Mapleton Township is set to move from the study and consultation phase, to the development of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP).
At an Oct. 13 public information session at the PMD arena, consultant Nancy Reid of Vitality Planning explained the first phase of the project, study and public consultation, was compete and she presented options for moving forward with a CIP.
The two-phase CIP project was initiated by the municipality in November 2015 when council approved a proposal from Meridian Planning for the CIP development, at a cost of $24,580 plus HST.
Last May, the municipality and Meridian Planning agreed to transfer the project to Vitality planning due to personnel changes at Meridian.
At the Oct. 13 meeting, attended by about 11 people, mostly members of Mapleton council and municipal staff, Reid explained a CIP is a plan or framework to improve, restore, redevelop and rehabilitate public and private properties in existing developed areas.
Planning Act provisions, she noted, allow a municipality to implement certain tools, such as grants and loans to businesses and landowners.
“This is the only tool that a municipality can implement to provide money to private landowners – so it’s a really powerful tool,” said Reid.
While a CIP is not in itself an economic development campaign, it can be a component of one, she explained.
Reid said the ability to provide incentives to encourage local businesses to enhance their properties is the most popular CIP element in municipalities that have adopted such a program.
“The biggest component of a CIP is this package of financial incentives. They’re the most exciting to private landowners.”
Financial incentives in a CIP can include:
– loans or grants for façade improvements or signage;
– programs to offset tax increases resulting from increased assessment due to property enhancement ;
– grants to cover application fees;
– development charge reduction grants;
– building improvement grants;
– public art grants;
– building conversion or expansion grants;
– housing rehabilitation and conversion grants or loans; and
– contamination assessment study grants.
Reid recommended including all incentive programs a municipality might consider in the “tool kit” at the outset.
While not all programs would have to be funded and activated right away, it’s better to have them included, than to have to go through the regulatory hurdles to revise the program and add them later.
Before designing a CIP, the municipality must first designate a project area. In Mapleton, said Reid, that area could include any combination of: Drayton, Moorefield, Alma, the hamlets of Rothsay and Glen Allan, and the surrounding agricultural area.
Councillor Dennis Craven asked if there is an opportunity to access federal or provincial funds through the program, or if strictly municipal cash is required.
While some programs have been set up to funnel upper tier funding sources, for example a provincial energy retrofit program, Reid said it could complicate things for a municipality if an upper tier program is shut down or altered.
“It’s difficult to do … This is a municipal tool. It can be aligned with a provincial program, but I don’t know it’s a great idea to do that.”
Ried said public consultation and studies so far have shown Mapleton has numerous assets working in favour of local communities, but there is potential for improvement.
“What you have is healthy and strong, but there is an opportunity to revitalize,” she said.
Elements felt to be working well include:
– existing downtown businesses;
– restaurants;
– signage and parking in Drayton;
– parks, community centres, recreational areas such as soccer fields and baseball diamonds;
– township events and functions like Canada Day celebrations/fireworks; and
– the Drayton Festival Theatre, a major community asset that draws in people and supports local business.
Areas identified for improvement include:
– generating more reasons to come to Drayton;
– gateway features and signage;
– making downtown areas more inviting;
– creating more youth programs and activities;
– encouraging more retail businesses;
– river trail improvements and more trails to promote healthy lifestyles; and
– addressing Moorefield streetscape and accessibility issues.
Reid said the next step in the process involves creation of a draft CIP to be shared with council, township staff and community stakeholders. After revisions, the CIP will be made available for public review and comment and a statutory public meeting will be held.
It is anticipated the CIP will be ready for consideration by council in early 2017.
