WHEREAS Section 941 of the Local Government Act requires that an owner of land being subdivided must either provide park land or pay to the local government an amount in lieu of park land dedication, which amount must be set aside in reserves and used solely for park land acquisition and for no other purpose; AND WHEREAS existing parks might already benefit the subdivision, in which case the local government might prefer to expend its park land fund reserves to improve existing parks and other community or recreational amenities, with such capital improvements being a higher priority than the acquisition of additional land for parks: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities request that the Province amend Section 941 of the Local Government Act to permit local governments to expend reserve funds collected in lieu of park land for either park land acquisition or capital improvements to existing park lands.
Ministry of Community, Sport Cultural Development Local governments have a number of revenue and development tools at their disposal including: development cost charges, development works agreements, latecomer agreements, parkland dedication, and funds in lieu of parkland dedication. Each of these development tools serves a specific purpose. Funds in lieu of parkland dedication are specifically for the acquisition of parkland only. This is to support a policy goal that up to 5 of all new development area is devoted to urban greenspace, which is critical to maintaining livable and sustainable communities in BC. If some of this money is diverted to improvements for existing parks, there would be less money for parkland acquisition thus, defeating the purpose of the policy. The Province fully understands that there is more to a park than land. A park must be developed for public use and enjoyment trails, playgrounds, picnic tables, playing fields, and convenient parking. However, that is not the purpose of parkland dedication or payment in lieu of dedication. Local governments have other revenue tools to finance improvements to the parks. Some of these tools are set out in the following documents: Development Finance Choices Guide http:www.cd.gov.bc.calgdintergovrelationslibrarydevelopmentfinanceschoi… Parkland Acquisition Best Practices Guide http:www.cd.gov.bc.calgdintergovrelationslibraryParklandAcquisitionBPG…