CPRM Committee looks to Update Burlington's Sidewalk Warrant and Local Improvement Bylaw

Committee & Council Meetings
Written By

Next week, a Transportation Services Department report is coming to the Dec. 8 Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility (CPRM) Committee meeting asking committee members to change the bylaw that has the costs of a sidewalk installation into a pre-existing neighbourhood be charged back to the taxpayers living in the vicinity of that area.Background:Through Staff Direction SD-12-17 the Director of Transportation Services has been directed to review the need for the local improvement levy relative to practices of other municipalities as it relates to sidewalk infill projects. The direction to review and revise the sidewalk warrant is being incorporated in the Integrated Mobility Plan workplan with opportunity for public engagement. This report deals solely with the omission of sidewalks from the local improvement charges by-law.Local improvement charges (By-Law 49-2017) enables the City to recover all or part of the cost of capital improvements made on public lands from the property owners who are deemed to directly benefit from the improvement. Eligible capital projects may include:

  • New sidewalks or curb installations
  • New storm sewer installations
  • New noise walls installations

Removing sidewalks from the local improvement charges by-law will have a financial impact to the City. If the reference to local improvements is removed from the by-law as recommended, the City will no longer be recovering those costs for applicable projects.This impact is expected to be minimal.For example, based on the recent new sidewalk construction on Strathcona Drive (TS-5-19), approximately 20% of the sidewalk construction cost ($85,000 of total $391,000 cost for proposed sidewalks) would have been recovered under local improvement charges, this is considered an average. The resultant financial impact will vary on a project-by-project basis as it relates to new sidewalk construction on local roads.The staff recommendation is to:

Direct staff to amend By-law 49-2017 to remove reference to sidewalks and no longer apply local improvement charges to sidewalk infill projects.

To read the full staff report, please click this link:

How to Delegate/Provide Feedback:To delegate virtually at this meeting, complete the online delegation registration form at www.burlington.ca/delegate or submit a written request by email to the Clerks Department at clerks@burlington.ca by noon on Dec. 7. All requests to delegate must contain a copy of the delegate’s intended remarks that will be circulated to all members of committee in advance as a backup should any technology issues occur.If you do not wish to delegate, but would still like to submit your feedback, please email your comments to clerks@burlington.ca. Your comments will be circulated to committee members in advance of the meeting and will be attached to the minutes, forming part of the public record.As always, you can watch a live webcast of the CPRM Committee meeting on Dec. 8 at burlington.ca/calendar and clicking the “LIVE” link that appears below the date of the meeting shortly before its 9:30 a.m. start time.RELATED LINKS:

—*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor’s Media and Digital Communications Specialist

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