• REGIONAL DISTRICT Ltt)... of Fraser-Fort George Main Office: 155 George Street, Prince George, BC V2L 1 P8 Telephone: (250) 960-4400 I Fax: (250) 563-7520 REPORT FOR CONSIDERATION Toll Free: 1-800-667-1959 / http://www.rdffg.bc.ca

TO: Chair and Directors

FROM:

DATE:

Terry McEachen, General Manager of Development Services

October 2, 2014

Item: Regional Land Use Planning SUBJECT SUMMARY:

Purpose: Consideration of Renewing Municipal Agreements

PREVIOUS REPORTS: None

ATTACHMENT(S): 1. Backgrounder 2. Sample Agreements

RECOMMENDATION(S):

1. THAT the report be received.

2. THAT the four member municipalities of Prince George, Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount be approached to renew the Regional Planning Participation AQreements.

ISSUE(S):

File No.: PRI 1.0

ENTITLEMENT HOW VOTE

COUNTED

All Majority 1 Director/1 vote

All Majority 1 Director/1 vote

The current agreements with the Regional District's member municipalities of Mackenzie, McBride, Prince George and Valemount for participation in Regional Land Use Planning decisions at Regional Board, expire on December 31, 2014. It is, therefore, timely to consider replacing the Agreements.

The Board is being asked to authorize entering into discussions with the four member municipalities to renew the Regional Planning Participation Agreement.

RELEVANT POLICIES:

NIA

SERVICE RELEVANCE:

Regional Land Use Planning Services consist basically of three main areas of focus as noted below.

1. Part 26 Local Government Act - policy development (Official Community Plans), and land use management (zoning, development and variance permits, temporary use permits and various other minor regulations) pursuant to Part 26, 'Management of Development' of the Local Government Act - "pure land use planning".

2. Non-Part 26 Activity - various activities that fall outside of Part 26 of the Local Government Act, but that still relate to the land base, such as Agriculture Land Reserve, Crown land issues, proposed pipeline monitoring and participation, environmental issues, forestry, subdivision referrals, lakeshore guidelines, air quality, highway corridor studies, industrial economic analysis and geotechnical analysis.

Provision of land use planning advice, direction and contract planning services to member municipalities and First Nations upon request.

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FINANCIAL CONS I DE RA TION(S):

NIA

OTHER CONS I DE RA TION(S):

The 2005 Service Review

The current agreements are based on a service review which undertook an extensive evaluation of the relationship between the Regional District and its member municipalities, as well as the actual activities being fulfilled by the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George's Planning Services. There were workshops, analysis, reports and significant discussions by the Board, such that there was a clear understanding of the issues and alternatives available for consideration.

Today's relationships with the municipalities' remains strong and the activities that Regional Planning Services fulfils are basically the same.

For three consecutive terms of 2006-08, 2009-11 , and 2012-14 the formula for determining a fair level of funding for the municipal participation in Regional Planning has been based upon:

1. Part 26 Local Government Act - the Local Government Act, Section 804.1, provides the ability for municipalities to either opt out of Part 26 land use planning, strike an agreement with the Regional District, or participate fully based on their assessment base. Member Fraser-Fort George municipalities have, for the most part, participated in Regional Land Use Planning through mutually agreed to cost sharing agreements.

It was previously agreed that Part 26 Regional land use planning activity represented a 10% interest by municipalities to help ensure coordinated land use decision making between the urban areas and Electoral Areas. (Prince George, for example, would be 10% x 69.11 % = 6.91 % of the Planning budget.)

2. Non-Part 26 Activity - all municipalities participate in the planning budget based upon their respective assessment base at 35% of their normal requisition. 35% represents the approximate amount of time spent on these activities by staff (i.e. for Prince George, which has 69.5% of the regional tax base, it translates into 35% x 69.5% = 24.3% of the Regional Planning budget requisition. The Local Government Act does not provide an option to opt out of this portion of the service.

3. Planning Service Support - finally, there was a value of 10% placed upon the advice and contract planning services available to the Municipalities of Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount. Prince George has its own professional planning staff.

Therefore, the result being that the municipalities of Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount contributes to the Regional Land Use Planning Service requisition at 55% of their normal full participation rate for a regional wide function: [i.e. 35% Non-Part 26 + 10% Part 26 + 10% Service support].

The City of Prince George contributes to the Regional Planning Service at a rate representing 45% of its normal full property tax requisition amount [i.e. 35% Non-Part 26 + 10% Part 26].

DECISION OPTIONS:

1. Approve recommendations. • draft agreements will be presented to the municipalities for consideration. If approved they will be

returned to the Regional Board for approval and authorization to execute.

Other Options:

a. all municipalities participate fully in the Regional Planning function without a discount • this option does not recognize the principle of diminishing interest of the municipalities with increasing

distance of land use issues

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• this option may trigger the ability of municipalities to totally opt out of the service by August 31 st of the year. Opting out in 2003/2004 was disruptive to Regional Board decision making.

b. develop a different funding option for Board's consideration • staff could develop new options for consideration at the next Board meeting

COMMENTS:

2012 to 2014 Proposal

Based on the concepts developed in 2005 and reaffirmed for three Agreements from 2006 to 2014, it is proposed that new agreements should reflect the same principles resulting in the following contributions from Regional Planning participants, based upon the 2014 Regional Land Use Planning Budget and the 2014 Assessment Roll.

