Owen Sound Council is getting mixed messages regarding development charges.
A study done by the city recommends that some charges to developers actually be increased in order to finance Owen Sound’s future capital and service costs.
But local builders say the fees actually stand in the way of development.
Three of those builders spoke at a public meeting as part of Monday’s city council meeting.
Barry Kruisselbrink, Jason Thom and Peter Van Dolder all say the construction industry is perhaps the largest industry remaining in Owen Sound, but it won’t be allowed to grow if developers have to shell out more than 10 thousand dollars up front every time they want to build a home.
The survey recommends the city increase the fee for a new single-detached home by about 50 dollars — to 87 hundred and 60 dollars.
That doesn’t include county development charges.
Kruisselbrink says the city’s development charges rebate last year wasn’t even particularly fair because builders still had to pay the fees up front and apply for a refund.
He says that ties up much needed capital.
Jason Thom’s firm is poised to begin development on a 3-million dollar, 65-lot subdivision near Moore’s Hill.
Kruisselbrink has various projects on the go around the city including the former OSCVI site.
But he says he won’t bother to develop the recently purchased Stratchcona School property under the new development charges bylaw.
Builders say business is much friendlier in other Grey County municipalities where there are no development charges other than the county’s…and they say there are no such fees in Bruce County.
Council did not debate the issue last night.
That will happen in a special meeting on Thursday at 5 PM.