ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: January 12, 1999

Author/Local: Gary Barnes/6453
RTS No. 00489

CC File No. 1755

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Community Services in consultation with the Director of Finance
SUBJECT:	1999 Zoning, Development, Subdivision and Miscellaneous Fees

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve an across-the-board, 1.0% increase (as reflected in the attached fee schedules) in Zoning and Development (Bylaw 5585), Subdivision (Bylaw 5208) and Miscellaneous Fees (Bylaw 5664) to compensate for inflationary increases in the City’s costs, to be effective March, 1999.

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

COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing recommendations.

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 Zoning, Development, Subdivision and Miscellaneous Fees (Planning) to reflect increased costs in 1999.

DISCUSSION

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. The last comprehensive review on Zoning, Development, Subdivision and Miscellaneous Fees (Planning) was conducted in 1996 and presented to Council on January 30, 1997.

While Community Services is concerned with the impact of any additional development fees during the current downturn in the development market, the cost of inflationary increases must be borne by either the development community or the taxpayers. On balance, it is felt that the development community is a more direct beneficiary of the services being discussed, and as a result, should absorb the additional cost of these services.

CONCLUSION

Zoning, Development, Subdivision and Miscellaneous Fees (Planning) 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.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver