Pelham Town Council voted to defer a new development charge bylaw and send it back to a consultant for further review at its Wednesday meeting, but not before a roundabout, near-hour-long comedy of errors.
Ward 2 Councillor Brian Eckhardt had served notice of motion to defer the item at the Feb. 21 meeting, yet Eckhardt was not in attendance and unable to join remotely on Wednesday. This led Ward 1 Councillor Kevin Ker to offer up a motion of deferral, but Ker, connecting remotelyf rom Nova Scotia, then had to depart the meeting before the item was voted on.
Down to five voting members, it appeared the deferral was dead with Councillors Bob Hildebrandt, Shellee Niznik, and Wayne Olson initially saying they would support Pelham having some of the highest development charges in Niagara, but Mayor Marvin Junkin and Deputy Mayor John Wink managed to sway the vote.
The issue, Wink said, was one of affordability, in that high development charges would be passed onto homebuyers.
“At this point time, affordability is a major, major issue, he said. “Our kids [can’t afford homes]. They’ve been priced out of the market. The people who are buying the homes are generally from the GTA who have sold their homes for greater value and looking at $1 million for a home as being a bargain here.”
Junkin tabled the idea of lowering the consultant-recommended 29 percent development charge hike to 20 percent, but conceded the difference would be made up by taxes.
“I realize that if you don’t make it up on development charge, you then have to make it up on taxes, but perhaps by the time … the interest rates are lower, then tax increases will not have to be as high,” the Mayor said.
Hildebrandt asserted the costs are rooted in land value.
“Property value in Pelham is high, it is always going to be high. The prices are what they are,” he said. “I don’t think you can buy a house in the town of Pelham for half a million dollars. It just comes down to land value. Those development charges are meant … to cover the cost of infrastructure. Infrastructure costs are huge and that needs to be borne by the people that come here and buy houses in my view.”
Niznik, meanwhile — joining the meeting remotely from Barbados — took developers to task for supposed grandiose building habits, despite the proliferation of condominiums and the average size of detached homes and lots decreasing substantially over the last generation in order to maximize profits.
“The Town of Pelham is known for big, huge homes, and now we’re continuing with that thought that everyone needs three bathrooms, four bedrooms, and we do not,” Niznik said. “I’m in a country right now where there are many families living in a small home with one or two bathrooms, two bedrooms, three bedrooms, and a living room and a kitchen. We have to start to push developers to rethink their housing market so we can bring our costs down for future generations.”
Ultimately what appeared to sway the vote, however, was the fear that all municipal development charges are appealable by developers to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
Interim Town Clerk William Tigert initially made the suggestion that staff add revisions once the item was deferred. It was then decided that consultant Watson & Associates investigate the possibility of the dropping the increase to 20 percent from 29 percent, with an expected return of the item by the end of the second quarter.
Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Olson held firm against the deferral, however, saying Pelham is staring at multiple rising costs over the next decade. The Town is trying to balance the need for development charges with Premier Doug Ford’s Bill 23, which effectively rebates some of the charges back to a developer if they build within a certain timeframe.
Roof, rail to tune of $68,000
Elsewhere, council approved another $56,000 for the renovation of the Centennial Park washrooms and concession building, bringing the price tag for the project to almost $478,000. The add-on was tied to replacing the entire building’s roof with a metal one that can last up to 70 years. Wink asked why a new roof wasn’t considered at the beginning of the work.
“I really don’t like the way this project has gone in terms of cost,” he said. “Almost half a million dollars for additions to washrooms and a concession stand.”
Treasurer Teresa Quinlin said a grant may be able to provide some of the money, which Olson characterized as “weak” in applying for upper-level money to “fix a roof.”
Council also unanimously passed spending up to $12,000 to replace the deteriorating handrail on the northeast corner of Hwy. 20 and Pelham Street in Fonthill.
The railing, which is approaching eyesore status due to salt corrosion, could have originally cost up to $35,000, but because Niagara Region has plans to streetscape Hwy. 20 in the next five years, they will be ultimately be responsible for a more permanent replacement. Public Works Director Jason Marr said the replacement could be finished by June.
Additional council matters as provided through a Town news release:
Naming of Environmental Protection Block - Saffron Meadows Phase 3 (Phase 3) Subdivision
Council received Report #2024-58 Naming of Environmental Protection Block – Saffron Meadows Phase 3 Subdivision for information and approved the naming of Block 7 in Saffron Meadows Phase 3 Subdivision to “The Daniel Tirone Forest.”
Council meeting location
Council received Report #2024-0059 - Council Meeting Location, for information and endorsed the decision to continue regular meetings in Council Chambers at Pelham Town Hall. Staff noted that meetings can be moved to the Meridian Community Centre or another local if required.
