A Doubleview woman has been left reeling after she received a bill from her local council demanding $2000 for a streetlight planned for her road.
Brodie Lane resident Hayley Hamilton was sent the bill for the light from the City of Stirling, as a part of a plan to upgrade the street's right of way turns.
"We've built on a right of way, the old streets of Scarborough have all thes lanes which they used to use but they've not we developed them, so when you build on them you have to contribute yourself to put a streetlight there," she told Radio 6PR Perth Live presenter Oliver Peterson.
"Mine doesn't (have a streetlight) but they are not actually installing my streetlight until 2021. I had to pay or I wouldn't get my building license. We are building our family home."
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Ms Hamilton received the bill due to the City of Stirling's Development Contributions Plan (DCP).
The plan states when a resident develops land, it can mean there is a need for new or upgraded infrastructure.
As a result, it is determined the council will collect payments from property owners in order to pay off the new infrastructure.
According to the City of Stirling, Brodie Lane required new lighting and construction in order to support the 'orderly development of the area'.
"It's basic infrastructure. It's not on my land, it's on the council land, so I still have to pay for it even though I don't have any claim on it. The council was incredibly rude," Ms Hamilton said.
"The lady I spoke to laughed at me. They told me I could pay it off over time but until I did that there would be a caveat on my land and to remove the caveat I could also pay $1500."
"In the end I just had to put it on a credit card.The city of stirling has a lot more money than my little family.
Speaking to Radio 6PR, the City of Stirling's Mayor Giovanni Italiano defended the council's charges.
"Unfortunately there's a statute in place that says if you want to build on land like that you have to contribute to the lighting. It's unfortunate," he said.
"But everybody that lives in and around that area, $2,000 is only a third of the cost - the City of Stirling picks up two thirds. Everybody will benefit in the end."
Since bringing in the DCP in December, it is understood the City of Stirling have received four complaints from residents.