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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN-19-013 - 2019 Development Charges OverviewREPORT TO:Community & InfrastructureServices Committee DATE OF MEETING:February 25, 2019 SUBMITTED BY:Ryan Hagey, Director of Financial Planning, 519-741-2200 x 7353 PREPARED BY:Ryan Hagey, Director of Financial Planning, 519-741-2200 x 7353 WARD (S) INVOLVED:All DATE OF REPORT:February8, 2019 REPORT NO.:FIN-19-013 SUBJECT:2019Development Charges Overview ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That staff be directed to publish a development charge background study and hold a statutory public meeting prior to passing a bylaw to authorize the collection of development charges as required under section 12of the Development Charges Act BACKGROUND: The Development Charges Act and its associated regulation allowmunicipalities to impose development charges to pay for growth-related capital costs to service new development. In order to do so, under the terms of the Act, municipalities must prepare a development charge background study and pass a bylaw to determine the development charges, taking the following into account: A forecast of the amount, type and location of development anticipated in the municipality for which development charges can be imposed. The average capital service levels provided by the municipality in the 10-year period immediately preceding the preparation of the background study. A review of future capital projects, including analysis of gross expenditures, funding sources and net expenditures incurred or to be incurred by the municipality, to provide for the expected development. An examination of the long term capital and operating costs for capital infrastructure for each service to which the development charges relate. Development charge (DC) bylaws have a maximum term of five years. Ki expires on July 1, 2019. In order to update the bylaw, a background study must be published, and at least one public meeting must be held. The purpose of this report is to seek formal Council authority to publish a background study and schedule a statutory public meeting. 7 - 1 The City has retained Hemson Consulting Ltd. to assist with the preparation of the DC background study and bylaw. A representative from Hemson will be in attendance for this meeting and will make a presentation to the Committee. REPORT: City staff have been gathering the necessary information to prepare a DC background study and are now at a point to seek direction from Council to publish the background study and hold a public meeting as required under section 12 of the Development Charges Act. A summary schedule is provided below which outlines the relevant dates in the overall DC timeline, including a discussion about Leisure Facilities Masterplan (LFMP) priorities,from now until the planned date for passing the 2019 DC bylaw. Basedon preliminary DC information, there may be an opportunity to increase funding for DC-funded recreationfacilities, but that discussion will not happen until after LFMP priorities have been discussed by Committee. It should also be noted that the approval of the DC bylaw on June 24 is the last possible Council meeting before the current DC bylaw expires and there will not be an opportunity to defer the decision to a later date. DateMeetingSubject Feb25CommitteeDC Overview Mar 18CommitteeLeisure Facilities Masterplan (LFMP) Priorities Apr 1Strategic SessionDC Rate Options For Achieving LFMP Priorities Apr 15CommitteeDC background study and bylaw to Committee/ Statutory public meeting Jun 24CouncilApproval of DC background study and bylaw ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Strategic Priority:Effective and Efficient City Services Strategy:5.4 Ensure the responsible stewardship of public funds within a supportive policy framework. Strategic Action:#CS41 Development Charges Background Study (2019) FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no financial implications associated with this report. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. As noted in the report, a public meetingrelating to development charges is required by legislation. This meeting is currently planned to be held as part of a Committee meeting on April 15, 2019. 7 - 2 In addition to the statutory public meeting required by the Development Charges Act, staff have already provided a brief DC update to the Waterloo Region Homebuilders Association (WRHBA) and committed to providing DC information to that group as it becomesavailable. Some information (e.g. Engineering project sheets) has already been provided to the WRHBA with more planned to be shared in the coming weeks. Further, staff will beengaging a broad cross-section of industry stakeholders to solicittheir feedbackin advance of Council passing the DC bylaw. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jonathan Lautenbach, Chief Financial Officer, Financial Services 7 - 3