Elgin County Council has contracted Hemson Consulting to undertake a Development Charges Background Study on behalf of Elgin County. The Background Study is available for review and the County of Elgin will be accepting written comments and verbal comments at a public meeting that is scheduled for May 26, 2021. Further details regarding the scheduling of this meeting and how to register as a delegate will be made available on this site, on our Facebook Page and in local newspapers over the coming week.
Written comments can be sent to DCcharges@elgin.ca until July 26, 2021 at 4:30 p.m.
Development Charges Public Meeting – May 26, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
Development Charges are one-time fees paid by developers at the time a building permit is issued to help pay for municipal services to new developments, such as roads, transit, water and sewer infrastructure, community centres and fire and police facilities. The Development Charges Act provides the legislative authority for collection of Development Charges.
The principle behind Development Charges is that growth should pay for growth. In the absence of development charges, the costs for additional infrastructure are paid for through increased property taxes and user fees.
The Development Charges Act, 1997 (Act) provides Council with the authority to pass a by by-law to impose Development Charges. The Background study takes the following into account:
- A forecast of the amount, type and location of development, population
- The historical level of capital service levels
- A review of future capital projects to provide for the expected development.
The Act also requires that the municipality must hold at least one Public Meeting to present the updated Development Charges Background Study and proposed Development Charges Rates. Once all of the requirements are met a new By-law is passed based upon the results of the Background Study.
Funds collected for Development Charges must be held in a separate Reserve Fund for each service to which the levy applies – for example, funds collected for roads must be held in a Development Charges for Roads Reserve Fund. These funds can only be spent on paying for the growth-related capital costs for which the funds are intended – for example, the funds collected for roads can only be spent on growth-related capital costs for roads. Development Charges may not be used to fund operating costs.
Development Charges Background Study
Timeline
April 23, 2021
In accordance with the new requirements of the Development Charges Act, the DC Background Study must be made available to the public 60 days prior to by-law passage and a minimum of two weeks before the public meeting. Study must be posted on the municipal website.
April 28, 2021
The County of Elgin posted a Notice of Public Meeting to be held on May 26, 2021 at 7:00p.m. on its website and Facebook page on April 28, 2021.
May 6, 2021
20 days’ notice of the public meeting must be made in a newspaper that is of sufficient general circulation in the area to which the proposed by-law would apply to give the public reasonable notice of the meeting. The Notice of Public Meeting will be printed in the St. Thomas Times Journal, the Aylmer Express and the West Elgin Chronicle the week of May 3-7, 2021.
May 12, 2021
The DRAFT Development Charges By-Law for the County of Elgin will be posted on the County’s website for review on May 12, 2021.
May 19, 2021
Any person wishing to provide verbal comment at the Public Meeting scheduled for May 26, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. must register to do so by May 19th at 4:30 p.m. Please register by emailing DCcharges@elgin.ca.
May 26, 2021
A public meeting will be held to hear comments from members of the public on the Development Charges Background Study and Draft By-Law. This meeting is a statutory requirement of the Development Charges Act. This meeting will be live streamed on the County of Elgin’s Facebook page.
July 26, 2021 4:30p.m.
The County of Elgin will be accepting written comments regarding the Development Charges Background Study and draft By-Law Options until July 26, 2021.
Date TBD
County Council, at a regularly scheduled meeting, will consider feedback received at public meeting and through written comment. Council will provide direction to Hemson Consulting regarding adjustments to the Draft By-law.
Date TBD
Any adjustments to the fully calculated rates including discounts, phase-in options, exemptions etc. will be incorporated into the Draft Development Charges By-law and brought forward to Council for consideration at a regularly scheduled Council meeting.
Date TBD
If Council adopts the Development Charges By-law, the Clerk must give written notice via mail, fax, personal service or newspaper publication (with general circulation to the interested public – similar to the notice of the public meeting) of the passage of the Development Charges By-law no later than 20 days after passage. The time remaining to appeal must also be set forth in the notice of passage.
Period TBD
The time limitation to appeal the by-law is 40 days following passage of the by-law. Any person or organization may appeal a development charges by-law to the Ontario Municipal Board by filing with the clerk of the municipality, on or before the last day for appealing the by-law, a notice of appeal setting out the objection to the by-law and the reasons supporting the objection.
Date TBD
A pamphlet created by the Clerk explaining the by-law must be made available to all interested persons within 60 days of the passage of the by-law.
