same property, for total of three dwelling units. Amendments to the Development Charges Act will also exempt additional units, including ones located in ancillary or accessory buildings from payment of Development Charges.
Council recently considered and passed an OPA 130 and Zoning Bylaw Amendments that bring the City into compliance with the legislative changes brought about by Bill 108, More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019.
Development Charges Exemptions
The Development Charges Act currently provides an exemption from Development Charges for certain uses. The City of Windsor’s current Development Charges bylaw is currently under review. While a new DC Bylaw has been deferred due to the COVID pandemic and is now planned to become effective by the end of 2020, it is anticipated that DC fee incentives for development within the core area will remain in the new bylaw to encourage redevelopment, including affordable housing units in this area.
The Act also provides municipalities with the flexibility to implement any local exemptions that it deems necessary. For example, the current bylaw provides partial exemptions for infill developments in the core area of the city. Generally, the core area is defined by Riverside Drive (north), Tecumseh Road (south), Pillette Road (east), Prince Road (west).
The table below provides a summary of the current Development Charges for the different areas of the city, and the savings that are realized if a project is located in the core area of the city:
| Residential Unit Type | City Wide (Per Unit) | Sandwich South (Per Unit) | Core Area (Per Unit) | Savings (City vs. Core) | Savings (City vs. Sandwich) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single detached units | $30,053 | $44,196 | $2,282 | $27,771 | $41,914 |
| Semi, row, townhouse units | $21,335 | $29,887 | $1,617 | $19,718 | $28,270 |
| Apartment units | $14,366 | $21,198 | $1,092 | $13,274 | $20,106 |
Unlike the grant option provided above, a Development Charge exemption would be implemented though the Development Charges bylaw. As such, there is not the same requirement to make the Development Charges account whole, meaning that it would be forgone revenue instead of requiring Council to establish an account to fund the grant program.
Community Benefit Charges