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Home My WebLink AboutDTS-06-179 - Referral of projects to the 2007-2016 Capital Forecast ) c,_> KITCHENER Development & Technical Services ~ Report To: Date of Meeting: Submitted By: Prepared By: Ward(s) Involved: Date of Report: Report No.: Subject: Councillor B. Vrbanovic, Chair, and Members of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee December 11 , 2006 R. Browning, General Manager/Fire Chief, Development and Technical Services Chris Hoeger, Financial Assistant, Development and Technical Services November 30, 2006 DTS-06-179 REFERRAL OF PROJECTS TO THE 2007-2016 CAPITAL FORECAST - DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES RECOMMENDATION: That the following capital projects be included in the 2007-2016 capital forecast for consideration by the Finance and Corporate Services Committee as part of the 2007 budget deliberations. Proiect Name Adaptive Re-Use Grant Automated Attendance Management System Cedar Hill Phase 1 /Phase 2 Heritage Tax Refund Program Iron Horse Trail 2 Sanitary Sewer Mike Wagner/Urban Environmental Awards Natural Lands Acquisition Old Westmount Trunk Sanitary Sewer Total Station Proiect Cost $ 580,000 $ 165,000 $ 55,000 $ 100,000 $ 605,000 $ 67,000 $ 825,000 $ 250,000 $ 50,000 Proiect Year 2007-2016 2008 2007 2007-2016 2011 2007-2016 2007-2016 2013 2010 BACKGROUND: Any new capital projects with budgets in excess of $50,000 are referred to the City's ten-year capital forecast by a resolution of Council. They are then evaluated during the budget approval process against all other project priorities and funding constraints. This report provides information and recommendations with respect to new project priorities for the Development and Technical Services Department. REPORT: Adaptive Re-Use Grant The Adaptive Re-Use Incentive Program was approved as a new Community Improvement Program in 2005. It provides financial assistance to encourage the renovation and re-use of existing buildings which are an inherent part of our community fabric, as preferable to demolition and redevelopment of development sites in the central neighbourhoods. The financial incentive operates on a TIF (tax increment financing) basis, refunding the City's portion of the post- development property tax increase, in an amount not exceeding eligible project costs. The first development to benefit from this is the Mansion Lofts, whose application was approved by Council February 13, 2006, in the amount of $58,000 per year, for a total of $580,000 of C/C funding across the ten-year forecast. Automated Attendance Management System An Automated Attendance Management Program will more effectively manage the issues associated with staffing and contacting employees for the Kitchener Fire, Utilities, and CSD Operations. A program of this type operates continually "live" and is accessible from multiple locations, facilitating employee contact through a touch-tone telephone. Program also produces comprehensive individual, daily, monthly, year to date reports, and accurately tracks and report attendance management concerns. The funding for this system will be split between Fire, Utilities and Operations. See attached issue paper. Cedar Hill Given that the appeal period on the official plan amendment has not started and we are anticipating an appeal, we are requesting further funding as explained in the attached issue paper in the amount of $55,000 in 2007 C/C funded. Heritage Tax Refund Program The Heritage Tax Refund Program has been in place since 2003. It provides financial assistance to owner of designated heritage property which is protected by either a Heritage Conservation Easement Agreement or a Preservation and Maintenance Agreement. There are currently 5 such properties in Kitchener. The City refunds up to 40% of the City portion of property taxes, and this is automatically "matched" by the Province of Ontario refunding an equal % of the education portion of property taxes. In 2005 four properties benefited, receiving a total of $4,400 from the City and $8,980 from the Province. A $10,000 annual budget provision (C/C funded) is anticipated to be sufficient to meet current and future expected demand for the program. Iron Horse Trail 2 Sanitary Sewer The old Westmount trunk sanitary sewer between Glasgow and Gage (adjacent to the Iron Horse Trail) is in poor condition and needs to be rehabilitated, replaced or abandoned where feasible. Work is scheduled for 2011. An earlier project of the same name completed the rehabilitation of a section of this trunk sewer immediately upstream of the proposed project. This will be funded from the Sanitary Sewer Enterprise. Mike Wagner/Urban Environmental Awards The Mike Wagner and the Urban Environmental Awards were previously in operating budget, given that they occur every two years, it is more appropriate to provide the funding through the capital budget. Natural lands Acquisition When new plans of subdivision are being approved, the City makes every effort to protect and conserve natural environmental features such as stream corridors, wetlands and significant woodlots. Ideally these would come into public ownership in order to provide public stewardship and recreational access. In order to supplement our efforts to acquire by negotiation, without compromising the Park Trust Fund intended for active park space, we need to budget funds for the acquisition of natural lands for passive recreational use. The creation of a Natural Lands Acquisition Fund was recommended in Report CRPS-06-033 which was endorsed by Environmental Committee and Finance Committee in March 2006. The proposed amount of $100,000 per year (inflated annually) has been reduced to $50,000 in 2007-2011 in order to achieve overall budget targets for a net add to budget of $825,000 across the ten-year forecast (C/C funding). Old Westmount Trunk Sanitary Sewer The old Westmount trunk sewer between Waverly Road and Victoria Street is in poor condition in the vicinity of Victoria Street and likely more locations upstream to Waverly. This old trunk is mostly within private property. It is anticipated that this sewer can be abandoned along this length with some services rerouted to either Strange Street or to the newer trunk on the other side of the Westmount storm drain. Work is scheduled for 2013, with funding from the Sanitary Sewer Enterprise. Total Station In the late 1980s Engineering Services purchased a Geodometer Total Station along with the associated required equipment in order to progress towards the industry standard of computer and surveying equipment integration. As part of this integration CAD computer stations were also established to augment the new digital drafting standard. Engineering Services has planned to replace this Total Station equipment to continue our efforts towards engineering best practices. $50,000 will include the purchase of a new Total Station Survey package along with the associated software for support in 2010. Street Improvements The annual program for street reconstruction is based on condition ratings of the 3 primary pieces of right of way infrastructure, road, watermains and sewers. These infrastructure condition ratings are reviewed annually in a consolidated effort with Kitchener Utilities and Community Services Operations staff. While there are adjustments on an annual basis due to pipe failure, community request, development or extenuating circumstances, these adjustments do not significantly affect the base accelerated infrastructure program. Our annual capital program is predicated on our desire to meet a 2032 target to have all buried pipe in our systems less than 80 years of age. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: If supported, the capital projects proposed in this report will be referred to capital budget deliberations. They will then be evaluated against all other capital projects and funding constraints within the ten-year forecast. Rob Browning, General Manager/Fire Chief Development and Technical Services Chris Hoeger, Financial Assistant Development and Technical Services