Lake Country hikes development fees

Increase in town’s development cost charges 1st in more than a decade, say municipal officials

A 50 per cent rise in some building-related fees in Lake Country is justifiable because the charges haven’t been updated in more than a decade, municipal officials say.

And the higher development cost charges still leave Lake Country’s rates below those charged in Vernon and Kelowna, they say.

“Since 2005, construction and land costs have increased significantly, creating upward pressure on the district’s capital budget,” community services director Mark Koch says in a press release.

The new DCC rate to be paid by builders of a new single-family home in Lake Country is $20,044, up from the old charge of $13,790.

Every B.C. municipality applies development cost charges on new residential projects. The fees are intended to help cover the pressures caused by population increases, and are typically used for such things as new roads, parks, water and sewer lines.

The current DCC for a single-family home in central Kelowna is $23,422. It is higher in outlying areas, such as the Upper Mission, where it is generally more costly to build new public infrastructure.

Vernon’s current DCC rate is $24,631, Peachland’s is $17,042, and Summerland’s is less than $9,000.

Lake Country town council approved the higher development cost charges for their municipality at a meeting last week.