Expected development-fee revenue going into city’s 2017 budget: Bowman

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This article was published 02/11/2016 (3012 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

City council’s decision last week to approve controversial fees on new developments means that revenue will have to be incorporated into the 2017 budget, Mayor Brian Bowman says.

While it’s believed the operating and capital budgets have largely been written and will be tabled Nov. 22, Bowman said the documents will reflect the anticipated $7-million to $10-million expected next year when the fee is imposed.

“Those discussions are under way right now — whether or not the budget will need to (be amended) and if so, how it will account for impact fees,” Bowman told reporters Wednesday following the organizational meeting of council.

Council approved a new fee of $54.73 per square metre ($5,084.42 per 1,000 square feet) on residential development in specified suburban development areas. The fee will be charged when an application is made for a building permit.

The new fee goes into effect May 1. Revenue from the fee is to be allocated to a special fund to finance growth-related infrastructure projects.

Bowman also said it’s too early for city hall to conduct a media campaign to inform the public about the new fee, explaining the fee plan was approved on the floor of council only a week ago.

While Coun. Janice Lukes (South Winnipeg – St. Norbert) has planned a public forum in her ward for early February on the fee, Bowman said plans are being developed to do something similar on a larger scale at a some point, but he couldn’t say when that would happen or how the information would released.

Bowman said the only information on the plan now is available only through the council minutes of Oct. 26 but he said a more comprehensive media campaign will be launched eventually

“I agree more information needs to be made available to the public and my understanding is it will be,” he said, adding city hall’s corporate communications department is working on strategy. “We want to see as broad public communication for everybody involved — those considering moving into new areas that are affected by impact fees as well as the broader public and industry.”

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca