By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Essex’s Administration will return with a report on the impact and opportunities to the Town of Essex resulting from the proposed County of Essex imposed Development Charges (DCs), once a formal implementation plan for such proposed Development Charges has been presented by the County.
Council moved that direction at the June 16 meeting.
At the June 2 meeting, Councillor Kim Verbeek brought this forward as a Notice of Motion.
All seven local municipalities have their own Development Charges By-Law, which is imposed on developers to pay for growth-related capital costs. The County does not have one, nor has it ever. In the County’s case, that would include highway, EMS, long-term care, waste diversion, public libraries, and studies related to the five services.
Last month, County Council was provided the information on the matter, but will have to decide whether or not to approve DCs at the County-level in the future.
The calculated residential Development Charges for the County of Essex was presented as $12,956 per single-detached residential unit, $7845 for rows and multiple-unit dwellings, and $6895 for other residential units. For non-residential, proposed Development Charges are $46.34 per square meter for commercial/institutional.
This is the max amount allowable. County Council can choose a lower amount.
Previously, it was noted if the County chose to implement the maximum DC on residential, the total charge for a single-detached unit, for instance, including the municipal DC, would be $48,113 in the McGregor service area and $38,176 for the Harrow Service Area in the Town of Essex.
The County of Essex recently hosted an open house with Essex Council on its proposed Development Charges.
Verbeek said she can see the money this would generate would be beneficial, specifically for the infrastructure costs.
She wanted this report so Essex Council can choose how it wants to direct Essex’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor on how to represent Essex at the County table on this matter.
Essex County Council is composed of the Mayors and Deputy Mayors of the seven local municipalities.
The uncertainty of the trade war with the US has contributed to the stall of development across the region, Verbeek believes.
“And we know development is not immune to these skyrocketing costs and to all the uncertainty around job losses and inflation,” Verbeek said, adding focus should be put on moving things along, not potentially putting a giant financial spoke in the wheels of those trying to build.
She understands it will be a County Council decision, but Essex Council needs to be as informed as possible. It is hoped a report could be created to provide clarity on the matter.
In answering Councillor Katie McGuire-Blais’s question on timelines, Mayor Sherry Bondy noted the County plans to provide an update to County Council after all open houses with the local municipalities wrap-up. The goal of County staff is to provide County Council with a report sometime this summer on the feedback received at those open houses.
Bondy believes there is time for Essex to create a report to help in its stance on the matter.
If the County decides to rush the matter, “that is going to be all the more reason for us to vote ‘no,’” Bondy said. “If I don’t have information on how it is going to impact Essex, and get consultation from Council colleagues here, then I am going to be a ‘no’ at the County already.”
Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley doesn’t think it’ll come back to County Council until its August meeting. As of right now, he will be voting “no” on the matter at the County Council table, unless a report comes back to him and tells him something totally different. He does not believe it is the right time and there are too many other things going on at the County.
Once the County releases its transition plan, CAO Kate Giurissevich said Essex staff can then prepare a report for Essex Council’s consideration. She believes there will be time for Essex to put together a report.
For more information on the matter, log onto www.countyofessex.ca/doing-business/planning-and-development/development-charges-initiative/
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