! The last time I had to do this, the reviewer didn't know his ass from the proverbial hole in the snowbank, and I had to show him documentation, that he should have had in his files, to prove his disagreeing was completely wrong, and he had to back down. Why doesn't the municipality just specify the use of the reviewer in the first place? NOT THAT HE'S DOING THEIR JOB ANYWAY!

  These municipal &^%#YG can think up more ways to screw the public than we can count.

[ruok]

Municipal Planning Boards are comprised of a handful of individuals that are not familiar with their role. By the time they are proficient enough with the Official Plan and how it relates to each consent application they are gone and replaced with another set of newbies.