Growth will really pay for growth in Barrie: Nuttall

Photo: MIdhurst Ratepayer Association president David Strachan, Barrie Councillor Alex Nuttal, Aidan Grove-White of Environmental Defence,and the MRA’s Sandy Buxton at meeting on sprawl

By Kate Harries AWARE News Network

Everyone pays lip service to the mantra that growth must pay for growth, but when the rubber hits the road, politicians bow to pressure from developers and load what costs they can onto existing taxpayers.

That’s something Barrie has decided not to do, Ward 10 Councillor Alex Nuttall told a meeting organized by Environmental Defence and the Midhurst Ratepayers Association.

The city undertook a fiscal impact study so it can make sure the current taxpayer doesn’t pay the cost of bringing the new taxpayer, he said. The analysis concludes that in order to cover new development costs, Barrie’s development charge for a single residential lot needs to rise from $30,000 to $44,000, with an additional $4,500 capital surcharge, totaling $48,500. A further development charge background study is being undertaken before city council makes any decision.

The assessment was necessary, Nuttall said, because for the past decade, the city had to budget for deficits created by booms in the previous years.  “We’ve been digging the city of Barrie out of this mess for the past 10 years.”

In contrast, said Sandy Buxton of the MRA, Springwater council has launched into a 10-fold expansion of Midhurst with no signed contracts with developers and no fiscal impact study. “We’re just feeling our way in the dark in Springwater.”

Springwater Councillor Jack Hanna noted that his municipality has reduced development charges by $3,500 – and when he suggested that Springwater adopt a capital surcharge like the one Barrie is considering, township staff advised that it would be appealed by the developers to the Ontario Municipal Board and, staff told council, “you will lose.”

Nuttall said Barrie wants to be able to show it has the figures to support the city’s position. “Is it defendable at the OMB? I’ve heard both sides, but it certainly would be fun to find out,” he said

He said he had led the city to the OMB on four appeals since he was elected in 2006, and on three of those occasions, he was opposing city staff who had sided with the developers. “We won four times,” he said to applause.

Nuttall added that there is no doubt that development within a built boundary on existing services is cheaper and more efficient than green-field development.

Aidan Grove-White of Environmental Defence said the reason developers prefer green-field development is because there are no neighbours who have to be consulted – even though the consultation process may produce a better result.

In his presentation, Grove-White said Ontario has created a policy framework that brings out the worst in all the players –  be they from government or the private sector. He pointed to the OMB’s decision striking down the Region of Waterloo’s efforts to contain sprawl designating 85 hectares for future development in its Official Plan. The OMB favoured developers’ demands that more than 1,000 hectares be designated.

Waterloo has appealed. The OMB decision, if upheld, “puts a stake right through the heart of Ontario’s growth plan,” Grove-White said, referring to the Places to Grow legislation that aims to create complete communities by encouraging infilling and discouraging green filed development.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is seeking public input on a review of its land-use planning and development charges. Developers view the review as a chance to get development charges lowered, Grove-White said. It’s important that concerned residents speak up to stop inefficient and costly development. StopSprawl.ca is the page ED has set up to facilitate public comment, which is due by January 10 2013.

AWARE Simcoe is also working on recommendations and will post a draft on this website; Simcoe County residents can email aware.simcoe@gmail.com with any suggestions.

About 40 people from groups like AWARE Simcoe, the North Gwillimbury Forest Alliance, the Angus Ratepayers Association and the Nottawasaga Steelheaders attended the meeting. There was agreement that the rising concern about the effects of uncontrolled sprawl has to become an issue at Queen’s Park.

Conservative MP Patrick Brown (Barrie) attended the first few minutes of the meeting, held December 7 in Barrie and attended by about 40 people. Brown was applauded for expressing support for the Midhurst Ratepayers Association and their efforts to preserve farmland because, he said, once it’s paved over, it’s gone,

Citing Lake Simcoe and the area’s many natural assets, he said “I think that’s a legacy we want to pass on to future generations.”