The community improvement plan (CIP) is set to move along smoothly to approval after it received overall support at a council public meeting Tuesday.
James Goodram, director of economic development with the City of Cambridge, introduced and explained the updated plan to council.
Two of the core areas, where the CIP programs will be applicable, remain unchanged, he said, however, Hespeler's core area has been revised for the purpose of this plan.
"(The boundaries) were reviewed and expansions were suggested on the north side of Sheffield Street, as well as along Queen Street down to the region's wastewater treatment plant," he said. "That's one of the recommendations in this report. The justification for that is, although it's not designated core area in the official plan, it is designated as part of the Hespeler Village regeneration area."
Goodram also highlighted that this expanded area will solely be for the CIP programs, it does not change the development charge bylaw, which provides an exemption to core area properties, or the city's official plan.
"We're moving away from a loan and grant program to straight grant program," he said, pointing out another difference between the current plan and the previous program. The move, Goodram added, requires less administration time and encourages uptake by property owners.
The commercial property improvement grant program (CPIG) aims to improve the appearance of commercial properties and support business owners with limited rehabilitation of interior space and assist in creating a barrier-free and accessible environment.
The commercial building restoration, renovation and improvement grant program (CBRRIG) is restricted to the conversion of vacant, residential, or underutilized space to be used as a restaurant, market or arts or culture related space.
The mixed-use conversion and restoration grant program (MUCRG) encourages conversion of currently non-residential, vacant, or underutilized upper storey space to residential units and renovating the existing commercial space located below.
The core areas waiver of application fees program allows for fees for minor variances, sign permits and sign variances, and building permits for properties located in the core areas as defined by the official plan.
And the tax increase-based equivalent grant program (TIEG) offers grants to eligible applicants, whose city property tax has increased as a result of incremental improvement of the built character of their building in core areas, where CIP programs are applicable.
Coun. Mike Devine had questions around the last program.
"Is there any tax (rebate) for the people that have purchased the condominiums?" he asked.
Goodram said it becomes an administrative nightmare for the city to assign a tax rebate to individual condo owners.
"We're not recommending that at this time," he said, adding it could be considered down the road.
Goodram clarified that the rebate program ends when the building is sold.
"If the owner were to sell all the condos, the grant program would end as well," he said.
Where there were no delegates speaking to the matter at the public meeting, three previously submitted letters were part of the agenda.
All were supportive of the draft plan with a few recommendations brought forward by the Cambridge accessibility advisory committee (CAAC).
In their letter, Dan Lajoie and Sheri Roberts, chair and vice-chair of the committee, ask that staff ensure the developments and/or reconstructions receiving CIP grants would at the very least be compliant with the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
In their letter, they also request additional incentives for businesses that include enhanced accessibility features, which the Roberts and Lajoie write, the CAAC would help determine. The committee, the letter says, is also willing to review site plans or ask the city's accessibility staff do so to ensure accessibility features do in fact warrant additional grants.
Expanding on the CIP incentives, the CAAC representatives suggest the committee would like to pursue a more robust incentive program in future to make sure some of the financial burden of increased accessibility features is not a hindrance for businesses that are inclusive spaces.
An updated plan will be brought back to council on June 22, said Goodram, adding with ample consultations already having taken place with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the city won't be required to take the plan back to the minister for approval.
"They simply want the notice of adoption," he said. "If it is approved, a 20-day appeal period will begin, once that lapses, the programs are in effect, so we will hit our summer roll out target."
Details around the five proposed plans can be found here.
