POLICY MANUAL: Community Amenity Contributions - POLICY #: 6400-041

POLICY MANUAL

PURPOSE:

To provide guidance and to establish targets for Community Amenity Contributions in association with rezoning applications for changes to residential land use and/or density. New development should provide a fair contribution to help address the needs of a changing community and some of the impacts of growth.

DEFINITIONS:

“Community Amenity” means any public benefit, improvement, or contribution that can enhance the quality of life for a community, and includes, but is not limited to: aesthetic features; public spaces; land or an interest in land; affordable and special needs housing; facilities that meet a range of social, cultural, environmental, and recreational needs of the community, and heritage designation. Development requirements are not Community Amenities.

“Cash Amenity” means money provided as a Community Amenity Contribution.

“Community Amenity Contribution” or “CAC” means the provision of a Community Amenity by a development proponent as voluntarily agreed to with the Town.

“Development Requirement” means anything that is required by any of the following: a. Provincial legislation; b. Bylaws, regulations and policies of the Town and the Capital Regional District; and c. The Town’s servicing requirements.

“Tangible Amenity” means the provision of a capital asset or service as a Community Amenity.

POLICY:

1.1. Discretion

The Town will consider proposed Community Amenity Contributions on a case by case basis. Nothing in this policy is intended to impair or fetter the discretion of Council with respect to the adoption of any bylaw.

1.2. Community Amenities

Community Amenities may include those identified in the Official Community Plan, Parks Master Plan and other Town documents, or those accepted by Council through the development application process.

1.3. Priorities

The following community amenities will be prioritized over cash amenities or more general community amenities that benefit the larger community: 1.3.1. Tangible amenities Contributions that benefit the immediate neighbourhood or directly address local development impacts. 1.3.2. Tangible amenities that can be implemented in the short term rather than the long term.

1.4. Consideration of Tangible Amenities

Tangible amenities should be of clear value to the Town.

1.5. Valuation of Tangible Amenities

The financial value of Tangible Amenities will be determined by staff.

1.6. Non/Below Market or Special Needs Housing

Community Amenity Contributions are not expected for residential units that would be in perpetuity non-market, below-market or for special needs.

1.7. Long Term Ongoing Costs

Factors in considering the acceptability of a Tangible Amenity will include the long-term costs to operate, maintain, repair and replace the amenity.

1.8. Housing Affordability and Supply

The potential impact on housing affordability and supply will be considered.

1.9. Target Rates

The following target rates for Cash Amenities are established as basis for negotiation: 1.9.1. $5500 $6000 per single-family detached residential unit dwelling unit or /lot 1.9.2. $3500 $4000 per unit for other types of residential uses

1.10. Land Lift Analysis

A land lift analysis should be conducted by a qualified third party agreed to by the development proponent and the Town where more than 100 additional residential units are proposed or possible. The Town will seek a target of 50% of the increase in land value for the provision of community amenities. The cost of conducting the analysis would be deducted from the Community Amenity Contribution amount. Where there is no or negative land lift, alternative community amenities may be negotiated.

1.11. Cash Amenities

1.11.1. 10% of the amount of Cash Amenities received will be transferred to the Capital Regional District Housing Trust Fund to supplement the Town’s annual contribution.

PROCEDURES:

2.0 Cash Amenities

2.1 Cash amenities will be calculated based on the maximum increased development potential of the new zone or another agreed upon amount and: 2.1.1 Received concurrently with fourth reading of a rezoning bylaw; or 2.1.2 Secured in a covenant registered concurrently with fourth reading of a rezoning bylaw. The covenant will state that the Cash Amenities are a voluntary contribution and establish timing for the provision of the Cash Amenities.

3.0 Tangible Amenities

3.1 Tangible Amenities will be: 3.1.1 Received concurrently with fourth reading of a rezoning bylaw; or 3.1.2 Secured in a covenant registered concurrently with fourth reading of a rezoning bylaw. The covenant will state that the Tangible Amenity is a voluntary contribution; set the security deposit value; establish timing for the provision of the tangible amenities; and if the tangible amenity is not completed, the contributor’s claim to the security deposit would be released and the Town may complete the tangible amenity.

ATTACHMENTS: N/A

DISTRIBUTION:

Electronic file Y:\Administration\0340 \50 \6400 – Planning and Town of View Royal website.

RECORD OF AMENDMENTS