Construction equipment lines up at the Coulee Ridge residential development in southwest Medicine Hat on Dec. 2. City council has passed changes to a development fee assistance program that pays the cost of new major infrastructure.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
A program to pay a share of private development fees out of city coffers will remain the same across Medicine Hat in 2021, but will increase to 90 per cent in cases of infill projects and along priority corridors.
Council approved the measure, which keeps the general “municipal assist” at 30 per cent, at Monday night’s council meeting by a 8-1 vote.
Those rates reflect council’s strategic goal of promoting redevelopment in several major corridors, according to background information provided by administrators who say the entire off-site levy system will be reviewed in 2021.