Between 2023 and 2024, revenue from development charges dropped by 19 per cent, according to a report submitted to Huntsville’s General Committee on February 26.
The report, authored by Julia McKenzie, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer for the Town, indicates that in 2024, the municipality collected $754,313 in development charges compared to $931,273 in 2023.
McKenzie also noted that at the end of 2024, there were $375,310 in development charge deferral agreements for which the municipality will collect interest, compared to $243,382 in 2023.
Development charges are usually collected when a building permit is issued for new development such as a house or a newly created lot. The purpose of collecting Development Charges is to ensure that when new infrastructure or development is required because of growth, the new development assists with funding those growth-related projects, noted McKenzie in her report.
In 2024, the municipality used $480,133 towards various projects, including a development charge study, Howland Drive sidewalks, a fire pumper, fire E-draulics, lighting at Mcculley-Robertson Recreation Park, and improvements to the skateboard park, Port Sydney basketball court, Utterson multi-courts, River Mill Parks washroom, and library materials.
As of December 31, 2024, the municipality’s development charges reserve contained $4,637,905.
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4.6 million is a lot of money in reserve, perhaps some of it could be used to improve the road infacstructure so we can use the parks , ball diamonds, tennis courts etc.
Casually looking around town as I must drive about on errands I have to note all the building going on, almost everywhere one looks.
I thus find it hard to understand how the development charges are ‘down’. Maybe check with Musk, see if he has some of them stashed away somewhere?
Its a wonder anyone can afford to.build with these prices and then they take whats left of your money in property taxed. Im going to have to see my.land in.order to pay unreasonable property taxes. You have to be wealthy to live in Huntsville. So i guess us middle class and poor will have to move farther north where it is more affordable. Thanks council.
Why don’t they use the reserve for fixing up some of the roads rather than increase taxes year after year after year.