City of Powell River Council has given first reading to its development cost charge bylaw and will be sending it to the inspector of municipalities for review.
At the December 19 council meeting, councillors considered the bylaw to impose development cost charges for the capital cost of providing, altering or expanding infrastructure and parkland improvements.
Councillor George Doubt said the revision of the development cost charge bylaw has become necessary because of new development in the community. He said there has been considerable consultation with the development and real estate community within the city to make sure the changes are appropriate.
Doubt said the levels of the development cost charges before council were significantly lower than the first proposal that came to council because of those consultations.
“I’m in favour of the bylaw,” he said.
According to the proposed bylaw, development cost charges may be imposed for the purpose of providing funds to assist the city in paying the capital cost of providing, constructing, altering or expanding roads, storm, sewage and water infrastructure, and improving parkland in order to service, directly or indirectly, the development in respect of which the changes are imposed.
The bylaw further states that the charges imposed by this bylaw:
· Are not excessive in relation to the capital cost of prevailing standards of service
· Will not deter development in the city
· Will not discourage construction of reasonably priced housing or the provision of reasonably priced serviced land
· Will not discourage development or redevelopment of commercial or industrial properties that would otherwise provide employment and economic diversity and stability in the city
The development cost charge bylaw was last updated 10 years ago. According to the proposed new bylaw, the development cost charge for a single-family home would be $10,159, including $4,205 for sanitary sewer, $393 for water, $751 for drainage, $4,080 for roads and $730 for park improvement. This is up from $7,598 in the previous bylaw.
Townhouses and duplexes would increase from $5,197 to $7,211 and apartments, condos and trailers would rise from $4,022 to $5,417.
Commercial, institutional and industrial development cost charges would be assessed on a per square metre basis.