Non-Part Part 26 Municipal 26 Base 2012-2014

Level + Participation + Assistance = Participation Splits (35%)* (10%) ** (10%) **

Prince $109,747 + $31,356 George + 0 = $141,103 31.26%

Mackenzie 5,419 + 1,548 + $1,548 = 8,515 1.89% McBride 711 + 203 + 203 = 1,117 0.25% Valemount 1,469 + 420 + 420 = 2,309 0.51%

Municipal 117,346 + 33,527 Sub Total + 2,171 = 153,044 33.90%

Electoral 40,243 Areas + 258,143 + 0 = 298,386 66.09%

Total $157,588 + $291,670 + $2,171 = $451 ,430 100.00%

There have been many accomplishments with Regional Land Use Planning Services and the relationships between the Regional District and its member municipalities. Our local governments will continue to benefit from this relationship that builds on past successes and recognizes today's realities. To do so, a fair funding formula has been developed based upon the relative benefits that regional land use planning provides to the various municipal and electoral area jurisdictions, as well as, the ability to pay based on assessment levels.

It is recommended that the principles used to develop the three previous municipal funding agreements be retained for implementation of new 2015 to 2019 agreements, subject to concurrence with the municipalities. If these concepts are agreeable to both the Board and the municipalities, agreements will be prepared for consideration that would be effective for the 2015 to 201 9 budget years.

Respectfully submitted,

Terry McEachen General Manager of Development Services

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BACKGROUNDER

REGIONAL LAND USE PLANNING PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLES

Regional Land Use Planning Participation Principles

The Regional District has a long-standing and positive relationship with its member municipalities, especially in the area of land use planning. There has been, and continues to be, close cooperation and collaboration on development proposals that are close to or could have an impact on the municipalities. Vice versa, the municipalities seek Regional District comments on developments that could impact neighbouring electoral areas, resulting in a beneficial coordination of land uses across jurisdictional boundaries.

The Regional District has participated with various projects with its member municipalities such as air quality management, integrated crown land planning, industrial land studies, Cranbrook Hill Greenway, highway corridor studies, Canoe Mountain and Valemount Glacier Resorts and many other initiatives. Further, the Regional District provides land use planning services, on request, in the preparation of municipal official community plans and amendments, zoning bylaw reviews and special studies for Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount. This relationship remains strong and should continue in the future as the Regional District provides the expertise and right personnel to bring into effect desired goals.

The ability to participate in decision making at the Regional Board level as a complete corporate body is a very important element in maintaining and cultivating the effectiveness and completeness of the decision making process. The inability for all members to participate in land use decisions can also affect how other issues are approached at the Board level. The principles upon which municipalities participate in land use planning within the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George are noted below.

1. Inclusive and cooperative decision making for land development that sets the basis for future economic prosperity and quality of life for municipal and electoral area residents alike.

2. Continuation of the close working relationship between the Regional District and its member municipalities on jointly beneficial projects and coordination of cross-jurisdictional land use patterns.

3. The availability of Regional District staff to provide land use planning services for municipalities as needed.

4. Recognition of past financial participation levels and the fiscal responsibilities of all jurisdictions.

The value of having professional planning advice available for casual and contracted use is clearly appreciated by all three of the smaller municipalities. The Regional District enjoys the close working relationship that we have as it benefits all jurisdictions.

Municipal Participation in Regional Land Use Planning - History

Regional Land Use Planning has been a function of the Regional District since its inception in the late 1960's. All member municipalities and electoral areas were full participants in the function. In 1985, municipalities were given the option of opting out of Regional Planning, thereby foregoing their share of financial support in return for not participating in land use decisions at the Regional Board level. In 1986, the four member municipalities of this Regional District entered into an Agreement that reduced their relative financial contributions but enabled retention of full participation in land use planning decisions. In 2003 and 2004 the City of Prince George's financial contribution level was reduced significantly thereby foregoing its vote(s) on land use planning decisions. The 14% level represented the City's share of non-Part 26 activity of Planning Services. In 2005 the City's contribution level was increased and its vote(s) reinstated, with the understanding that a longer-term solution would be developed before the 2006 Budget Year.

The three municipalities of McBride, Mackenzie and Valemount remained at 1986 contribution levels with full planning decision participation. The Electoral Areas' requisitions fluctuated in response to the level of municipal participation.

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Regional Land Use Planning: Financial Participation Levels

Pre 1986 Post 1986 2003/04 2005 2006/08 2009/11 2012/14 (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Prince 67.3 38.30 14.00 22.00 28.89 30.87 31 .1 Georqe Mackenzie 9.6 3.58 3.58 3.58 3.57 2.55 1.84 McBride 0.3 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.28 0.23 0.25 Valemount 0.5 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.52 0.57 0.59

Municipal Sub 77.7 42.56 18.26 26.26 33.26 34.22 33.78 Total Electoral 22.3 57.44 81 .74 73.74 66.74 65.78 65.78 Areas

Total 100.0 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

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