Report to / Rapport au:
Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
26 May 2009 / le 26 mai 2009
Coordonnateur de comité
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Ref N°: ACS2009-CMR-CSE-0006 |
SUBJECT: BEECHWOOD
CEMETARY – REIMBURSEMENT OF FEES
OBJET: CIMETIÈRE
BEECHWOOD – REMBOURSEMENT DES DROITS
That the Corporate Services and Economic
Development Committee recommend Council approve, as an indication of its strong
support for this national institution, the reimbursement of fees and charges
totalling $111,693.29 as outlined in this report.
Que le Comité des services
organisationnels et du développement économique recommande au Conseil
d’approuver le remboursement des droits et des redevances d’un montant total de
111 693, 29 $, tel qu’il est énoncé dans le présent rapport, afin de démontrer
son appui solide à cette institution nationale.
WHEREAS Beechwood
Cemetery, as the home of the National Military Cemetery, the RCMP National
Memorial Cemetery, and a National Historic Site, has been designated as the
National Cemetery of Canada by Bill C-17; and,
WHEREAS Beechwood
is the final resting place of 19 men and women of the Canadian Forces who have
died recently while serving in Afghanistan with the NATO Forces as part of our
country’s commitment to the international community; and,
WHEREAS, by virtue of its location in the nation’s
capital, Beechwood Cemetery serves as a focal point for national memorial
events such as Remembrance Day, and it is an evocative location for state
funerals of Canada’s Governors General and Prime Ministers; and,
WHEREAS Beechwood
is also the final resting place for many prominent Canadians who helped shape
Ottawa and the country, including many former City of Ottawa mayors, national
political leaders such as Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden, Tommy Douglas,
Governor General Ramon Hnatyshyn, engineer and scientist Sir Sanford Fleming as
well as poets such as Archibald Lampman, Arthur Bourinot and William Wilfred
Campbell, to name a few; and,
WHEREAS Beechwood
Cemetery, established in 1873, is a not-for profit organization that is owned
and operated by the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation, a registered Canadian
charity; and,
WHEREAS the Foundation undertook renovations in 2002 to expand its reception
facility to better serve the community; and,
WHEREAS, in 2006,
the Foundation commenced construction of the Beechwood National Memorial
Centre, designed to serve the memorial and commemorative needs of all
Canadians. The stately 14,000 square
foot facility features a nine-sided Sacred Space to hold memorial services for
Canada’s diverse faith communities, large reception rooms and a Hall of Colours
to house the laid-up colours of Canada’s military regiments. It is believed to be the first centre of its
kind in the world and has been the object of national and international
attention;
and,
WHEREAS the Foundation has applied for grant funding to offset fees and
charges associated with these projects totalling $111,693.29 as detailed in the
list below; and,
WHEREAS, the reimbursement of
each fee and charge must be offset by different reserve funds and operating
budgets, due to legislative directions in support of various construction
projects by charitable and non-profit organizations; and,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the CSEDC recommend that City
Council, as an indication of its strong support for this national institution,
approve the reimbursement of fees and charges totalling $111,693.29 as follows:
From 2009 Planning operating budget
revenue account $ 19,207.51
From the Parkland Reserve Fund $ 8,826.78
From Water Capital Reserve Fund $ 6,100.00
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CONSULTATION
This item will be advertised in the local dailies as part of the Public Meeting Advertisement on Friday preceding the Committee meeting.
Comment
from Building Code Services Branch
On July 1, 2005, the Building Code Act was amended, which introduced
changes related to the collection of building permit fees and the assignment of
permit revenues. Specifically, the
legislative changes directed that building permit fees/revenues could cover
only those costs associated with servicing building permits and enforcing the
Act and Code. Thus, all Building Code
related activities are required to be revenue neutral and surplus revenues can
no longer be generated, nor relied upon for offsetting the waiver of fees in
support of various construction projects by charitable and non-profit
organizations. This impact was
discussed in the report presented to Council on June 22, 2005 entitled
“Building Regulatory Changes - Impact of Building Code Statute Law Amendment
Act and Ontario Regulation 305/05” (ACS2005-PGM-BLD-0010).
As a consequence, if Council wishes to support requests for grants to
offset building permit fees, it is necessary to fund the offset from the
City-Wide Capital Reserve Fund.
