Humphreys Brook - Development Charge Area
Consultation has concluded
UPDATE (2021-06-23)
The main public consultation phase of this initiative is finalized. Thank you to all who have provided feedback to date. However, there is still an opportunity to provide input via the legislative public hearing.
At its regular public meeting held on June 21, 2021, Moncton City Council gave first reading of proposed amending Development Charge By-law # Z-1519.1, requested the views of the Planning Advisory Committee (June 23, 2021 regular meeting), and set a public hearing for July 19, 2021. Please check here for the formal public hearing notice and instructions on how to provide feedback to the City Clerk. Council will consider any written objections to the proposed amending by-law at the public hearing.
Please note that the proposed amending Development Charge By-law # Z-1519.1, and final ‘Development Charge Principles Framework – Draft Amendments’ and ‘Development Charges Background Study – Humphreys Brook East’ are downloadable on the right.
Context
Council is considering an amendment to its newly enacted Development Charge By-law #Z-1519 (the By-law can be downloaded on the right under the “Resources” section). The By-law, which was registered April 29, 2020, allows the City to impose 'development charges' against land to pay for capital costs cause by an increased need for new or expanded municipal infrastructure and facilities.
The main premise behind this new infrastructure and financial planning tool is that “growth pays for growth,” and therefore costs associated with growth are shifted away from the taxpayer. The development of the By-law coincided with a comprehensive “Development Charge Principles Framework,” which sets out the general principles and guidelines to follow when the City develops a Development Charge Area (the Principles Framework can be downloaded on the right under the “Resources” section).
To date, there is one Development Charge Area in the City (Twin Oaks Extension). Development is currently underway for this project and the City is now collecting development charges to recoup costs associated with this street extension (approximately $1.4m). The “Development Charge Background Study – Twin Oaks Extension” can be downloaded on the right under the “Resources” section.
About this neighbourhood
In 2014, the City began a neighbourhood planning process for the Humphreys Brook area. The initiative received a $75,000 grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to incorporate sustainable design involving comprehensive community design and naturalized stormwater management features. The Humphreys Brook Neighbourhood Plan, which was registered on April 11, 2017 (see document on the right under “Resources”), contains policies and proposals for implementing new financial infrastructure planning tools to help support the overall vision and build-out of this plan area.
Since the Province made changes to the Community Planning Act (January, 2018), the City is now able to effectively implement the Neighbourhood Plan through the establishment of a new Development Charge Area in the eastern portion of the plan area. The goal is to develop a fair and equitable cost framework whereby the property owners of benefitting undeveloped lands pay a proportionate share to fund the construction of required, regional transportation infrastructure (see Figure 5.1A excerpt from the neighbourhood plan at right, Infrastructure Projects 3, 4, 5, and 7).
The provincial Community Planning Act and the Development Charge Regulation (filed December 18, 2019) set out the requirements for public consultation for amending a municipal development charge by-law. For example, paragraph 5(2)(b) of the Regulation requires the City to “consult in good faith with stakeholders” before implementing a development charge. Further, section 111 of the Community Planning Act requires public notice and a public hearing before amending a development charge by-law.
This project page will be used to help the public and stakeholders stay involved and informed as the amendment process unfolds. Documents will be uploaded to the “Resources” section (right side) on an ongoing basis. If you’d like additional information or wish to provide comments on the initiative, please contact Andrew Smith, Senior Planner (see “Who’s listening” section, right side).