We can't get rid of development charges, says Ward 11 candidate Kevin Lalonde, but at least we can make them fairer.
“Any person filing his permit to build a new home in the region should at least should be discounted 50 per cent of development charges as long as that person does not build or file to build more than one residence in the same year,” Lalonde writes. “Any more than that and your building to sell and make a profit and therefore a developer and subject to the same development charges.
“Lets get even more fair. Any single permit application to build a residence and building in an area where the infrastructure and the lot is already serviced should not pay the developer fees but only be subject to the connection fees that would be incurred by the city on a time and material basis.”
As for red tape, he says most of the rules are “usually justified.” “Unfortunately red tape is the result of years and a lot of different groups implementing their concerns with the city and making those concerns policy otherwise know as red tape.”
Full text of Lalonde's letter:
So everyone hates visiting with city hall over development charges. Nobody wants to pay them but pay them we must because we can't ask every tax payer in the city to pay for the charges when a developer is going to prosper from the sale of an entire subdivision of houses or make money on the rental units of his strip mall. But at least we can be fair.
Any person filing his permit to build a new home in the region should at least should be discounted 50 per cent of development charges as long as that person does not build or file to build more than one residence in the same year. Any more than that and your building to sell and make a profit and therefore a developer and subject to the same development charges.
Lets get even more fair. Any single permit application to build a residence and building in an area where the infrastructure and the lot is already serviced should not pay the developer fees but only be subject to the connection fees that would be incurred by the city on a time and material basis.
For the developers. Discounted development charges for building in areas that already have adequate infrastructure in place. But mostly because developers are adjusting their costs to compensate for the profit they will make, taxpayers can't be asked to swallow the costs of supplying infrastructure for a developers profit making properties.
As for the red tape at city hall. If we can remove some then great. But in most cases the hoops that have to be jumped through at the city by your plans making it's why to just about every department is usually justified. Once environmental, bylaw, planning, engineering are all satisfied then you get your stamp.
Unfortunately red tape is the result of years and a lot of different groups implementing their concerns with the city and making those concerns policy otherwise know as red tape.
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