Staff Report: 2013 Budget Request – Land Use Bylaw Review

2013 Budget Request—Land Use Bylaw Review

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Council approve an additional $15,000.00 in the 2013 Budget for the purpose of completing the Land Use Bylaw Review.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER'S COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

DEPARTMENT COMMENTS:

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE'S COMMENTS

I concur with the recommendation.

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To request an additional $15,000.00 in the 2013 budget to enable completion of the Land Use Bylaw Review.

TIME CRITICAL:

Staff have issued the RFP for this project and proposals are due by September 12th. In order to expedite the awarding of the contract, staff are requesting consideration of additional funds for the 2013 Budget.

BACKGROUND:

The adoption of a new Official Community Plan in 2011 included a significant work program to fully implement the new plan. At the top of the action list was a complete overhaul of the existing Land Use Bylaw.

As part of the 2012 budget, Council approved a supplemental budget request of $45,000.00. Staff have been soliciting information from other municipalities about their recent Zoning Bylaw reviews, and it appears that the amount budgeted will be insufficient to complete the project. The Town of Ladysmith bylaw came in at over $100,000.00 and the Town of Golden Bylaw came in at $68,000.00. The scope of the Ladysmith project is greater than that proposed by the Town, however the Golden project is similar in scope. With the project starting later in the year, it is likely that it will span two budget periods. In order to proceed expeditiously with the award of the contract, staff are requesting an additional $15,000.00 for the 2013 Budget.

If proposals come in at less than $60,000.00, the supplemental request may not be necessary.

PROJECT INFORMATION:

The Land Use Bylaw Review includes all of the zoning elements of the bylaw (definitions, general regulations, review of existing zones, and consideration of new zones to add to the bylaw). The subdivision and servicing standards will be reviewed as a separate project and will be extracted from the current bylaw. The project also includes a comprehensive legal review of the new bylaw and a public consultation/information component.

BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:

Based on recent similar projects in other jurisdictions, staff are concerned that the amount allocated in the 2012 budget is insufficient. If the proposals are less than anticipated, the funds will not be used and the 2013 budget will not be impacted.

Approval of the supplemental budget request would be funded from property taxes in 2013.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS:

The Land use Bylaw review is a critical component to implement the Official Community Plan. Staff have previously indicated to Council that there are significant structural flaws with the current bylaw, and this review will address the issues that staff have identified.

SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Provide an outline of environmental, social and economic factors.

ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

If Council does not wish to increase the overall project budget an appropriate resolution would be:

THAT Council receives the report for information.

In order to expedite the process of awarding the contract and starting the project, staff recommend approving the additional supplemental budget request for 2013.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Council approve an additional $15,000.00 in the 2013 Budget for the purpose of completing the Land Use Bylaw Review.

SUBMITTED BY: Lindsay Chase, Director of Development Services

REVIEWED BY: Kim Anema, Chief Administrative Officer