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Public meeting in July on proposed changes to Mono’s development charges

June 6, 2019   ·   0 Comments

Mono Council has decided to hold a public meeting next month at which residents will be invited to comment on a proposed updating of the town’s Development Charges bylaw.

The decision followed presentation at Council’s May 28 meeting of a background study by Andrew Grunda of Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. 

Mr. Grunda noted that municipal DC bylaws must be updated every five years with the Town’s due in August this year.

In Mono’s case, the updating will take place as the Ontario Legislature deals with Bill 108,  the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019, which will change several provincial laws, including the Development Charges Act.

Mr. Grunda explained the potential impacts that Bill 108 are likely to have on development chargess if the bill is passed in its present form. He also explained that the purpose of DCs is to fund only the cost of certain municipal services that are a result of growth. DCs cannot be used to cover the cost of increases to service levels, only to expand existing services that are directly attributable to growth. 

He pointed out that the Development Charges Act exempts some developments from paying DCs and that the Town may provide other exemptions in its DC bylaw. At present, the only non-statutory exemption Mono offers is for non-residential farm buildings constructed for bona fide farm uses.

 The government bill, ostensibly to cut red tape and make it easier to build affordable housing, would amend 12 other provincial acts including the Conservation Authorities Act, Environmental Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act, and would impact municipal financing, development approvals and appeals, heritage conservation and infrastructure funding.

At the same meeting, Council agreed to pay a share of a Nottawasaga River drainage project in New Tecumseth

Back in 1988, when Mono and Tecumseth were both Townships, Tecumseth constructed a floodable crossing on the property of Ross and Linda Reynolds at the 12th Line near Beeton. 

The project was built under the authority of the Drainage Act and all upstream municipalities contributed to the construction costs. Mono is now a town and Tecumseth has been amalgamated into New Tecumseth, but the Reynolds Floodable Crossing is still standing. but in need of repair. Mono’s share of the estimated $200,000 to fix it is $651.70. Council authorized the expenditure.

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