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WATBUDOCHIJNICll-Wedmdny. iutyz. 2014 .7 Development ch e exemption could hurt city core . . while phasing in the charges for Kitchener development in the city core has dropped ,1; andCambridge, would be unfair to Waterloo nearly 50 per cent since development “ and potentially drive development to other charges were reintroduced in 20l0. cities. Two weeks ago. Scian and fellow city City of Waterloo Grief Administrative Offi- (bun. Jeff Henry spoke at regional council to cer'Iim Anderson said staff will now have to request the cost increases be phased in for consider whether or not the city wants to Waterloo, a request Galloway noted came in '- reintroduce development charge exemptions the “1 1th hour” since the process had been _ in the city core. going on for several months. “We don‘t know whether we can do it After that meeting, regional council quick enough during the current term of fortned a working group to develop options ’ . council or if it will have to wait for the next to consider, thouyt the City of Waterloo had term.” he said. One of the challenges is the no representation on that working group. it process of opening the city’s bylaw is a back included regional staff and regional council- ground study must be done as part of the lots Tom Galloway. lim Wideman. lane Brew- process. Anderson added. er, Carl Zehr. Todd Cowan. Claudette Millar. “The good news is regional council did LesArmstmng and Ken Seiling realize there was some concerns raised by The region has an estimated $3.9 billion in (city) council and we appreciate the consid- spending on capital assets over the next 10 elation given," said Mayor Brenda Halloran. years for the replacement or rehabilitation of 1 Over the past 15 years the bulk of devel- existing assets and for the construction of opment charge exemptions have been in the new growth-related infrastructure. City ofWaterloo. Since 1999. the region has Of that, $2.l billion is expected to come provided $24.9 million in exemptions and 53 from property taxes and user rates. 51.! bil~ » per cent ofthat was in Waterloo even though lion from development charges and $700 Waterlooofficialsareworriedabmflthepotentialimmofanewregionaldevelopmem thecityendeditsetempo‘onprogramneariy millionfromgrantsandsubsidies charge bylaw at the same time as development has dropped by 50 per cent in the core. five years up. Kitdtener and Cam- .. "m bridgesawZZandZSpercentofthe ’ Continued from page I that promoted fiscal responsibility and fair- exemptions respectiway. «- ‘ new.” said Waterloo City Coun. Karen Scian. The decision puts the City of A“ a, The City of Waterloo wanted to keep its chair of the city's finance committee, after Waterloo in a potentially tough spot 3 ‘ . core development charges but asked for the Friday's decision. "Even more amazing '3 the â€" either maintain development ’N M“ ' regional rate increases to be phased in by fact that these (fee exemptions) are unbud~ charges and use them to fund SEN“ r" 2 2019. That requestwasdenied. geted millions (of dollars) â€"â€" begging the much-needed infrmructure proj- ' Staff estimate the phase in would have question ofwhere on Earth are theygoing to ects but risk driving away new ' only cost the region between $435,000 and getthat money?" development to Kitchener and _ m 3625.000 in lost development charge rev» Regional Coun. Tom Galloway also noted Cambridge. or make developers in" Etna,“ 3mm enue. compared to the nearly $4 million it the revised motion “puts Waterloo in a worse exempt from the (harps and hope ' “MW”MW” "I!” will cost if Waterloo opts to revive its core position." it attracts more builders to the core. - wn-sMKEAa-rmg new“. exemption. The city was concerned that an increase ”it is certainly a decision point “Whmwwmm “Waterloo presented a reasonable option in nonâ€"residential development charge rates. for the city." said Anderson, noting ’ “*HWWE’WW . d l b . th . . “Amie-m I Local resrdent says eve oper ullymg e Clty WWW. it Continued frompagel project identified “significant travel to ourcommunity." m CORESIAR delays” in the area at peak times on open- Several infrastructure improvements m“ "This does not stop the process. this ing day. That study only considered a 30 have been proposed to help relieve that h‘““ {Q underlines the urgency we need to oper per cent build-out of the nearby employ» congestion, but would not have been in m- ate under,” she said. The study's terms of merit lands that will begin to be devel» place in time for a 2014 opening. They =-='-'7:J;=-'=='â€":-:â€": 519-579-5037 reference. the public Input component oped once the lease with the Waterloo include roundabouts at Gate l and GateZ =.=..‘:â€".::.-..â€".:.-.-:_.1:_::= ”’M~"‘hh « and Identifying traffic mitigation elc (yolfAcademy expires in 2017. of the landfill. the widening of Erb Street ESfiâ€"‘fiafi m nit-ms still must be addressed. Anderson expeas it will take at least 6 West to four lanes in front ofthe site. and 'W" "'mp""""°"‘ “We will continue to work towards months for the hearing to get underway the construction of a that." Scian said Some preliminary work at the OMB and he hopes any progress new collector road _ on the terms of referente has already the city makes in the meantime will help from Erb Street West l i‘ y, N begun and is expected in come [(i(()llnt‘il defend council's decision to conduct a north to Columbia 3% ‘ , , 3 9 ' ‘ in the fall, thorough analysis before granting final Street in theVista Hills . ,1 ‘ 1' ' . - ~ [he Waterloo West (nmniert ial (entre approval to the developer. community. \ ' includes a (bstro and a four island gas Area resident and local environmen- lra Needles Boule~ N...“ bar Wllh a combined 1150.000 square feet iaiist Kevin Thomason has been vocal in vard will also be Another 55.000 square feet of other retail his opposition to the approved (lostco widened to four lanes ;;. yms and commercial uxes are also proposed location and is worried the appeal mg in two phases mm _ M5 for the site across from the regional land gests the developer is, “trying to bully and between now and h fill on iarh Street West push themselves into Waterloo. regardless 2016. according to the A Store M M Smoked A transponanon impart \lllth for tht oi the many (t)n(( rning consequences region an“ s.“ m “32‘ kg 35.mb . , Fm 6X88 Cm Worship With Us can 5m” E‘Hflw "99" SAUSAGE in" ‘ hometous S means some; ammmmm’smm ATURDAY m f 9, V, am “mm mm "2.99. ‘4.99 b cumu- Ii-ine- Mapzin! a {IQ ‘ lla.m. WorshipServttr “-7 ‘mu‘ mew .. ; WM ml. 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