ONCE IN A LIFETIME MULTI-GENERATIONAL FARM PROPERTY CLOSE TO TOWN, SCHOOLS, SERVICES. Solid 2188 SQFT 4-5 BD home with 3 full baths on 11.35 majestically tiered and very useable acres PLUS a SECOND 980 SQFT 3 BEDROOM HOME (3BD, 1 BT) PLUS a large, rustic barn-to-studio/apartment conversion PLUS a CABIN W/ loft bedroom, kitchenette and bath looking down on all of it from above. MUST see property that will not last. Call your REALTOR® today to book a viewing.
As I like to say, every property has a story, but some are actual story books, and it’s always a pleasure to work with a passionate seller who wants to share the little details that any buyer would love to have. What follows is a detailed description put together by the sellers of this captivating Raspberry area farm:
ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY THE SELLER AND HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE LISTING AGENT OR FAIR REALTY. BUYERS TO CONFIRM ALL DETAILS AND CLAIMS.
BOUNDARIES: South East accessible by Relkoff Road. Eastern border (264ft) is Pass (Norns) Creek. Multiple usage opportunity; the lower portion, ~½ property is not within agricultural land reserve. Fully Serviced: Power, High speed internet, phone, septic and water it’s a Birds and Bees Paradise beyond cell signals.
Location: 3 km from Castlegar and Selkirk College, on the Robson side of the Columbia River. Vista Views of Castlegar, Airport and area. Being beyond the end of Relkoff Road, with no turn around and no thru traffic it is private. Crown land borders two sides of the property.
Geological information: The elevation gain is about 150m. Starting at about 420m and rising to about 570m. Glacial Lacustrine Escarpment (Eastern Slopes of Ladybird Flats) South/West border connects Mountain Ridge Road for over 500ft. Access above to Lions Head via trails suitable for Hiking, Biking and Riding.
DWELLINGS (2) and OUT BUILDINGS (2):
1) 1976 “Cottage”: Relkoff Road Level.
a. Main well pump control, power and operations hub.
b. Guest House/ Rental for Family and Farm Labor.
2) WATER SYSTEM
3) 1996 MAIN Dwelling:
a. 1990’s Main Dwelling built by & for the owner and family. Out Buildings (2):
4) 1930’s “Saliken house”, converted to Hay Storage.
5) 2000 “Tack Shop”
6) 2015, “Cabin”, secondary water operations hub for upper levels.
a. Running water, solar lights and vista views of Castlegar and Sentinel Mountain.
7) SEPTIC SYSTEMS
8) The LAND and Encumbrance(s)
a. RDCK Area J: Taxes $1300 (class 9, farm) up to 2300/ yr. (class 1, residential)
b. Robson-Raspberry Improvement District: Water Tax, (No Toll), $816/year (2016)
1) The COTTAGE
When you arrive beyond the end of Relkoff Road you will find the cottage. This structure was built by notable engineer, Henry Julstred for his wife Helen Saliken. He had intended on moving the structure thus it was on blocks. Helen stayed in her little cottage and rented her parents old house to a local developer who, as part of the tenancy agreement, began building the driveway that now connects Relkoff Road to the Main House level.
The cottage was built on blocks circa 1976 with an outhouse. It was around 1981 when indoor plumbing was installed, arranged and paid for by government funding. The septic installation bid was awarded and done by a professional contractor.
a. Septic and indoor plumbing installed circa 1981.
b. House set on foundation circa 1992.
i. Semi basement. Pressure treated, wood frame and walls. (1995)
ii. Due to immovable rock, a full basement could not be dug thus half is simply concrete retaining chevrons, compacted with earth over vapor barrier. (1995)
iii. Utility room contains the well pump controller (2008), water pressure tank (2008) and hot water tank (2016).
c. The cottage became a guest house and rental for family and farm labor since about (1995).
i. Kitchen renovations 1995 (wood feature on walls). Sink & tap (2016)
ii. Bathroom (new sink and tap 2015)
iii. New gas furnace installed , Hot water tank, Flooring (carpet) 1996
d. New flooring throughout 2016/ 2017, service the furnace, paint top to bottom February, New hot water tank.
e. Structurally sound, dry and well maintained (previously water damage had occured from 2012 however the drainage has been addressed to prevent future flooding).
The structure was fitted with a new foundation and a small basement was dug to place the structures services, furnace and water tanks. New construction consisted of 6 inch pressure treated wood basement, with house held back with concrete chevron blocks left in place to retain the crawl space, the foundation of this crawl space area is pressure treated beams on concrete .No permit was taken out.
