Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of St. Catharines is debating a new parkland dedication by-law to replace the existing regulation passed in 1974.
“Our current practice is to require five per cent land dedication or payment-in-lieu for residential uses only,” said Margaret Josipovic, manager of planning services. “If passed by council, this new by-law will also allow the city to receive funds for the purchase or improvements to parkland from properties that are intended for institutional, commercial, and industrial, as well as alternative residential purposes.”
The City of St. Catharines has engaged Watson & Associates Economics Ltd. to undertake a Parkland Dedication and Payment-in-lieu Analysis. The document details impacts of the various approaches to receive and purchase parkland and supports a new by-law that will allow the city to acquire more land for parks purposes than what is currently possible.
If approved by council, new regulations will allow five per cent land dedication or payment-in-lieu for residential and institutional uses, and two per cent for commercial and industrial uses. It will also allow the city to impose the alternative residential rates.
The existing by-law is a growth-funding tool under the Ontario Planning Act, allowing land for parks purposes to be acquired or improved.
Rules allows for municipalities to set percentage or alternative rate requirements for Parkland Dedication and to impose conditions on development and redevelopment to receive parkland or payment-in-lieu of parkland.