Photo by Photo Submitted
APPROVED – On Monday night, city council approved a development incentive for a proposal to build three apartment buildings in Whistle Bend with a total of 87 one- and two-bedroom rental units. The site (marked by the balloon) is located on Tarahne Way, next to the River Bend condo complex built by the Ta’an Kwach’an Council’s development corporation. Photo courtesy GOOGLE MAPS
City council on Monday approved a development incentive for three apartment buildings in Whistle Bend that will add 87, one- and two-bedroom units to the rental market.
City council on Monday approved a development incentive for three apartment buildings in Whistle Bend that will add 87, one- and two-bedroom units to the rental market.
The city has already issued a development permit for the project.
The site is located at 11 Tarahne Way, next to the River Bend condo complex built by the Ta’an Kwach’an Council’s development corporation.
The city’s development incentive policy provides grants and forgives fees for high-density housing projects that result in more rental and supportive housing accommodations.
Developers are eligible for up to $500,000 in incentives over 10 years as long as the rental units remain available for 10 years and the payment of property taxes is up to date.
Under the policy, developers are eligible for a property tax grant to a maximum of $50,000 annually after all taxes have been paid.
City policy also provides the city with the ability to reduce or eliminate the development cost charge $2,185 applied to each new rental housing unit.
But the combined incentive is still limited to $500,000.
While the policy says the annual grant back to the developer cannot exceed $50,000 a year, in the case of the Tarahne Way proposal, administration recommended and council agreed to exempt the project from the annual ceiling of $50,000.
Support for the incentive and the annual exemption was unanimous on council.
Councillors Laura Cabott and Steve Roddick took turns applauding the project as providing much-needed housing for the city.
Roddick noted how council was asked a couple of years ago, before he was elected, to rezone the one-hectare parcel to allow for less dense single-family homes and duplexes.
The councillor pointed out he was among those who appeared before council to object to the rezoning application.
By maintaining the high-density designation for the property, the city has ensured more housing units will be available for rent, he said.
Roddick said increased housing density also increases the viability of any commercial developments in the neighbourhood.
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Comments (5)
Up 7 Down 1
Oya on Mar 16, 2020 at 9:02 am
@ Chuck Tobin - So many things missing from this story . Disappointing to say the least.
The public counts on the media to present ALL the facts so we can know who is getting special treatment from which level of government. Might need to hit them up for a job in this new environment, among other things.
Up 7 Down 3
Anie on Mar 13, 2020 at 2:51 pm
Jim, well said. Where are the facts? Boy, are we ever fortunate to have Roddick on council.......just ask him
Up 17 Down 2
Jim on Mar 11, 2020 at 10:01 am
You would think with all the free gifts that are on the table for this project, some deeper reporting would be done. They seem to able to give us the developers name for the project next door. They’ve removed the ceiling cap for annual grant to what, no limit? Development fees also on the table for removal. Do we get to know the developers name? Did the developers ask to have the grant increase and fees waived? If so how much? Come on Star, do some digging. As taxpayers, we have a right to know.
Up 26 Down 5
Max Mack on Mar 10, 2020 at 7:32 pm
"administration recommended and council agreed to exempt the project from the annual ceiling of $50,000."
The gift of graft that just keeps on giving.
Up 14 Down 2
Sad on Mar 10, 2020 at 6:27 pm
That area of Whistlebend is shaping up to be pretty sketchy. Police and ambulance are at the neighbouring buildings on the daily. The existing buildings are barely 3 years old and torn apart by the tenants and garbage is everywhere.