By Greg Nikkel
Weyburn city council had some comments to make about the wording offered for the revised development levy bylaw, as they objected to conditions that were proposed to be put on developers.
The main condition that councillors objected to was for a review after three years if development was granted on a property, and if it was found that the property had a definite impact on city infrastructure, the development levy would charged to that developer retroactively.
Coun. Jeff Richards said this would be a major shock to a developer to get a big invoice from the city three years after developing a lot.
“We don’t want people to sandbag us. We wouldn’t worry about it if there’s an element of trust,” said Mayor Marcel Roy.
Coun. Richards pointed out this would be registered with Land Titles, and would make it very difficult for a developer to get financing if the bank knew that there could be a major charge come back on them three years later.
He also objected to a clause in the bylaw that provided for two-per-cent rate increases based on the rate of inflation.
“The question I have, is the intent of this levy really what we want? I’m struggling with it. I think we’re standing in the way of progress,” said Coun. Dick Michel, adding that he wasn’t sure the revised levy bylaw changed the old one very much.
“If we’re standing in the way of a local business wanting to expand their business, what have we accomplished?” he asked.
“I feel the same way,” said Coun. Jeff Chessall. “I’m not sold on the three-year process. … From a business perspective, I would feel I was getting sandbagged by the city, and I can’t agree with that. As your business grows and you use more water, that would put some uncertainty in it for me.”
Coun. Winston Bailey added his voice as he also didn’t like these provisions in the proposed bylaw, pointing out that if a developer comes to the city, he would hope the city would put in enough research to know if any extra charges were warranted or not.
Coun. Mel Van Betuw said his view of the proposed bylaw was to protect the city, and suggested this part of the bylaw could be reworded to ensure the city was being protected.
City manager Roy Hardy agreed that the intent was not to nickel-and-dime developers to death, but to ensure the city was protected.
“A developer should be confident coming in here that there’s no chance of having to pay that levy later,” said Coun. Richards.
Coun. Van Betuw added the suggestion of removing the provision for a two-per-cent rate increase based on inflation, commenting, “I can’t believe I’m saying this.”
Hardy took the comments and will rework the bylaw for the next council meeting.
Also in council business, a Liberal youth representative, Aidan Roy, made a suggestion to council to have a time limitation put on the school zone speed limit of 30 km an hour. Currently the speed limit is in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether children are in school or not.
Roy’s suggestion is to have the speed limit in force only from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., noting that children are rarely ever going to a school outside of these hours.
He said this would allow for less need for enforcement by the city police, and truckers and other travelers through the city would not be inconvenienced by the lower speed limit in the vicinity of schools. Coun. Van Betuw suggested that this issue be sent to the Weyburn Police Commission before it comes back to council for any decisions.
