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Report To: Planning and Development Committee
Date of Meeting: September 14, 2015
Report Number: PSD-044-15 Resolution Number: -
File Number: PLN 38.4.1 By-law Number:
Report Subject: Courtice Main Street Community Improvement Plan — Terms of
Reference
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the Planning and Development Committee recommend to
Council the following:
1. That Report PSD-044-15 be received;
2. That the Courtice Main Street Community Improvement Plan process and approach be
accepted and the consulting proposal call issued;
3. That Staff provide a recommendation for the retention of a consulting team in
accordance with the Purchasing By-law;
4. That the costs be charged to Unclassified Administration — Professional Fees account #
100-21-211-00000-7161 with 90 percent recovered from the General Government
Development Charges Reserve Fund; and
5. That all interested parties listed in PSD-044-15 and any delegations be advised of
Council's decision.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-044-15 Page 2
Report Overview
Community Improvement Plans are studies that derive their powers from the Planning and
Municipal Acts. Once a Community Improvement Plan is complete the Municipality can
provide incentives through a number of financial mechanisms, carry out land assembly and
direct public works to promote development, redevelopment and improve urban infrastructure.
Council directed Staff to initiate a Community Improvement Plan for the Courtice Main Street
area in May 2015.
1 . Background
Part IV of the Planning Act describes the steps a Municipality must undertake to
designate community improvement areas and develop community improvement plans
(CIP's). The Official Plan sets out community improvement goals, objectives, policies
and generalized study areas.
The Regional Corridor along Highway 2 from Townline Road to Hancock Road is
identified in the Official Plan as Courtice C1 a first priority community improvement study
area. It was added as part of the amendment for the Courtice Main Street Secondary
Plan (Amendment 89).
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2. Community Improvement Background
As part of the Official Plan Review, a special study on Courtice's Main Street was
completed. This Master Development Plan guided the policy direction of the Courtice
Main Street Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines which Council adopted in
January 2013, the Region adopted in February, 2014 and was fully approved by the
Ontario Municipal Board November 28, 2014.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-044-15 Page 3
The purpose of the Courtice Main Street Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is threefold:
• To build upon the clear direction set out in the land use policies and urban design
guidelines of the Official Plan for urbanization as a mixed-use Regional corridor.
• To enable the Municipality to respond to increased development interest and
community growth in Courtice by establishing a framework of financial incentives to
promote property consolidations, redevelopment and intensification along the
Highway 2 corridor.
• To develop an implementation plan for the Black Creek Trail.
To achieve the purpose of the Courtice Main Street Community Improvement Plan, staff
have prepared the draft Terms of Reference. It will guide the study process and serve as
the basis for the proposal call to retain a consulting team.
3. CIP Process and Approach
The CIP process consists of three stages, each with public and Council consultation.
3.1 Stage 1 - Identifying Community Needs
The Courtice Main Street Master Plan, Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines
have established the basis of the Community Improvement Plan. The Secondary Plan in
combination with the Reaional Corridor will form the basis of the study. The CIP focus will
be about development and financial incentives.
The community support shown during the development of the Secondary Plan and Urban
Design Guidelines will be built upon, and set direction for preparation of the CIP. Council
has already approved the Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines. Council has
directed staff to prepare a Community Improvement Plan based on these documents, and
the request made as part of the Development Charges By-law public meeting. The
comments of business owners and land developers for incentives to realize the goals and
objectives set out in these studies will be considered when developing the incentive
programs.
3.2 Stage 2 - Draft Incentives and Programs
The second stage is to draft the CIP incentives/programs according to community
findings, the adopted planning policy and identify opportunities to realize the vision set
out in the Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines. Analysis of financial tools and
programs best suited to incent development while maintaining financial sustainability for
the Municipality is key. Staff will report back to Council with draft recommendations for
designating a specific community improvement project area, actions, programs and
implementation steps. Details for incentive-based programs, marketing strategy and
monitoring programs will be developed along with an Action Plan for the allocation of
resources and implementation of the recommended programs.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-044-15 Page 4
The final draft of the CIP will be circulated to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
and Region of Durham, interested parties, and presented at a formal public meeting. Any
necessary revisions will be incorporated into the CIP to be forwarded to Council for
adoption.
