The half-off sale on development charges in Harrow is being extended another year, despite a lack of success thus far.
Councillors in Essex approved the move hoping the reduction will lead to more new home builds, despite failing to reach the development target of eight new homes in over a year of having reduced fees.
However, Harrow-area councillor Sherry Bondy feels there is some positive movement happening in the town.
"We're starting to see a slow incline and now council has committed to a full-time economic development officer," says Bondy. "He said tomorrow morning he's going to start hunting down these developers and letting them know what we have to offer."
Essex Councillor Sherry Bondy attends the regular meeting of council on August 22, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
Two permits for new single family homes were taken out in Harrow in 2015 while four have been issued in 2016, meaning the town has forfeited $27,434 in development charges — used to help fund infrastructure improvements tied to growth — that will have to be funded from other sources.
Administration advised council the money will be accounted for as an expense in the 2017 budget and funded through property taxes levied in all wards.
Bondy thinks considering waiving development fees completely in Harrow may be the way to go if half-off doesn't prove to be enough to entice development.
"I don't know if that's something the rest of council will endorse but, we really think Harrow is a great place to build a family and by waiving the development fees or reducing them by 50% — we're putting our money where our mouth is," says Bondy.
Councillor Bill Caixeiro was the lone vote against reducing the fees in Harrow.
"When we passed the initial by-law I wasn't in support of it, not that I don't support the reduced development charges in Ward 4 — but I'll maintain that I'd prefer to support something that's across the whole municipality in fairness," says Caixeiro.
Bondy feels cutting the fees is something the town can do to combat barriers to growth she sees in Harrow.
"We certainly have a big hit with the closing of the Harrow high school," says Bondy. "That certainly is a limit in the area now."
Council first cut development charges in Harrow on June 29, 2015 with an attached expiry date of December 28, 2016.
According to the town, Harrow has averaged four new single family home builds a year between 2011 and 2014.
