Hub Staff

A new study on Development Charges (DC) through Hemson Consulting Ltd. was presented to council during the Committee of a Whole meeting January 25.

Over the next few months consultants will review current Development Changes with staff, encourage a stakeholder consultation planned for March, complete a Development Charge background study, and hold a public meeting before council passes a new DC by-law prior to the current by-law expiration date in September 2016.

Saugeen Shores Development Co-ordinator, Jay Pausner said that the Town of Saugeen Shores is interested in obtaining input from those who will be affected.

“The last time we examined Development Charges, numerous stakeholders suggested that the Town phase in the charges; the Town phased in those charges. Numerous stakeholders recommended the Town not collect charges on industrial development; the Town ensured there were no charges for industrial development,” Pausner said, adding that with the current consultation, the Town is responding to many comments that could mean impactful changes to the new draft by-law.

The Town charges DC's to cover the cost of growth for 12 separate services including: roads, water, wastewater, police services, and fire protection. The DC by-law applies to all lands within Saugeen Shores but there are exemptions. Development in rural Saugeen Township, for example, would cost less in fees because they do not use services such as water or wastewater, but would pay DC fees for roads, and police services. Industrial and Institutional development is exempt, as are places of worship, burial grounds, non-residential development in commercial core zones. Hospitals and schools are also exempt.

During the presentation Hemson consultant, Craig Binning showed slides that included DC rate structures, as well as a full list of what DC’s fund in Saugeen Shores. Binning could not answer at this time whether DC charges would rise following this review.

“There are communities where we’ve worked where the (DC) charges have gone down. There are pressures here (in Saugeen Shores), and we’ll have to deal and identify them,” Binning said, adding that that was why they want the development industry to have a say as they did when rates were first implemented in Saugeen Shores in 2011.

Pressures in Saugeen Shores could be influenced by potential affordable housing developments as well as the imminent growth of Bruce Power creating more development and infrastructure.

“The issues of affordable housing is one of the policy areas that we’ll be reviewing. There are some municipalities that have things built into their by-laws to provide for an exemption or reduction for certain types of affordable housing,” Binning said. He later added that even with the upcoming Bruce Power refurbishment attracting more workers to Saugeen Shores influencing the development forecast, they will be cautious and may not take it into account until five years' time; when the next DC by-law is due for review.