Second class citizens? After 15 years, residents of Red Pine Drive are finally getting a break

They pay city taxes. But fire trucks can't get down their road and the city will no longer give them building permits

Meeting in Sault Ste. Marie's Civic Centre, City Council tonight agreed to build a turnaround allowing fire vehicles to access homes on Red Pine Drive. David Helwig/SooToday.

The good people of Red Pine Drive are part of the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

They pay city taxes, but their road isn't maintained by the municipality.

God help the 27 owners of homes and cottages on Red Pine Drive in the event of fire, because parts of the private road aren't wide enough for fire trucks and there's no way for big vehicles to turn around.

More recently, the city has stopped issuing building permits to anyone on Red Pine Drive because of the fire-access concerns.

Tonight, after 15 years of fighting for the same level of service of other Sault ratepayers, Red Pine Drive is finally getting some respect.

City Council voted in favour of a last-minute resolution from Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Shoemaker and his Ward 6 counterpart Joe Krmpotich, directing the city to take over Red Pine Drive and build a 'hammer-head' turnaround for fire trucks at the road's end.

Furthermore, councillors agreed unanimously to develop a policy outlining the city's procedures for assumption of private roads, to be applied to any future requests of this kind.

Residents of Red Pine Drive started pushing for better municipal services in 2002.

Back then, city staff determined it would cost more than $50,000 to bring the road up to municipal standards.

In 2007, City Council agreed to provide snow plowing at an annual cost between $4,000 and $5,000.

A council resolution dated August 27, 2007 also agreed to "accept the deeding of Red Pine Drive from the Pointe Aux Pins Syndicate to the city and that it continue to be maintained in its present configuration until it is determined by the city that this road and neighbouring roads should be brought to a higher standard, if approved."

After a decade of further negotiations, an agreement was reached tonight to widen the road to eliminate pinch points that would prevent access of fire vehicles, and to build a fenced emergency turnaround complete with signs prohibiting parking, dumping or trespassing.

The city's public works department says it can break ground on the turnaround this fall.