Development Charge By-law 4023 (2018)

Click to view the 2023 Development Charges Background Study and Draft By-law

Click to view the 2021 Development Charges Update Study 

To offset the cost of growth, the Town of Pelham sets and collects development charges on residential development and re-development. The current development charges bylaw was adopted by Council in July 2018, taking effect October 1, 2018. The bylaw was developed in conformance with the Development Charges Act.

The Town of Pelham recognizes that growth continues to generate additional pressures on its municipal infrastructure and, thus, its financing.

Development charges are fees on new property development within a municipality and are used to pay the cost of providing necessary infrastructure to new property with municipal services currently provided to existing property owners.

The Development Charges Act provides any municipality wishing to impose development charges would meet specific criteria and pass an appropriate bylaw.  As a result, the Town retained the firm Watson and Associates to undertake the Development Charge background study and recommend a proposed Development Charge Bylaw.  A public meeting was held on June 13, 2018 and the Development Charge By-law 4023 (2018) was subsequently adopted by Council on July 16.

The bylaw sets out the development charges for residential and non-residential development, the apportionment of the charges for the various services, the method of collection and the conditions under which a development is subject to the charge and the exemptions.

In accordance with the requirements of the Act and the bylaw, a development charge can be applied as a condition of any of the following, where the development of the land will increase the need for services:

  • Re-zoning or Zoning Amendment
  • Minor Variance
  • Conveyance of Land under the Planning Act
  • Plan of Subdivision
  • Land Severance
  • Plan of Condominium
  • Issuance of a Building Permit

Development Charges By-law - history

Parkland Dedication

In new development, property owners are required to either set aside a certain amount of land for parkland or alternatively pay cash-in-lieu of parkland dedication. Parkland dedication or cash-in-lieu thereof is required pursuant to the provisions of Section 42 of the Planning Act, or any successor thereto, as a condition of development or redevelopment of the lands within the Town, in the amount of two percent for commercial or industrial and five percent in all other cases.

Niagara Region Development Charges

In addition to Town Development Charges and Cash-in-Lieu of Park Dedication fees, the Region has Regional Development Charges that are imposed on new development. 

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