A new fee implemented by the City of Kelowna to create new parks is drawing the ire of developers and the local business community.

The new development cost charge (DCC) will see an additional $7,180 fee on every new residential condo or home, regardless of size.

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Urban Development Institute and the Canadian Home Builders害羞草研究所� Association of the Central Okanagan all came out against the increase over the last three months while the city was developing the plan. All three groups issued a joint news release but only the chamber was present at a news conference on Tuesday morning.

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While parks are beneficial to the city, the issue of housing affordability in Kelowna still needs to be addressed, according to the chamber of commerce.

害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檇 be hardpressed to find someone in the business community that doesn害羞草研究所檛 think park development 害羞草研究所� or investing in park development 害羞草研究所� makes a whole lot of sense,害羞草研究所� said Nikki Csek, president of the Kelowna Chamber.

害羞草研究所淭he challenge that we have is specific to the funding strategy that is being implemented by city council. It害羞草研究所檚 at a time when the stated objective is to focus on housing attainability and we don害羞草研究所檛 think that this added cost will help with housing affordability.害羞草研究所�

She also cited a study entitled Straddling the Gap published by Generation Squeeze in 2019, which highlights the already unaffordable situation many young people find themselves in. The study showed that last year a millennial family had to increase its income by $16,930 to comfortably afford a new home in Kelowna.

害羞草研究所淏y endorsing this DCC increase, council has ensured that millennial income must grow even more in 2020,害羞草研究所� said Csek.

City staff said these costs would not be entirely passed on to homebuyers, but Dan Rogers, executive director of Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, said that likely wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be the case.

害羞草研究所淲hen you add cost at one end, there害羞草研究所檚 a payer at the other,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭his will see an increase in new home prices in the future.害羞草研究所�

Developer and chamber director Ray Wynsouw is currently involved with two proposed housing projects but with additional costs imposed by the fee, they may not come to fruition.

害羞草研究所淚t creates (fewer) jobs and a downfall in our industry even further.害羞草研究所�

He also said despite the fee adding a one per cent increase on a $700,000 home; it害羞草研究所檚 a 100 per cent increase on currently implemented DCCs.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檒l add another $36 to your monthly payments. With the stress being so tight for these young families to get into homes, that $36 could knock out we don害羞草研究所檛 know how many people.害羞草研究所�

Only two councillors voted against introducing the new parks DCC, Coun. Brad Sieben and Coun. Mohini Singh, who said she was torn on the issue.

City staff are now preparing the bylaw to send it to Victoria for approval and hope to have it in place in time to be implemented in January.

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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