Private property owners in Cherry Creek who have dealt with flooding will be allowed to do their own repairs.

Area director Ronaye Elliot says the Thompson-Nicola Regional District is working with the Ministry of Forests to help guide landowners through the repair process.

“There’s going to be no money put up by (ministry) or us. It’s strictly a message for the people who own the property to get a permit to do the work themselves through the (ministry), instead of going through a big, long red-tape situation through FrontCounter BC.”

Elliot says landowners will have to abide by guidelines set out, and she says they won’t have to worry about the legality for flood fixes that commonly restrict property owners from doing anything after experiencing flooding.

“The (ministry) fellow that’s working with us said it will set a precedent probably.”

Cherry Creek itself runs through at least 16 properties, Elliot says, which have all been damaged during the spring freshet in the past two years.

“And when it [Cherry Creek] floods, it takes half their land with it. The fact that you are not allowed for any reason to put machinery into the creek stops you from being able to help yourself.”