REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: May 6, 2019 Report No. ADM-19-009
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Anja Nurvo, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Fees and Charges Bylaw Update
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council give first, second and third readings to the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous) Bylaw, 2019, No. 2961.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous) Bylaw, 2016, No. 2874, as amended
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
This Request for Decision does not directly relate to a specific Strategic Priority.
BACKGROUND:
Staff recommends that the current Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous) Bylaw, 2016, No. 2874, as amended, be updated and replaced. There are several revisions recommended to the existing Bylaw No. 2874, as summarized below.
The Township’s previous practice was to have several copies of the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw printed and bound and available at Municipal Hall for purchase by members of the public on request. The previous Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2484, which was adopted in 2001, included the fee of $10.00 for a copy of the OCP and $20.00 for the Zoning Bylaw. These fees were carried forward into the current Fees and Charges Bylaw 2874 when it was adopted in 2016.
For the past several years, updated consolidated versions of the OCP and Zoning Bylaw have been available to the public through the Township’s website. As a result, we have not received any requests for complete printed copies of either Bylaw. In addition, it has also proven to be quite onerous and expensive to ensure the printed and bound versions contained all of the adopted OCP and Zoning Bylaw Amendments. Therefore the practice of having printed and bound copies available for purchase has been discontinued for several years.
Recently, the Township did receive one request for a full printed copy of the Zoning Bylaw. However, staff was able to direct the person to the website as an alternative means of accessing the complete updated Bylaw. During that process, staff noted that the current consolidated version of the Zoning Bylaw, which contains all of the amendments since the original Bylaw was adopted in 1991, is a total of 336 pages. The new OCP Bylaw adopted in 2018 is 171 pages and would have to be printed entirely in colour to be fully readable. Both Bylaws also contain numerous detailed maps that would have to be printed in full colour and on larger paper in order to be readable. In staff’s opinion, the current fee, set out in the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2874, of $10.00 for a complete printed copy of the OCP and $20.00 for a printed copy the Zoning Bylaw does not adequately cover the Township’s costs of reproducing these Bylaws. These fees are also far below the Township’s charges for providing other photocopied or printed documents including other bylaws, as set out in Schedule “A” of the Bylaw.
Accordingly, staff recommends that the current fee for reproducing the entire Zoning Bylaw and the Official Community Plan be deleted and that the applicable fee would be as set out in Schedule “A” for any other photocopied or printed document, being $0.50 per single-sided page and $1.00 per double-sided, with increased costs for colour printing or copying on larger sized paper. This would be consistent with the fee for reproducing other bylaws or records and would more adequately reimburse the Township for reproduction costs, including staff time.
Additional recommended revisions to the Bylaw include:
- increasing the cost of records copied onto a Disk or Memory Stick from $5.00 to $10.00 to more accurately reflect the Township’s cost
- eliminating specified costs for reproduction of other specific departmental records, so that the standard fee set out in Schedule “A” would be applicable for reproducing all Township records
- to consolidate the three previous revisions made to Bylaw No. 2874, being to add fees for: Electric Vehicle Charging station, Tower Crane Rescue, and Archives digital records
The proposed revisions are contained in Bylaw No. 2961 attached.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
There is no need for the Township to continue to print and bind copies of the Zoning Bylaw and OCP, since these are readily available to the public through the Township’s website. Most people only wish to view or print the portions that are applicable to one specific property. The Township has not received requests for a complete copy of either Bylaw for several years, but in the event anyone is wishing to purchase a printed copy, staff recommends that the fee for the reproduction of all municipal records be standardized to the general fee set out in Schedule “A”, to more accurately cover the Township’s costs of reproduction of these records.
2. Organizational Implications
There are no organizational implications.
3. Financial Implications
The proposed standardized fees for reproduction of municipal records would result in greater cost recovery for reproduction of records including the OCP and Zoning Bylaws. The majority of bylaws, minutes and agendas are readily available to the public on the Township’s website.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
There are no sustainability or environmental implications.
5. Communication & Engagement
Once adopted, a copy of the revised Fees and Charges Bylaw will be posted to the Township’s website for the public’s information.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council give first, second and third reading to the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous) Bylaw, 2019, No. 2961.
2. That Council amend draft Bylaw No. 2961 and give first, second and third reading to the Bylaw as amended.
3. That Council defeat Bylaw No. 2961.