City staff is recommending a significant increase in the amount of land or cash developers must give the city as part of a new development.
The proposed new rate cap is 20 per cent of the total value of high-density and infill residential development instead of the current 5 per cent within downtown, and 10 per cent outside downtown.
As part of the proposed update to the city’s Parkland Dedication Bylaw, staff is also recommending that in some cases the cash-in-lieu of land option be discontinued.
The city’s Parkland Dedication Bylaw was written in 1987 and hasn’t been updated since 2007.
The proposed new Parkland Dedication Bylaw goes to council’s Committee of the Whole on Jan. 14 and then to full council for decision Jan. 28.
“Guelph has changed substantially over the last three decades, as has planning and development in Ontario generally. Changes to the Planning Act in 2016 combined with Guelph’s population growth projections mean that new approaches to parkland planning are needed,” said a city report early last year.
Parkland dedication requires developers to give either land for public recreational uses or payment in lieu of parkland as a requirement for a development.
There are different rates depending on the type of development and the location.
Land values will be assessed every two years.
“The bylaw update we’re recommending to Council maximizes the parkland dedication rate for commercial, industrial and residential subdivision development applications as per the Planning Act,” said Parks and Recreation general manager Heather Flaherty in a news release.
“This will help ensure that City parks grow as our population and development increases.”
The proposed bylaw recommends it be reviewed every four years.
The new bylaw, if approved, would become effective Jan. 31.
Other changes being recommended include no standard land values for industrial and commercial purposes and areas of lands that are required to accommodate stormwater management facilities will not be accepted as parkland.
