Ottawa municipal committee approves new road work and construction permit fees

0
264
stock photo roadwork
©PHOTO BY AKEDYNAMIC

Ontario Construction News staff writer

Ottawa’s municipal transportation committee has approved new fees for road work and construction permits, as well as minor amendments to the Traffic and Parking By-law to enhance accessible parking.

The new fees for municipal consent and utility circulation, as well as updated road cut and temporary road closure permit fees, are set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, to help the city recover costs associated with staff work.

According to a city news release, the new fees will help improve service delivery for permit issuing, facilitate continued service delivery within targeted timelines, maintain service levels and provide capacity for the review and coordination of development works under the site plan control and plan of subdivision application processes.

The fees will also help ensure more efficient administration of the city’s right-of-way, provide staff resources to coordinate work and mitigate mobility impacts citywide, and improve responses to service requests and inquiries through better tracking of permits.

The city has not charged a fee for municipal consent or recouped the cost of utility circulations historically, except for annual payments by telecommunication carriers as part of their municipal access agreements.

The new and updated fees will be reviewed annually and adjusted through the budget process, the city says.

Meanwhile, the committee approved minor amendments to the Traffic and Parking By-law to allow and regulate signed, accessible, designated on-street parking for a pilot project in 2025 for accessible parking permit holders.

The city says the pilot project will evaluate whether designated on-street, accessible parking spaces improve services to people with disabilities and older adults.

If approved, staff will develop a year-long pilot to assess whether designated accessible on-street parking spaces improve services for people with disabilities and older adults.

The amended by-law will stipulate the ratio of accessible off-street parking spaces that obligated organizations must provide in accordance with city accessibility design standards and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

A spokesperson for the National Capital Heavy Construction Association (NCHCA) said the association has no comment on the planned fees.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

I accept the Privacy Policy