Relief for Owen Sound developers and home buyers.
City Council has waived development charges for the remainder of 2009.
The seven to nine thousand dollar development charge on newly purchased homes in Owen Sound is temporarily waived.
Council last night carried a motion unanimously to forgive the development charges for the remainder of this year.
Barry Kruisselbrink of Barry’s Construction made a presentation to council urging the moratorium and outlined the need for some stimulus in the construction industry.
Kruisselbrink stressed the fact that waiving the charge will encourage people to purchase homes and will spin off into work for construction workers and trades people.
Doug Sowerby — the President of the Grey Bruce Home Builders and Trades Association — also spoke to council.
Sowerby says the decision shows Council’s support for local jobs.
He says “the light at the end of the tunnel has been re-lit.”
Sowerby adds the decision is also a win – win for the City since a house being built generates tax dollars while a piece of vacant land generates very little money.
Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners was the deciding vote to not defer the motion for another two weeks and approve the plan at last night’s meeting.
She says council needed to send a clear message to the building community that they are prepared to move forward now.
Included in the motion is an agreement which states the finished house must be completed within a certain time-frame.
But Lovell Stanners says the time-frame has not been decided yet.