3.3 Stage 3 - Implementation
The last stage focuses on implementation through marketing, financing and monitoring.
Marketing programs will be established to raise interest in and stimulate uptake of each
program. This will include ongoing screening, reviewing and approval of applications for
financial assistance and administering agreements and issuing financial assistance
payments. Financing incentives will be addressed as part of the capital budget process.
The monitoring program will continually address implementation and service delivery to
make the process business friendly and implement any necessary adjustments.
4. Retention of a Consultant
Staff from Planning and Finance Departments are engaged in major projects and it would
not be possible to accelerate the Courtice Community Improvement Plan without the
retention of a consultant. Additionally, this work will require additional expertise from a
consulting team that is familiar and versed in the financial incentives that can be
implemented. One of the key tools to be considered is a version of tax increment
financing. This type of program phases in property taxes by means of grants based on
the change of assessed value of the lands. Typically it would average 50 percent of the
change in taxes owed on the lands but be phased in gradually. In addition, there are
many other forms of incentives such as those identified as part of the Region's
Revitalization Program and additional mechanisms that could be offered through
Development Charges. The consulting team will be expected to carry out a Best
Practices Analysis of the various financial tools available and match them to Courtice's
needs and the municipal financial framework and its long term health.
A consultant familiar with municipal finance, development project financing and
experience in the preparation of Development Charge Background Studies and by-laws
will be a requirement of the consulting team make-up. In addition, expertise and
familiarity of the consulting team with planning policy and community improvement
programs will be a requirement. It is anticipated that a consulting team with this blend of
expertise will be able to search out the "best practices" that exist across the Province and
provide innovative value-added variations to the scope of work and recommend financial
tools that will fit the identified need.
It is estimated that the CIP Consultant contract will be in the range of$50,000. As the
proposal for this CIP is targeted towards specific development incentives, it is very clearly
linked to growth related initiatives. As a result, any costs are eligible for funding from
development charges at 90 percent. The balance of the funding must be covered by non-
development charge sources. It is therefore recommended that the costs be funded from
Unclassified Administration-Professional Fees account number 100-21-211-00000-7161
with the 90 percent funded from the Development Charges-General Government Reserve
Fund.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-044-15 Page 5
Once the proposals from consulting teams have been received they will be evaluated by
the in-house steering committee based on the qualifications and criteria set out in the
proposal call and in keeping with the Purchasing Bylaw. A recommendation report on
retaining the consulting team will be provided from the Purchasing Division, as per the
process set out in the by-law.
5. Public Consultation
Amongst other criteria, the Consultant's proposal, will be evaluated on their proposed
public engagement process and communication strategies.
The previous studies have already engaged the residents, property and business owners.
Over the past few years there have been 4 workshops, 5 public information centres and 6
council opportunities, plus a Regional Council meeting dealing with the vision for,
planning policies and urban design guidelines for the Courtice Main Street.
As a minimum the CIP will include consultation meetings:
• An Introductory Public Open House to introduce the CIP study process; and
show case how the Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines could be
spurred by CIP incentives to develop sooner;
• A public open house to present the Community Improvement Plan; and
• Statutory Planning Act Public Meeting.
Other possible public consultation events can be recommended by the respondents
including, but not limited to other stakeholder input through, Community Cafes, Open
Houses, etc. The report on retaining the consulting team will include a description of
how the public will be engaged.
6. Concurrence
This report has been reviewed by Nancy Taylor, Director of Finance and Tony Cannella,
Director of Engineering Services who concur with the recommendations.
7. Conclusion
It is respectfully recommended that Council authorize a Consultant proposal call based
on the process set out in the Purchasing Bylaw and as outlined in Report PSD-044-15.
8. Strategic Plan Application
The recommendations contained in this report conform to the Strategic Plan, specifically
to facilitate new jobs and the provision of affordable mixed housing types.
Municipality of Clarington
Report PSD-044-15 Page 6
Reviewed o
Submitted b y iewed
e by.
Da id . Crome, R.P.P. Franklin Wu,
Director of Planning Services Chief Administrative Officer
Staff Contact: Faye Langmaid, Manager of Special Projects, 905-623-3379 ext. 2407 or
flangmaid(c�clarington.net
The following is a list of the interested parties to be notified of Council's decision:
Jeff Goldman
FL/jp/df