A6

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: November 26, 1998
Author/Local: Gary Barnes/6453
RTS No. 381

CC File No. 1758

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Community Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance
SUBJECT:	1999 Building and Trade Permit Fees

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve an across-the-board 1.0% increase (as reflected in the attached fee schedules) in building and trade permit fees to compensate for inflationary increases in the City’s costs, to be effective February 1, 1999.

B. THAT Council instruct the Director of Legal Services to prepare the necessary By-law amendments to implement the revised fee schedules.

C. THAT the Chief Building Inspector advise the development and building community of this change prior to implementation.

GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A, B and C.

COUNCIL POLICY

It is Council policy that fees and charges be established on the basis of the cost of providing the associated services or at market level where the service is provided in a market environment.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for an inflation adjustment of 1% in building and trade permit fees to reflect increased costs in 1999.

DISCUSSION

This report recommends that building and trade permit fees for 1999 be increased by l.0%. This increase would apply to all fee categories with the exception of the fee that is currently set for demolition of buildings containing dwelling units that have at any time since November 1, 1986 provided residential occupancy. That fee is currently set at $1,000 per unit.

The primary reason for the increase is to keep fees consistent with City administration and enforcement costs which are anticipated to grow by 1.0% in 1999. Fees are adjusted for inflation in years where we do not conduct a comprehensive review of cost and market rates for equivalent service(s). The next comprehensive review on building and trade fees will reflect the implementation of the new processes recommended by the ‘Development and Building Review’ project.

It should be noted that the attached revised fee schedules also reflect the 2% fee increase approved by Council on March 28, 1996, as part of the overall financing plan for the implementation of the Domino Imaging System.

These fees will be applied to the Building By-law #6134, the Electrical By-law #5563, the Plumbing By-Law #5964, the Gas By-law #3507 and the Sign By-law #6510.

CONCLUSION

Building and trade permit fees are adjusted annually to ensure full cost recovery of City administration and enforcement costs. This report recommends an increase of 1.0% for 1999 to recover those costs.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver