grant equivalent to 100% of the increase in municipal property tax would be available on those aspects of the project that are certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED).
The proposed development would be constructed in phases beginning with the residential component and concluding with the hotel and commercial components. As a result of the phased approach, the grants and incentives approved as part of the program would commence with the completion of the first phase increasing in amount throughout the development in an incremental manner and continue for a maximum of 13 years.
On March 20, 2020, City Council approved recommendations in order to address the impacts of Bill 108 Development Charges Act (DCA) changes that came into effect on January 1, 2020 (CR 109/2020). Bill 138, the Plan to Build Ontario Together Act, received royal assent on December 10, 2019, amended a section of Bill 108 related to the collection of DCs for commercial and industrial developments. Parts of Bill 138, including the part that amended Bill 108, the More Homes More Choice Act, were proclaimed on December 16, 2019 and became effective on January 1, 2020. These changes required the City to immediately consider new administrative processes to ensure an orderly transition and to preserve revenue neutrality.
Key legislative amendments that came into effect on January 1, 2020 are as follows:
- The Freezing of Development Charge Fees
Effective January 1, 2020, the City's DC rates and exemptions will be "frozen" based on the date a site plan application is made for a particular development or, if no site plan application is made, the date a rezoning application is made, whichever is later. If neither of these applications is made, the amount continues to be calculated at the issuance of a building permit. This change thus amends the current practice of calculating DCs with rates in effect on the date of building permit issuance. The City is permitted to charge interest on DCs starting from the date the planning application is received, and deemed complete, until the date of payment.
2. Mandatory Deferral and Installment Payments Development Charges
Collection of DCs for rental housing developments (excluding non-profit) and institutional uses will be deferred from first building permit issuance until first occupancy and collected in six equal annual installment payments over the course of five years. Interest can be charged on the installment payments for these developments in accordance with s.26.1(7) of the DCA.
The final site design proposal for 1600 Lauzon has identified a mixed-use development that included:
101 detached residential lots;
7 mid-rise multiple dwellings buildings (total of 442 units);
hotel; and