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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-009-18Clarftwn Planning Services Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the $ F F H V V L & R R lbt ®OCL-62;3-337Y\bxR 2W Report To: Planning and Development Committee Date of Meeting: January 8, 2018 Report Number: PSD -009-18 File Numbers: PLN 37.1.1, 37.2.1, 37.3.1, 37.4.1 Resolution: #PD -012-18 By-law Number: N/A Report Subject: Community Improvement Annual Report for 2017 Recommendations: 1. That Report PSD -009-18 be received; and 2. That all interested parties listed in Report PSD -009-18 and any delegations be advised of this information report. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD -009-18 Report Overview Page 2 The Bowmanville, Orono and Newcastle grant programs under the Community Improvement Plans continue to be effective incentives for renewal of the downtowns. The Courtice Community Improvement Plan was adopted by Council in the fall of 2016 as a tool to encourage high quality and intensify development along Highway 2 in Courtice. The focus during 2017 has been the review and renewal of the three downtown Community Improvement Plans (CIPs). There was little grant activity (only two applications). This provided staff with the opportunity to address the outstanding commitments and address the issues and concerns raised by the CIP liaison groups. The amendments to the CIPs are a separate public meeting report (PSD -001-18). 1. Background Council adopted Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) for Bowmanville and Orono in 2005 and Newcastle in 2008. The Courtice Community Improvement Plan was adopted in late 2016. The Community Improvement Plans allow the Municipality to provide incentives to business and property owners within a specific geographical area and specific grant programs in each urban area according to its Plan. The Orono, Newcastle and Bowmanville plans focus on grants for existing buildings and enhancing the downtown streetscape. The Courtice plan focuses on grants that will encourage development and redevelopment of a Regional Corridor, Highway 2. The business and property owners of the different Community Improvement Plan areas are notified via the municipal website, pre -consultations, front counter inquiries and through word of mouth of the Community Improvement Plan programs. 1.1. CIP Liaison Group Concerns and Recommendations The three historic downtown Community Improvement Plans (Orono, Newcastle and Bowmanville) have liaison groups which meet on a quarterly basis. The liaison groups are apprised of any issues arising in the area, assist staff in spreading the word about the grant programs and identifying issues. The liaison groups provide feedback to staff on the effectiveness of the current grant programs and identify concerns of business and property owners who are looking to use the grant programs. As part of the annual reports in 2015 and 2016 the liaison groups raised the issue of accessibility and also whether additional programs geared towards merchants rather than building owners could be developed. Adding accessibility grants to the suite of grants available has been recommended as part of the amendments in Report PSD -001-18. It is anticipated that there will be numerous applications in 2018 due to the pent-up demand for this type of grant. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD -009-18 Page 3 Developing programs geared to merchants rather than building owners is difficult as public funding is typically provided for physical improvements. Some building owners perceive incentives to merchants as an excuse to abdicate responsibility for maintaining their property; and merchants are not willing to make the investment in buildings they do not own. The CIP amendments include 10 year renewal clauses for signage, facade improvement and building code upgrades to allow early grant recipients to refresh and improve their business locations. Also a signage grant has been added to the grant program for Bowmanville. Clarington Board of Trade and the Municipality co -hosted a meeting in January 2017 to review the results of the retail sector Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) study and set the stage for the CIP review and renewal. The CIP liaison groups were invited to this session. The BR+E study encompassed many retail businesses outside of the CIP areas, therefore a drill down into the information was carried out to obtain area specific information. The results of the BR+E study were analyzed as part of the background to the CIP review. The major finding was that many were unaware of the CIP programs, thus additional communication brochures and techniques are recommended. The CIP liaison groups met jointly in May 2017 to discuss common issues, hear a presentation on energy efficiency programs and grants available to businesses and set out the items they would like as part of the review. A discussion on types of additional grants from the best practices review carried out as part of the Courtice CIP were shared with the liaison groups members. In addition, discussion on the tax increment grants set out in the Courtice CIP and why they would not be an appropriate tool for the downtown CIPs occurred. Finally, the liaison groups recommended an annual networking session be held to address common issues. Downtown vacancy is an issue that is not easily addressed by the Municipality but of concern. Some property owners find it advantageous to hold properties vacant because of the vacancy rebate provided on the commercial tax rate. The Province has for the first time ever allowed for the input of local government on the vacancy rebate. Durham Region as the upper tier have sought input from CBOT, the Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and CIP liaison groups. The Region's Report #2017 -COW -190 outlined the consultation they were undertaking with the local business community and that recommendations on the vacancy unit rebate would be forthcoming in February 2018. 1.2. Community Improvement Plan Activity for 2017 Details of 2017 Activity can be found in Attachment 1. Only two grants were applied for in 2017. Staff attribute this to the following factors: xProperty owners/merchants were awaiting the results of the review; xEarly grant recipients were not eligible for a second time grant; xMany owners/merchants are awaiting the accessibility grant; and xStaff were occupied with the review and not actively seeking grant applications. