Plumbing winterization question

[Rob K.]

I recently purchased a fixer upper that I will use as a vacation home. I won't be there in the winter and want to protect my water pipes. The plan is to remove the water meter each fall, blow out the pipes with an air compressor, and add rv antifreeze to all of the traps. The house is built on a slab with city water running underground in a 3/4 inch copper pipe. It comes up into a box outside the house, runs horizontally, then into the house to the water meter.

The box is full of insulation, but will still get cold when the house is not heated. Here is a pic of the inside with the top layer of insulation removed.

This copper pipe is what I'm worried about. Even with the water off at the street, this pipe could still freeze. I'm going to install heat tape, but want to know about protecting it fully. This is in an area with few year round residents. Because it is so seasonal, the township likes to stick it to those of us from "the city" and charge $75 to turn the water off at the curb and another $75 to turn it on. My options are as follows:

1. Pay the city $150 per year to turn the water on and off. (Not happening)

2. Turn the water on and off at the street myself on the DL. This is frowned upon, but I have a water key and have used it many times.

3. Install my own curb stop between the street and the house. I can purchase the valve and housing from the same company that supplies the municipalities for $120. Installing would be a bigger job, but it's all sand there, so digging the hole shouldn't be a huge deal. I could then turn the water on and off each year and not have to worry about breaking the municipal valve.

4. Install some type of valve outside in that box and add heat tape to it. The water could then be turned off outside of the house and heated with tape. I could get most of the water out of the pipe downstream from the valve. If a pipe ever did break, it would be outside of the house. It won't freeze under ground, but it could where it comes out at the surface.

Has anyone ever dealt with something like this? Anyone ever installed their own curb stop?