New commercial developments in Cumberland will no longer get a free ride in terms of development cost charges (DCCs).
Cumberland council finally adopted an amended DCC bylaw Monday, which now includes commercial DCCs. Coun. Kate Greening was opposed.
DCCs help the Village cover the cost of infrastructure services needed to accommodate growth due to new development, including water, sanitary sewer, roads, storm sewer and parks.
DCCs were already in place for industrial, institutional and low, medium and high density residential developments, but not commercial.
Now, commercial developers will pay the Village $71.60 per square metre of gross floor area in DCCs.
Industrial DCCs have decreased under the amended bylaw, from $137,269 per hectare, down to $116,790. Institutional DCCs decreased from $69.72 per square metre of gross floor area to $60.87.
Medium- and high-density residential DCCs have increased: medium density increased from $13,995 per dwelling unit to $15,661, and high density increased from $11,062 to $12,429.
Low-density residential DCCs decreased from $19,915 per dwelling unit to $19,743.
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Cumberland water, sewage and garbage collection and disposal rates for 2014 were set Monday.
Bills for the three services will be sent out quarterly in 2014, rather than yearly as previously.
The residential sewer rate increased by $4 for 2014, making each quarterly payment $71.25 for a total flat rate of $285 for 2014, up from $281 this year.
The residential water rate increased by $15 for 2014; each quarterly payment will be $50.50 for a total flat rate of $202 for 2014, up from $187 this year.
However, council is expected to review consumption-based water rates in January, with an aim to implement consumption-based water billing in the second quarter of 2014. If this process moves forward as previously discussed, a new consumption-based water bylaw would need to be adopted by Mar. 31, 2014, and would replace the 2014 flat water rate.
Garbage collection and disposal rates for 2014 remain the same as this year.
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Cumberland council finally adopted an inter-community business licence bylaw.
The new bylaw allows mobile Cumberland businesses to obtain one inter-community business licence for $150 and be able to operate their mobile business in participating communities — Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River, Qualicum Beach, Parksville and Port Alberni are a few participating.
Mobile businesses must still pay a regular business licence fee in their "home" community, but they don't need to obtain separate business licences in each of the communities they operate in.
The program will be in effect in for the 2014 licence year.
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