LEGAL
/ RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
There are no
Legal/Risk Management impediments to implementing the recommendation in this
Report
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
The
Beechwood Cemetery Foundation incurred the fees and charges outlined in the
motion over the 2002 to 2006 time period.
The attachment to this report summarizes the history of these fees and
charges which includes development charges, building permit fees, water
connection fees, parkland levy, along with a variety of planning application
fees.
The
motion recommends that these fees and charges be reimbursed from several
funding sources.
·
Parkland
Reserve $8,826.78 – funds are available
·
Water
Capital Reserve Fund $6,100.00 – funds are available
·
Planning
2009 operating budget $19,207.51 – the department has indicated that it will
attempt to absorb the reimbursement against the 2009 revenue budget.
·
City
Wide Capital Reserve Fund $77,559.00 – this amount represents the Development
Charges and Building Permit fees paid
by the Foundation. In accordance with provincial
legislation, funds cannot be reimbursed from either the Development Charge
Deferred Revenue account or from the Building Services Permit Fees
account. Based on the level of
contributions to the City Wide Reserve Fund and the projected commitments, the
2009 year-end balance in the Fund is forecasted to be in a $3.3 million overdraft
position. Should Committee and
Council approve the grant request, the 2010 capital program will be restricted
in order to re-establish a positive Fund balance.
Staff to implement Council’s decision.
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Beechwood Cemetery Foundation 280 Beechwood Avenue |
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Application Date |
Application No. |
Description |
Fees Paid |
Total Eligible Fees |
Comments |
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Dec 7/06 |
A06-008769 |
Building Permit - above ground structure |
$31,387.50 |
$31,387.50 |
Grant funding must be offset by City Wide Capital Reserve Fund. |
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Nov 27/06 |
|
Post Approval Engineering fees |
$2,948.92 |
$2,948.92 |
These fees offset costs incurred in 2006/07 associated with the reviews and inspections of construction. Reimbursement must be offset from 2009 Planning operating budget revenue account, which will create a budget shortfall. |
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Jul 28/06 |
D07-12-06-0204 |
Site Plan Application |
$9,858.60 |
$9,858.60 |
Reimbursement of fees collected in 2006 must be offset from 2009 Planning operating budget revenue account. |
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Oct 2/06 |
A06-007197 |
Building Permit -foundation |
$3,237.50 |
$3,237.50 |
Grant funding must be offset by City Wide Capital Reserve Fund. |
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Jun 30/03 |
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Water Services |
$6,100.00 |
$6,100.00 |
$2,000 deposit was refunded April 4, 2004. The remainder covered actual costs incurred in connecting a private service to city services and the cost of a water meter and are non-refundable. Reimbursement of fees collected in 2003 must be offset from 2009 operating budget revenue account and may result in a shortfall. |
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Jun 17/03 |
A02-010698 |
Administrative Surcharge for
commencing construction without a building permit |
$6,300.00 |
$0.00 |
Non-refundable due to illegal construction activity. The surcharge offset additional enforcement costs that were incurred in 2003. Reimbursement would be perceived as condoning illegal construction. |
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Jun 17/03 |
A02-010698 |
5% Parkland levy |
$8,826.78 |
$8,826.78 |
Must be offset by reducing the Parkland Reserve Fund. |
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Jun 17/03 |
A02-010698 |
Development Charges |
$30,334.00 |
$30,334.00 |
Must be offset by reducing the Development Charges Reserve. |
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Mar 27/03 |
|
Post Approval Engineering fees |
$3,649.99 |
$3,649.99 |
These fees offset costs incurred in 2003 for reviews and inspections of construction. Reimbursement must be offset from 2009 Planning operating budget revenue account, which will create a budget shortfall. |
|
Oct 21/02 |
A02-010698 |
Building Permit -addition to the reception facility |
$12,600.00 |
$12,600.00 |
Must be offset by City Wide Capital Reserve Fund. |
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Oct 18/02 |
OSP2002-0358 |
Site Plan Application |
$2,750.00 |
$2,750.00 |
Reimbursement of fees collected in 2002 must be offset from 2009 Planning operating budget revenue account, which will create a budget shortfall. |
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Total |
$117,993.29 |
$111,693.29 |
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