SOUTH DUNDAS – Development charges are something long pondered in South Dundas and this year, this council took steps towards implementing the new fee on new building and development in South Dundas. However, despite all the forward motion they are not yet ready to take the final steps necessary to charge the fee.
Having completed a background study and public consultation, the next logical step is to move forward with the charges. However that background study suggested a fee of more than $10,000 on top of $10,000 worth of water and sewer connection fees already charged to those constructing new homes on the municipal water system.
The suggested fee caused council to tread even more cautiously towards the implementation of the new fee since it was suggested in May.
At the August council meeting, South Dundas chief administrative officer Ben de Haan said: “We don’t want to let this drop off the radar and we continue to move forward with it. One of the things we want to prioritize is getting the study done.
He then emphasized that getting the study done doesn’t necessarily mean passing a bylaw and implementing development charges.
While staff works to continue to gather the information that council wants to understand before proceeding with the potential implementation development charges, staff made a couple of interim recommendations.
The first recommendation was that building permit fees be reviewed immediately, since they have not been increased since 2019.
From that review the plan is to update the building permit fee structure by the end of this year.
The water and sewer connection fees of $5,000 each will also be reviewed. Since the fee was introduced in 2019, the Consumer Price Index has increased more than 21 per cent, so staff is recommending that council consider adjusting connection fees to account for the CPI increases since 2019 for implementation in 2026.
Additionally work will start on an “updated water rate study that better reflects the impending growth and associated water/sewer infrastructure needs within the municipality, including a review of annual fixed rates for multi-dwelling units.”
deHaan also suggested that this study could also contemplate use associated with the St. Lawrence Parks Commission and North Dundas.
Further related reports will return to council in October.
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