Amenity Cost Charge Bylaw Project

Amenity Cost Charges (ACCs) help a municipality recover the costs of amenities that provide social, cultural, heritage, recreational, or environmental benefits to a community. The amenity projects must benefit current and future users and be driven by growth. An ACC bylaw will allow the City to impose charges at the time of subdivision or building permit, to assist in paying for the capital costs of eligible community amenities. The ACC bylaw must specify the amenities that will receive funding, and the charge or rate that is imposed. A separate ACC Reserve Fund is established for the ACC funds, and rules apply as to how the reserve fund can be used with annual reporting requirements.

Council endorsed the following three facilities to be supported by an ACC Bylaw:

• Improvements and expansions at Beban Park;
• Improvements and expansions in the Stadium District; and
• A community wellness facility in the Southgate Urban Centre

The inclusion of amenity projects in the ACC program does not obligate the City to construct all facilities. At the time ACC funds are eligible to be spent, the City can choose from the three facilities listed above. Note that Staff will be reviewing the City’s Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) Policy as part of the ACC program development. The ACC bylaw project is running concurrently with the DCC bylaw update. More information about the DCC bylaw update can be found at this link.

For more information about the Amenity Cost Charge Bylaw Project please contact Lisa Brinkman, Manager Community Planning: lisa.brinkman@nanaimo.ca