The insulation in new walls is r20, the ceiling is r40.
The roof was renewed 2015, the hot water tank in 2017
Heavy storms of 2012 caused some basement flooding; minimal damage, was repaired in 2014.
2) WATER SYSTEM
1) Well House(creek side)
a. Tap (east side off well house)
2) Cottage
a. outdoor tap (west side off cottage))
b. faucets (interior plumbing)
3) Outdoor hydrant (BLUE, ~120 ft. from the front gate, east of the driveway)
4) Tack shop: there is a buried valve box. This is the water control area for the barn, Tack shop, and the underground burry of 3 driveway sprinklers. The lowest driveway sprinkler connection has a buried dump valve for autumn draining for frost protection. A single valve, protected by a 6in pipe, just in front of the water box controls all the water to the tack, barn and sprinklers.
a. Tap 1 (west side)
b. Tap 2 (north side)
c. Faucet (interior plumbing)
5) Main Dwelling level, RED hydrant :
a. ¾” PVC service to the main dwelling.
b. The line is reduced to 1.25” to the Blue hydrant at the RRID ROW. hydrant
6) Main House
a. Outside tap 1 (south)
b. Outside tap 2 (north)
c. Faucets (interior plumbing)
d. In-floor heating
7) Blue Hydrant (below RRID Water Access, adjacent North Gate)
a. The RRID Water connection is located, just to the right of the BLUE Hydrant by about 1 foot and slightly uphill (west). From this hydrant, a shallow buried seasonal .5in poly pipe transports water to the the cabin and subsequently fills the irrigation tanks with water that is not being used below. The cabin is drained back through its supply tube at the top BLUE hydrant (adjacent RRID water access road).
8) Cabin
a. Water Reservoir Tanks (2)
WINTERIZE: Drain the water lines service, tack shop, bar and driveway sprinklers.
A) Turn off the valve located underground, inside the 6 in’ pipe (in front of the tack shop).
B) Open faucets in the barn and the tack shop and open the dump valve at the last driveway sprinkler (located at the front gate, adjacent the old White Pine).
Add Anti freeze in all P- traps and toilets.
From the main gate facing north, the creek access road is on the right. Head down about 100 ft. to the Creek where the well house is located and check out Lot 10’s (~264) two-hundred and sixty four + feet of private beach and creek side property. Here you will find about ½ an acre of flat pasture.
The first survey that was noted was that of Alex Cheveldave involving a proposed subdivision, In the 80’s
According to the surveyor Pass Creek at one time skirted around lot ten. In 1988, the north east pin had been submerged by the creek.
The next survey was done by Jerome Hango to locate the boundary and fence in the 90’s. Intent to farm this property required access throughout the property.
In 2008 lot ten became an approved B&B with Tourism BC and potable drinking water was required. A large hole was excavated back from the creek and a galvanized 1m casing was set in with a water pump to deliver water up to the pasture above the dwellings, as well as supply the other structures with tested potable water
The well tank pressure is at 90psi, the two residences have 40 psi regulators to protect appliances. The well water is transported up the hill in 1.5 in PVC pipe to the yard hydrant on the main dwelling level. At the first hydrant on the cottage level, there is access to a pipe laid to carry water back to the well house area for irrigation, having control from the higher level of the cottage.
3) The MAIN HOUSE
From the front gate, bear left (westerly) up the driveway to the Main House. The driveway may seem intimidating but its contoured design allows for access of vehicles including tandem-axle trucks loaded with 14 tons of material, concrete trucks, propane trucks and septic trucks. It’s an easy keeper and the snow removal has been handled by a couple people with shovels since about 2011.
The building sight for the main house was selected where it is protected in a natural bowel of trees and wrapping hillside.
The main dwelling was framed up in 1990, all 2×6 on 16 in centre. Insulation factor walls r-value 20, roof r-value 40. Main heat is a gas fired hot water heater. The upstairs portion of the house has under floor heat; the thermostat is located in the master bathroom
The main floor, because the hard wood floor research done at the time suggested that under floor heat could cause premature floor failure. It was decided to test the kitchen floor only and if there was any degradation because of the heat we would use the wall registers that were installed at the time. Years later the registers were removed from the kitchen but remain in place throughout the balance of the main floor. No regrets what so ever of heating the hard wood floor. The reason for the good fortune may be explained by the subfloor, it is one and an eighth inch thick, and the hard wood flooring is a full three quarters of an inch thick .
