A debate on development cost charges dominated Monday's Vernon council me
eting. Council members spent 90 minutes hearing from a consultant and then discussing a new bylaw outlining the fees charged to developers, before voting 4-3 to move ahead with it. The bylaw was given three readings, meaning final approval could come early in the new year. Councillor Bob Spiers was the most vocal opponent, feeling developers should pay more including for the new sewer plant. "So every time you sit on the throne, you can remember you're rates are a little bit higher than they should be." It's the city's first major review of the DCC bylaw in 15 years. After the long debate, Councillor Jack Gilroy led a motion to endorse the new policy, with the new rates starting as soon as the bylaw is adopted. "I support the OCP (official community plan) wholeheartedly because it was created by the citizens, and this follows the OCP, and if we get the development downtown and create the community we want downtown, I'm very happy with changing the DCC's." Under the plan, DCC's will be cheaper in the downtown core where the city is encouraging new development. DCC's on larger homes in areas farther away from the core, are proposed to increase in the range of 20 percent.
Mayor Wayne Lippert feels developers will pay their fair share. "DCC's pay for the capital projects that are created from growth and development is growth so if it's paying for itself, it's there. You can't use it for maintenance or operations so I believe it is fair." Also opposed to the bylaw motion were Patrick Nicol and Mary Jo O'Keefe.
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