Heather Wright/The Independent

A new study on development charges in Plympton-Wyoming suggests raising the fees to as much as $36,963. That’s more than three times the cost the municipality is now charging to builders of new single-family homes.

Town councillors got their first look at the Development Charges background study June 29. It’s prepared every five years to update what municipal services need to be expanded because of increased housing.

The study, prepared by BM Ross and Associates, outlines about $54 million in projects which will be needed in the next 15 years. That includes about $18 million in water and wastewater projects.

Lisa Courtney of BM Ross told council water and wastewater projects were not included in the past, and the revenue needed for the projects could be collected in other ways including local improvement charges or special area levies. “As seen in recent development applications, and grant programs, funding expansions to the water and wastewater system is more challenging than in the past,” Courtney said, adding local improvement charges may not be enough to cover the costs.

Included in the list of projects are a new fire station in Camlachie for $6.5 million, a new $2 million park in Wyoming with ball diamonds, soccer fields, and washrooms, a new public works building for $6 million, $9 million worth of work on Egremont Road from Fleming to Oil Heritage Road and over $15 million to improve the town’s wastewater system.

The study calculates in Wyoming the development charges for a single family home would rise from $10,881 to $26,480 if council adopts the entire list of project as eligible for development fees. The rates would be even higher along Lakeshore Road, where fees would climb to $27,440 and to $36,963 on Lakeshore in the Townsend Line area.

Council didn’t make any decisions on what direction to take on the charges, but they had opinions after seeing the study.

“Development charges, in my opinion – yes, you need them – but every time you raise them, you’re just raising the price of that house. Simple as that. Developers are going to pass that down, guaranteed,” said Councillor Bob Woolvett. But he recognized the current development charges don’t bring in enough money to cover the cost of things such as new fire trucks.

Council agreed to bring the development charges study to a public meeting this summer. “Sending it as it is right now is a wake-up call that this is what we need,” says Councillor Mike Vasey.

“We should be paying $35,000, we’re paying $10,000, so there’s a shortfall in there. Why is Mr. Taxpayer paying that difference and not the new homeowner?”

Councillor John Van Klaveren added “We have good product, and they’ll make for fantastic homes, and people want to live in this area. So, I don’t think we can be fearful of looking at this as a completely different strategy, which it is, and how to best balance it out.”