Whereas Puslinch Council…

Whereas Puslinch Council remains significantly concerned with the legislative changes in Bill 23, in addition to comments previously submitted by Puslinch Council, Council resolved as follows;

Puslinch Council submits the following additional formal comments:

Proposed Planning Act and Development Charges Act, 1997 Changes: Providing Greater Cost Certainty for Municipal Development-related Charges (comments by December 9, 2022 ERO No. 019-6172) specifically with regard to the statements:

“ Build transparency and other measures to support the faster acquisition of more parks
To build more transparency and accountability on planning for and acquiring parks, municipalities would be required to develop a parks plan before passing a parkland dedication by-law.

• Currently, this is a requirement before a municipality can adopt the official plan policies required to use the alternative parkland dedication rate for higher density developments.
• Now, this requirement is extended to municipalities that plan to use the standard parkland dedication rate. This rate requires that the maximum land to be conveyed for park or other public recreational purposes not exceed 2 per cent for development or redevelopment for commercial or industrial purposes and 5 per cent for all other developments.
• This proposed change would apply to the passage of a new parkland by-law.

To incent municipalities to acquire parks more quickly, municipalities would be required to allocate or spend at least 60 per cent of their parkland reserve balance at the start of each year.”

Township of Puslinch Comment: The Township of Puslinch request that our current bylaw and the Recreation and Parks Master Plan, remain until such time as a revised Recreation and Parks Master Plan is completed. Furthermore we request to be given relief from spending 60 percent of the parkland reserve. Being a small municipality we have to build up our reserves before we can undertake any meaningful recreation and parkland improvements. Specifically with regard to the statements:

“The proposed exemptions for non-profit housing developments would come into effect immediately upon Royal Assent of Bill 23. Similarly, the proposed exemptions for affordable units in a development subject to inclusionary zoning would come into effect immediately. For all other developments, an affordable housing unit would be any unit that is no greater than 80 per cent of the average resale purchase price for ownership or 80 per cent of the average market rent for rental, for a period of 25 years. A Minister’s (Municipal Affairs and Housing) bulletin would provide the information needed to support municipal determination of the eligibility of a unit for development charges and parkland dedication exemptions.”

Township of Puslinch Comment: The Township of Puslinch suggest that an upper dollar threshold be in the definition of affordable housing. The average price for a 3 bedroom home in Puslinch is around $950,000 and by the current definition above any home under $760,000 is considered affordable and therefore exempt from DCs, and parkland dedication.