City Hall delays add $ 16,000 expenses to Ottawa’s dream home – Ottawa Citizen

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The Rate tape and the delays in the mayor’s office cost a rural couple from Ottawa more than $ 15,000 for growing fees for developing in the Dream House that plan to build on the family farm.

James Garland and his wife, Sarah, want to build a new home for their growing two-acre family from James’ 100-year-old Garland Road’s Father’s 100-year farm near Limozh. But as they were waiting for what they thought would simply be compensation “per square of corn field”, the city development fee rose and increased by increasing by nearly 50 percent in two years: to $ 48,000 out of $ 32 000 dollars initially.

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When Garland’s sister separated such a piece of land from the farm 12 years ago, the process took five months and cost a “few thousand dollars,” he said.

“I know the costs have increased, but today we were expecting the same thing. But it’s just a delay after another. Our expectations were that it would take about a year to split the party and receive the permits and start building, then we would move to the house in about a year and a half. “

Although Garland’s construction permit was approved, the city wanted new studies and things such as a Hydrogeology Report to ensure that the water mass was high enough to support the house and possible future buildings. Garland had to be dug numerous test pits. He said he had spent $ 120,000 on legal fees and various studies before placing a shovel in the ground.

The development fee is a fee that the city charges to pay for the costs of infrastructure such as roads, transit, sewage and water lines needed for new growth. Ironically, Garland’s home will be a good and septic service and does not require urban services.

“The last time our path was paved, I don’t think I was born,” he joked.

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Disappointed, Garland wrote to complain to his adviser George Daruz in Ward Osgood, Mayor Mark Stcliffe and even conservative federal leader Pierre Polyver.

The city confirmed that the amount of the development fee is correct, but this is not what has angered the garland. He is angry with the delay in approval, during which time the development fee has climbed. It’s a bit like watching the price of your groceries rises even when you are in line at the cash register.

“I went into this big ridiculous thing. We started the process three years ago. At that time, fees (development) increased from $ 32,000 to $ 34,000 to $ 40,000 until it was up to $ 48,000, “he said.

Both Sutcliffe and Darouze responded to Garland to explain that the increase in the development charge comes from Ontario province, not the city. The increases in accordance with the Law on Development Fees between 2021 and 2023 are 35 percent, Daruz said.

On top of that, the decision of the 2014 council meant properties in the Rural Transit A ​​area – the Otava regions receiving at least some bus service – they have to pay the full part of the public transit from the development fee. The OC Transpo Route 222 works three times in the morning and three times in the afternoon Betwen Vars and the Blair LRT station. The closest bus stop is about five kilometers from Garland’s property.

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“I fully understand their disappointment with the fee, but there are many factors that affect development fees,” Daruz says in response to an email to Ottawa citizen.

The acceleration of the home approval process is the goal of a new city working group announced last week by the mayor. In the course of the Council meeting on January 22, Sutcliffe said the city approved over 50,000 new residential units between January 2023 and September 2024, but only 8,300 of these units were issued for construction permits.

“We don’t build as many homes as we like in the community. It is not the responsibility of the city to build these homes, but it is our job to approve them, “Sutcliffe told reporters. “We have heard many times in community feedback that they want to see the approvals happen faster.”

The city has set itself the goal of adding between 90,000 and 100,000 new dwellings over the next 20 years, but has not reached 15,000 its goal in 2024 and will probably take place again in 2025.

“This is a challenging area and there are all sorts of regulations and previous council decisions to ensure that all steps are followed in the approval process and the instructions that must be followed to obtain a home approved in Ottawa,” the mayor said. “The staff does everything possible to optimize this process. A lot of work has been done to remove silos and to remove people bouncing from department to department. But there are always more we can do. “

As for garlands, they are at first ready to start building their new home.

“This is finalized. We received an email this month, “Garland said. “They said,” This (building permit) is ready for a pickup truck. Just bring a check for $ 47,752. “

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