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD -009-18 1.3. Community Improvement Funding Page 4 To date the Municipality has provided funding of $918,000 for grants in the three downtowns. Community Improvement Plan grant monies are matched by the property owners or merchants on a 3:1 or 2:1 basis depending on the grant. Some construction projects greatly exceed this ratio. Direct public benefit is realized from the increased municipal and private investments in the form of signage, building code upgrades (for example - accessibility) and facade improvements for aging buildings in our central business areas. In many cases the grants are a minor portion of the overall redevelopment and or reconstruction worth many thousands of dollars. It is conservatively estimated that the impact of providing grants to date has spurred well over $3.0 million in investment in the downtowns. The lack of grant activity in 2017 has allowed staff time to review the backlog of committed monies which had been earmarked. As such carry over funds from previous years can more accurately be reported and carry-over funding can be allocated for the anticipated rush in 2018. The Courtice Community Improvement Plan will result in much higher grant amounts because of the focus on prompting significant private investment. Grants will be provided for new development and redevelopment of multi-million dollar projects providing new property assessment. The tax increment grants are related to assessment value increases that the Municipality will forego. The development charge grants will be budgeted for annually to meet the current demand for all development charges incentives and to build up a reserve fund for the future when the Courtice CIP grants will have to be paid out. 2. Concurrence Not Applicable. 3. Conclusion Adding accessibility grants to the suite of grants available has been recommended as part of the amendments in Report PSD -001-18. It is anticipated that there will be numerous applications in 2018 due to the pent-up demand for this type of grant. Part of staff's work program for 2018 will include the updating and revisions to communications materials for all of the CIP areas. Refresher briefings about the CIP grant programs will be provided for CBOT staff and BIA members. Refresher briefings have already occurred for Building and Development Review staff. Advances in social media technology will allow us to target the CIP areas with specific messaging about the grant programs. Staff will endeavour to visit local business operators. Municipality of Clarington Report PSD -009-18 4. Strategic Plan Application Page 5 The recommendations contained in this report conform to the Strategic Plan's priority to "Facilitate the creation of jobs, attraction of new businesses and expansion of existing businesses". Submitted by. Per: David J. Crome, MCIP, RPP Director of Planning Services Reviewed by: Andrew C. Allison, B.Comm, LLB CAO Staff Contact: Faye Langmaid, Manager of Special Projects x 2407 or flangmaid(o)_clarington.net Attachment 1: Community Improvement Plan Summary Report 2016 The following is a list of interested parties to be notified of this report: Garth Gilpin, Coordinator, Bowmanville BIA Liaison groups for Bowmanville, Newcastle and Orono CIPs c/o Faye Langmaid FL/ah rrvepaament\LDO NEW FILING SYSTEM\PLN Planning Files\PLN 37 Community Improvement Plan\PLN 37.0 CIP General\Staff Reports\PSD-009-18.docx Municipality of Clarington Bowmanville Attachment 1 to Report PSD -009-18 Community Improvement Plan Summary Report 2017 The non -capital funding provided to date for implementation of the Bowmanville Community Improvement Plan is $566,000. Just over $381,000 has been expended. No grant applications were received in 2017. Outstanding commitments are $44,000 in grants, plus the $15,000 for sidewalk patio incentives. Funding of $125,000 from prior years remains. Some 25 properties (many of them have multiple addresses) have received Community Improvement Plan grants. The grants have been for 32 facades, 13 building code related improvements, 13 building permits, five site plan fees and six reconstruction grants. Newcastle The non -capital funding provided to date for implementation of the Newcastle Village Community Improvement Plan is $243,000. Over $162,000 has been expended. One grant application was received in 2017, $23,400 is committed for grants plus $15,000 for sidewalk patio incentives. Funding of $42,000 from prior years remains. To date some 22 Properties have received Community Improvement Project grants in the form of 18 facade improvements, nine signage grants, seven building code grants (most related to accessibility), three site plan control fee and one building permit fee. Many properties have been the benefactors of more than one type of grant Orono The non -capital funding provided to date for implementation of the Orono Community Improvement Plan is $107,000. In addition, funds were expended on the Orono 175th celebrations and the Orono Park 90th celebrations, brochures, hall rentals for meetings and refurbishment and replacement of the Sidney Rutherford Walk signs. Over $85,000 has been paid out in grants. One grant application was received in 2017 and $700 is committed. Funding of $21,700 remains from prior years. To date 22 properties have benefitted from the Community Improvement Project grants in the form of 14 facade improvements, 20 signage grants, two building code grants. Some properties have received more than one type of grant. Courtice The non -capital funding provided to date for Courtice is $56,000. The funding has been used for street trees along Highway 2 at Courtice Road, the Tooley Memorial, the lighting at the parkette at Trulls Road and Highway 2 and limited implementation of banners along Highway 2 from Centrefield to Townline Road. Funding of $20,000 remains from prior years. The Courtice Community Improvement Plan was adopted by Council in late 2016. The grants will focus on providing incentives for increased density and high quality development along Highway 2.