Staff Report: Proposed Capital Regional District (CRD) Regional Water Supply (RWS) Development Cost Charge (DCC) Program

Staff Report to Committee of the Whole

DATE

Monday, January 22, 2024

DEPARTMENT

Engineering

SUBJECT

Proposed Capital Regional District (CRD) Regional Water Supply (RWS) Development Cost Charge (DCC) Program

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The purpose of this staff report is to provide Council with all relevant and publicly available information related to the proposed Capital Regional District (CRD) Regional Water Supply (RWS) Development Cost Charge (DCC) program.

The CRD is meeting with member municipalities to inform municipal Councils of the proposed program, as well as answer any immediate questions about the initiative. They ask that any follow-up questions, concerns, or comments be submitted through the City’s representative on the Regional Water Supply Commission (RWSC).

The CRD’s project team aims to recommend three readings of the RWS DCC bylaw to the CRD Board in the fall of 2024, prior to submitting the bylaw to the BC Inspector of Municipalities for approval. If approved, CRD staff would then seek fourth reading and bylaw adoption by the CRD Board, and the program would be implemented early in 2025.

BACKGROUND

In addition to the information in the presentation and the attached letter from the CRD’s Integrated Water Service General Manager, Alicia Fraser, P.Eng. dated November 3, 2023, more materials and resources can be found on the CRD’s webpage for the proposed CRD RWS DCC program.

The following are the referenced supporting CRD corporate documents (webpage links):

• CRD RWS 2017 Strategic Plan
  • See commitments, priorities, and actions
• CRD RWS 2022 Master Plan
  • See project recommendations and maps
• CRD 2023-2026 Corporate Plan
  • See water goals and initiative (Pg. 18)

The following are the referenced CRD Board, Commission, and Committees (webpage links):

• CRD Board
  • Langford Appointments/Directors: Mayor Scott Goodmanson & Cllr. Lillian Szpak
• Regional Water Supply Commission (RWSC)
  • Langford Appointments/Commissioners: Cllr. Kimberly Guiry & Cllr. Mary Wagner
  • See May 17th, 2023 agenda (with presentation and staff report), minutes, and video
• Water Advisory Committee (WAC)
  • See March 28th, 2023 agenda and minutes

Additional related resources (webpage links):

• Greater Victoria Water Supply System CRD Video Series
• Development Cost Charge Best Practices Guide (BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs)
• Development Cost Charge: Guide for Elected Officials (BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs)

COMMENTARY

Staff have reviewed the materials/resources available and participated in a workshop with CRD staff and their consultant on October 11th, 2023 to confirm growth estimates. Based on the materials provided the projects seem to be necessary upgrades to the water system based on third-party professional engineering recommendations in accordance with engineering best practices with the appropriate sign-offs and independent reviews, as indicated in the Executive Summary document published on the CRD RWS 2022 Master Plan webpage. Most of these recommendations could be classified as essential life-safety upgrades that appear to be long overdue in an ever-changing climate.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

If the CRD RWS DCC bylaw was adopted, then the City of Langford (the City) would collect the DCC fee on the CRD’s behalf at the time of subdivision or building permit, as applicable. This will result in more administrative staff time, but overall, there are no other direct financial implications to the City.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

None.

STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES

N/A

OPTIONS

Option 1

THAT Committee of the Whole recommends that Council receive this report for information.

SUBMITTED BY

Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works

Concurrence:
Donna Petrie, Senior Manager of Communications & Economic Development

Concurrence:
Yari Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities

Concurrence:
Matthew Baldwin, MCIP, RPP, Director of Planning and Subdivision

Concurrence:
Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance

Concurrence:
Marie Watmough, Deputy Director of Corporate Services

Concurrence: Braden Hutchins, Director of Corporate Services

Concurrence:
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

Attachment:
Proposed CRD RWS DCC Program letter to Council dated November 3, 2023