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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-160-83 4 d CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT T.T.EDWARDS,M.C.I.P.,Director HAMPTON,ONTARIO LOB 1JO TEL.(416)263.2231 REPORT TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF NOVEMBER 7, 1983 REPORT NO. : PD-160-83 I i SUBJECT: MINISTRY OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS & HOUSING CORRESPONDENCE - PROGRAMS FOR RENEWAL IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY PLANNING STUDY GRANT PROGRAM OUR FILE: Pln. 11 .5 RECOMMENDATION: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1 . That Report PD-160-83 be received ;p ve , and 2. That Staff prepare an application to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing under the Community Planning Study Grants Program and report back to Committee with a recommended project program outlining the purpose of the project, proposed means of implementing, and estimated costs for such project. i I i . . .2 i a REPORT NO. : PO-160-83 Page 2 � BACKGROUND AND COMMENT: The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing recently announced revisions to a number of its existing programs which are of interest to, or could potentially affect the Town of Newcastle. In that regard, the Town recently received correspondence in respect of revisions to the Main Street Revitalization and Ontario Neighbourhood Improvement Programs which are now collectively grouped within the Programs for Renewal , Improvement and Development under the acronym of PRIDE. The PRIDE programs are intended to provide consultation , advisory support, education, information and financial assistance to Municipalities across the Province. Financial assistance comes through two separate renewal programs; the Ontario Neighbourhood Improvement Program and the Commercial Area Improvement Program. The ONIP Program is designed to assistance Municipalities in the revitalization of older residential neighbourhoods, through the provisions of grants for improvements to municipal services and community facilities. The Commercial Area Improvement Program is intended to provide assistance in upgrading older commercial districts through the provision of grants and loans for Municipal services , parking, aethetic and economic improvements . In order to take advantage of these two programs, the Municipality must meet certain eligibility criteria. In the case of the ONIP Program, a Municipality must have an approved Official Plan with policies relating to community . . .3 REPORT NO. : PD-160-83 Page 3 improvement, must have a neighbourhood which complies with the specific neighbourhood eligibility criteria , must have adopted a Property Maintenance and Occupancy Standards By-law, must undertake to involve the residents of the neighbourhood during the preparation of the Community Improvement Plan , must have the financial and administrative capability to implement the Community Improvement Plan, and must be able to develop and submit within eight months, a Community Improvement Plan capable of being implemented within four years of receiving approval of Provincial funding. In order for a specific neighbourhood to be eligible for program participation, it must be identified as in need of improvement by the Official Plan, at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the housing stock must be in need of rehabilitation, there exists deterioration or deficiencies in municipal services, such as water, sewers, road, sidewalks , streetlighting etc. , there is a deterioration or deficiency in public community services such as indoor recreational facilities , open space, community centres, libraries, etc. The area is composed predominantly low and moderate income households, that is, either below the average Provincial household income, or the average household income of the Municipality, the area is at least 50% residential , and the area will remain stable in terms of residential land use and density as reflected in the Official Plan and Zoning By-law. Under the program, the Province will contribute 507, of approved eligible costs to be paid on submission of the completed claim and the necessary supporting documentation . . .4 REPORT NO. : PD-160-83 Page 4 after expenditures have been paid for by the Municipality. In effect, the Municipality must front end all costs. All projects being proposed under the ONIP Program, must be completed within four (4) years. Eligible costs include : Administration - up to 15% of the total project Social and Recreational Facilities Relocation Costs Services and Utilities Land Acquisition However, at least 20% of the total project costs must be spent on either municipal services, and/or social recreational facilities. The Commercial Area Improvement Program has similar eligi- bility criteria and restrictions, in that a Municipality must have an approved Official Plan containing policies related to community improvement, must have a core area or a commercial district which complies with the commercial area eligibility criteria , must have adopted a Property Mainten- ance and Occupancy Standards By-law, must undertake to involve the public during the preparation of the Community Improvement Plan, must have the financial and administrative capability to implement the Plan, and be able to develop and submit within eight months, a Community Improvement Plan. For the purposes of CAIP, a commercial area which would be eligible is defined as the commercial core of a municipality, or an established older commercial district. Highway commercial and planned shopping centres designated in local Official Plans and appropriate Zoning By-laws are excluded. To be eligible, a commercial area must be