Vernon council one step closer to reducing development costs

Photo: Contributed

The cost of doing business in Vernon may be little easier on the wallet in the near future. At their meeting on Monday, council had a third reading of a bylaw that would lower development cost charges (DCCs) in the area.

"Not many communities talk about reducing DCCs," said Mayor Victor Cumming. "It's a very significant thing."

DCCs are a one-time fee imposed to a development so the city has money for drainage, road facilities, constructing and altering or expanding sewage.

Under the new proposal, the total for a single-family lot in the city for districts one and two would be changed from $16,429 to $13,766, which is a 16.2 per cent reduction. Developments in district three would be altered from $21,182 to $20,692, a 2.3 per cent decrease.

Final adoption of the bylaw is still required by council before it is approved.

- With files from the Greater Vernon Chamber