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DEPUTATIONS REGARDING MOTION 19-G-169, DEVELOPMENT CHARGE BACKGROUND STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT CHARGES BY-LAW
1. Linda Loftus/Shannon MacIntyre, Squarefoot Realty - WITHDRAWN
2. Jamie Besner, Sussex Strategy Group - WITHDRAWN
3. Richard Brooks of Barrie Chamber of Commerce discussed the role of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. He advised that Chamber reviewed the June 3rd, 2019 Memorandum, and noted that he felt that the amendments are inadequate and did not address the Chamber’s concerns. Mr. Brooks commented on his concerns associated with the reduction of Industrial Development Charges and the impacts these changes will have on investments in the community, job creation and possible increases for the tax-paying residents working in Barrie. He expressed his concerns associated with cost certainty, competitiveness of businesses, taxation and meeting the Provincial Targets. Mr. Brooks recommended that the Industrial Rate be lowered and fixed to off-set taxes being raised in the future.
4. Joseph Santos of ATS Development, discussed his concerns associated with high density projects in the Urban Growth Centre as well as how they relate to the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) in the Development Charges (DC) By-law. He advised of his concerns related to condominiums not meeting the criteria in the CIP and not being eligible for DC exemptions or rebates, the effects on affordable housing from the changes in the DC By-law. He noted that he also had concerns with there being no transition period of grandfathering provisions and with the proposed wording in regards to credits for demolished units.
5. Patrick Harrington of Aird Berlis advised that his clients are North American Development Group and Osmington Inc., and noted that they are the existing appellants of the 2014 Development Charges (DC) By-law, and that a decision is still pending on that matter. He referred to the written submissions from his office and the local landowners planning group for the Secondary Plans area submitted during the DC Public Meeting that addressed their concerns associated with the details and calculations including in the DC Background Study. Mr. Harrington indicated that there is a great deal of data in these documents and that their consultants have questions surrounding the data that went into the DC Background Study and proposed DC By-law. He advised that there was a similar situation that he experienced during the last DC By-law and is the context of the current appeal of the 2014 By-law. Mr. Harrington commented on the DC By-law does not expire until August and that the impacts of Bill 108 on the DC By-laws are not yet known. He questioned why the City is rushing through this By-law when there is no need.