Jun 09, 2009 - 11:36 AM

Scott Howard

It could soon be a lot more expensive to build a home in Brock if council heeds a consultant's recommendations.

Council is considering a new bylaw that would increase development charges by as much as 60 per cent.

According to report from Hemson Consulting Ltd. that forms the basis of a draft bylaw that will be considered by council later this month, Brock would have the most expensive development charges in Durham Region.

The municipality currently collects $10,757 in development charges for each new single detached home, though the report suggests an increase of $7,371. That would bring the total municipal fee to $18,128 -- more than $3,500 more than any other municipality in Durham.

While many councillors admit that the timing couldn't be worse given the current economic crisis, the Township's development charges bylaw expires on Aug. 16 and a new one must be in place by then.

The recommendation is part of a 21-page background study prepared on the issue. Members of council were recently briefed on the report by consultant Craig Binning

He explained that development charges are fees levied against new development to pay for the capital costs of servicing said growth. Mr. Binning said the principle behind the fees is that new growth will essentially pay for itself. However, due to statutory limitations, that isn't entirely the case.

The report includes a growth plan that paints a somewhat optimistic picture of development in Brock from 2009 to 2018.

According to Mr. Binning's estimation, there will be an increase of 392 households in Brock. That represents an increase of roughly eight per cent over the 4,471 households currently and an average of 32 homes per year.

"The township has experienced a relatively flat population over the years, but the number of households has increased," Mr. Binning said.

Regional councillor John Grant questioned that projection, saying that there are a number of barriers that will limit growth in the area --the Province's Greenbelt act, as well as limited water and sewer capacity in Cannington and Sunderland.

"The possibility of future growth is next to nil," he said.

The main driver of the increased fees is more than $24.5 million in spending over the next 10 years in what the report calls "growth-related capital programs."

Those items include $1.5 million for the new Sunderland firehall, nearly $3.4 million in new equipment for the works department, $19.1 million for roads and related infrastructure and nearly $10 million for parks and recreation. That last category includes $2 million for a new Cannington library and $6 million for a twin-pad arena.

It should be noted, however, that council has not committed to any of this spending -- it's simply a forecast to provide the basis of development charges.

Though members of council did not appear to lean one way or the other in terms of the recommendations, Coun. Grant did make an effort to point out that Durham Region froze a planned increase in development charges last month.

A public meeting will be held on the two issue on Monday, June 22 at 7 p.m. at the Brock Township municipal office.

Directly following that session -- at roughly 7:45 p.m. -- council will also take input from residents on a proposal to increase building permit fees.