4) The BARN
Take a walk through the apple orchard over to the old house and you will see original Lat & Plaster and Cedar Walls, fir beams and stone foundation its the oldest structure on the property, a well built house that stands the test of time.
In the early 1990’s this building was refit top to bottom with a metal roof, foundation and cement floor. There is a (20) twenty amp underground electrical feed for lights only. The walls appear to have no insulation, the ceiling is insulated.
a. This house was also reset on an improved foundation by the same contractor that did the basement of the cottage and septic installations.
b. It remained in service as a house until about 1988 when the new owner took over and converted it to a barn.
5) The Tack Shop, built circa 2000, is complete with toilet, sink and seasonal shower. Cedar shakes put a finishing touch on this useful outbuilding.
6) The Cabin
Built circa 2009, with application for permit.
7) SEPTIC SYSTEMS
COTTAGE: (1000gl) one thousand gallon concrete septic tank with 150 ft of drain field. Permit was taken out to have this system installed for the previous owners, Helen Saliken and Henry Julsrad, and paid for by a RRAP grant, in the early 1980’s
TACK SHOP and BARN: (500gl) ~500 gallons metal septic tank was set in place of the old tank, for the barn and the tack shop.
MAIN HOUSE: (800gl) eight hundred gallon concrete septic tank and 150 feet of field. (Permit 1990’s)
CABIN: (800gl.) eight hundred gallon, metal septic tank
8) The LAND
Geological formation and geographical location
LOT 10 is the coastline of an ancient inland lake composed of secondary limestone, sand, gravel and clay deposits, large rocks and exposed bedrock.
There is a unique cement-like rock that forms here, Limestone rocks, these pieces of cement like rocks were, and are, forming all the time. The limestone oozes from the clay seams and through time the ooze sets much like cement. Samples were analyzed by senior geologist, (Pec) Santos and Leslie Killough, Geology Professor, Selkirk College.
The land is cultivated with flat grassy areas (pasture) and divided by interior fences to allow controlled rotation of the horses within the property while protecting ridge edges from erosion by the animals. The weight and habits of the horse are instrumental in solidifying trails.
Terraced Gardens are located above both the Main House and Barn. The areas were constructed using gabion retainer devices, boulders and a bobcat. Every year, manure which has composted to soil is then added to the garden areas. For (27) twenty seven years 6 to 10 horses have resided here year round. The horses assist with soil amendments, contributing about (20) twenty tons of manure annually for gardens and pastures.
The geographical location is unique. The lot is elevated only slightly but creates a multiple textured view facing slightly southeast. The Large Mount Sentinel, though not tall, slops off to the south and this slope maintains a consistent sunrise, the sun rises in June the time is about 8am on December 21 about 8am.
Pass Creek Falls, is about 100m away. The temperature difference causes drafts and breezes, fresh ionized air starts here and the property is seldom subjected to odors from industry.
The edges of most trails are growing well over 100 elderberry trees, a productive hardy natural fence. There are Grapes, Raspberries and Rhubarb plants. Apples (Ambrosia and Macintosh) yellow and purple plums, sweet cherries, sour cherry, pear and pear-apple trees are all established. Saskatoon bushes can be found growing wild (creek side is prolific).
Trails were developed over many years both intentionally and organically using existing game trails and running with the land where trails quickly stabilized into a network that can be used to harvest standing dry wood for fuel and cultivating valuable Cedar or just playing.
The owner of Lot 10 has had a “Cutting Permit” from Forestry BC since 1995. Cedar trees grow well on the hill sides and line the highest trail edges naturally. Commercial timber has been harvested several times harvesting only select timber and for sunlight. The more light the bigger the trees grow. The last harvest was 2009.This lot is adjacent a wildlife corridor (to the waterfalls), the bear must be able to get to where the fishing is good, the fish have to get there first. The Salmon make their journey through our back yard every year, the life system the fish support include a large family of bald Eagles, and a family or two of Black Bears. Elk, Deer and coyotes, pass through at regular intervals, following the ripening grasses and fruits.
…and Encumbrance(s) In 1984 the Robson Irrigation District amalgamated with Raspberry and became the current Robson-Raspberry Improvement District. It was around 1989 when the owner of Lot 10, was planning the location of the main house when, with the assistance of a surveyor, uncovered the mystery of and sought remedy by obtaining an easement. The RRID had surveys done to locate their Water Line Right of Way and secure interrupted (gated access) to pass over and through the lands.