identified within the Official Plan as in need of . . .5 i REPORT NO. : PD-160-83 Page 5 improvement, must be at least 50% commercial and appropriately zoned, must be deficient in municipal services such as water, sewer mains , streets, sidewalks , lighting etc., the area should benefit from improvement to parking and streetscape, the area is defined in whole or part as a business improvement area, and the area exhibits symptoms of physical , functional and/or economic decline. Under CAIP, the Province will contribute 50% of approved eligible costs within the overall agreement, with a maximum limit of $500,000. for any given project. This Provincial contribution will be in the form of loans and grants, the grant portion not exceeding 1 /3 of the total Provincial contribution with the remaining 2/3 being in the form of a loan. As with ONIP, projects must be completed within four years , with Provincial contributions being paid upon submission of a completed claim and the necessary supporting documentation after expenditures have been paid for by the Municipality. For that portion of the Provincial contribution which forms the loan, the maximum period of repayment is ten (10) years with the rate of interest to be charged, to be set at the date of approval of the Provincial funding, which would be 50% of the Provincial borrowing rate. Under the CAIP Program, eligible costs include : Administration Services and Utilities Parking Aesthetic Improvements Small Anchor Redevelopment Projects i . . .6 REPORT NO. : PD-160-83 Page 6 The grant portion of the contribution, may be applied to administration, services and utilities , but not to parking, aesthetic improvements, or small anchor redevelopment projects. As with ONIP, a maximum of 15% of the total project costs can be applied to administration, and at least 25% of the total project cost must be expended for those eligible costs that qualify for assistance by means of a loan only. At the present point in time, the Town is not in a position to participate in the ONIP Program due primarily to the need to identify within our Official Plans, areas in need of community improvement. The Town is currently involved in the predecessor to the Commercial Area Improvement Program in Newcastle Village and Bowmanville. For other areas to qualify, they would have to be identified in our Official Plan as in need of improvement, and would also have to be designated as Business Improvement Areas. During the course of the coming year, staff time will be allocated primarily to the finalizing of the Comprehensive Zoning By-law and the District Plan. Upon completion of these projects, it may be feasible to examine our ability to become involved in ONIP during the 1985 Budget year. It should be noted however, that under the Community Planning Study Grant Program, it may be possible for the Municipality to become involved in ONIP during the 1984 Budget year through the use of contract Planners. However, given the present status of the Draft District Plan, I would not anticipate being able to become involved .. .7 i REPORT NO. : PD-160-83 Page 7 until at least 1985. With respect to the Community Planning Study Grant Program, a comprehensive review was undertaken and recently completed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Under the revised program , grants are available to assist Ontario municipalities in undertaking studies to resolve local planning issues. Local municipalities , counties and regions which have a population of less than 65,000 persons , are eligible under the terms of the program, however municipal - ities are limited to one application per year. Eligible projects include new official plans and major revisions, new zoning by-laws and major revisions for municipalities under 15,000 persons , community improvement policies, landuse issues related to municipal housing initiatives , financial implications of municipal planning decisions , management of the local development approval process, feasibility of using data processing technology in the local planning process, replacment of Minister' s Zoning Orders with municipal zoning by-laws, and other studies related to landuse planning. Items which are not eligible include ongoing planning administration, preparation for and/or involvement on Ontario Municipal Board Hearings, legal fees , site specific development proposals , or minor housekeeping changes to planning documents. Under the Program, the Province will contribute 50% of the approved costs, to a maximum of $35,000. per year. Unlike the PRIDE Programs, advanced payment of the Provincial contribution, up to a maximum of 85% of the approved costs, can be made with final payment being made upon satisfactory ...8 i REPORT NO. : PD-160-83 Page 8 completion of the project. This project is of a particular interest to the Town and could be of assistance in finalizing the Town ' s District Plan and developing community improvement policies and plans, prior to the August 1 , 1984 deadline. It should be noted however, that the Municipality would have to match or exceed any monies contributed by the Province. However, these funds could be drawn from the OHAP Reserve Fund, which presently contains monies allocated for Planning studies. Staff would therefore, recommend that an application be submitted to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing requesting funding to permit the Town to hire staff on a contract basis to assist in the completion of the Town' s District Plan and to undertake the preparation of community improvement policies and plans, and that the necessary monies be allocated from the Town 's Planning Study Reserve Account. Respectfu ted, T.T. Edwards, M.C.I.P. Director of Planning TTE*j i p October 26, 1938