Urban boundary decision is right one for taxpayers
Posted Mar 5, 2010 By Peggy Feltmate
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Tweet ThisEMC News - Last week council agreed to keep the expansion of the urban boundary to a minimum. This is good news for taxpayers.
Expanding the urban boundary is costly. As a recent study shows, sprawl development pushes up the cost of city services.
The tax revenue generated by a new housing unit inside the Greenbelt is $1,035 more than the cost of providing services. Outside of the Greenbelt, the situation is reversed. In the urban area outside the Greenbelt, it costs $70 per household more to provide services than the city gets in tax revenue. In the rural area, the cost of services is between $161 and $502 per household more than tax revenue.
FIRST STEP TO MAKING INTENSIFICATION WORK
To reduce the cost of growth we need to make more efficient use of land that is developed. It is possible to build desirable neighbourhoods with relatively high densities. However, it requires some changes for developers. If council is continually expanding the urban boundary, there is no incentive for developers to change.
We see this with efforts to get pedestrian friendly main streets built in Kanata and other suburban communities. As long as more open land is zoned for development, developers will build more Centrum-like shopping areas because that is what they are used to doing.
COFFEE WITH PEGGY, MARCH 12
The next Coffee with Peggy will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Friday, March 12 in the Food Court at Hazeldean Mall. It is a chance for people to stop by and chat informally about issues and concerns.
PROTECTIVE PLUMBING PROGRAM COVERAGE EXPANDED
Changes to the Protective Plumbing Program will mean more support for residents of semi-detached homes. With the change approved by council on Feb. 24, someone in a semi-detached home that did not flood, but is connected to a home that did flood, is now eligible for help with 100 per cent of the cost of protective plumbing measures.
On Feb. 23, Planning and Environment Committee approved expanding the program so that people living beside homes that have experienced sewer backups and fronting onto the same sanitary/storm sewer will also be eligible for 100 per cent assistance.
Information on the Protective Plumbing Program is available by going to www.ottawa.ca/residents/funding/protective_plumbing_en.
CIVIC EVENTS FUNDING PROGRAM ASSISTS COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH SPECIAL EVENTS
Civic events like Canada Day in Kanata play an important role in bringing people together and building a sense of community. For this reason, the former City of Kanata used to fund these events.
The City of Ottawa has now adopted the former City of Kanata practise and is providing funding to non-profit community groups for one to two-day civic events with free admission.
Applications must be submitted by March 24, 2010. Forms are available at ottawa.ca/communityfunding. The maximum allocation is $2,000. For more information, please contact Brenda Denault at 613-580-2424, ext. 26459 or brenda.denault@ottawa.ca.
Working full-time for Kanata South
I appreciate the chance to hear from you about issues affecting our community. You can reach me at 613-580-2752 (office), 613-580-2762 (fax), www.feltmateforkanata.com or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca.
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