Citing the turbulent economic market in the midst of an affordability crisis, Saanich council adopted a new community amenity contribution policy Monday (July 17) that sees target amenity contributions for new residential developments decreased by 60 per cent.
The community amenity contribution and inclusionary housing policy was developed by staff in partnership with consultants Urban Developments. It aims to provide a more balanced and transparent process in outlining the contributions developers are expected to provide when seeking approval to build.
On the list of supported amenities developers can contribute to include affordable and supportive housing, parks, child care facilities, public art projects, libraries and recreation facilities. Developers can also opt to provide a cash-in-lieu contribution.
The policy outlines developers proposing anywhere between seven and 349-unit builds to contribute $2,880 per unit in condo and apartment developments, $2,000 per unit in mixed-use developments and $3,840 per townhome.
Numbers are down from an earlier phase of the policy, which saw contributions ranging between $5,000 and $9,600 per unit.
Although many councillors were saddened to see the decrease in rates at the policy’s final stage, most were in consensus that it was better than nothing — which was the alternative.
“The reality is, if these numbers hadn’t gone down, we’d be getting nothing. We’d have no development occurring in Saanich,” Coun. Karen Harper said.
“It is extremely disheartening to see the amounts cut in half,” Coun. Colin Plant added. “In the absence of doing nothing, I think this is a modicum of a way to move forward.”
Staff and consultants will provide an annual policy update to council, which will include any changes to amenity target rates. The policy and framework will undergo its first comprehensive review in 2025, and every five years thereafter.
Developers proposing builds more than 350 units will be encouraged to undergo site-specific negotiations by conducting a land life analysis — the increase in land value following rezoning — with community amenity contributions targeted to be 50 per cent of the land value increase.
The policy divides the district into five different zones to support the equitable distribution of funds. Seventy per cent of contributions will stay within the zone in which the proposed development will be built, and the remaining 30 per cent will go to the Saanich-wide affordable housing reserve fund.
Not-for-profit rental housing units, non-residential builds, projects with six or fewer units and purpose-built rentals with a rental tenure of more than 50 years or the life of the building will be exempt from the policy.
Coun. Zac de Vries, who advocated for the importance of waiving all purpose-built rentals secured for a rental period of 50 years or the life of the building, said the exemption is an important component to “facilitate a stronger purpose-built rental market” in Saanich.
Whether proposals are exempt from the policy or not, Plant said he challenges all developers to consider elements of affordability in their designs going forward.
“I’m expecting every development to come to Saanich with an element of affordability considered,” he said. “If an applicant hasn’t considered that, then I will ask why … given it’s a priority.”
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