WHEREAS under Section 935.3bii of the Local Government Act it states that Parks Development Cost Charges DCCs can be used to pay the capital costs of providing fencing, landscaping, drainage and irrigation, trails, rest-rooms, changing rooms and playground and playing field equipment on park land; AND WHEREAS this section does not include the ability for municipalities to use parks DCCs to pay the capital costs of synthetic turf fields, but BC municipalities are using synthetic turf for recreational soccer pitches and baseball fields because it is more durable, less affected by wet and cold weather, and unlike natural turf, can be used year-round: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government amend Section 935.3bii of the Local Government Act to include synthetic turf fields.
Ministry of Community, Sport Cultural Development Development Cost Charges DCCs are based on the principle of user pay; the cost of infrastructure should be paid by those who utilize and benefit from it. Along with assisting with the provision of core infrastructure, DCCs are also used for parkland acquisition and basic improvements, as urban green space is an important piece of building livable and healthy communities. The parkland provisions are designed to ensure that this green space is available for public use. Upgrading these facilities beyond basic improvements provides a benefit to the wider community, and thus the cost of such improvements should be shared by all property owners. Widening the scope of section 935.3bii has been reviewed in the past by the Development Finance Review Committee DFRC, which is chaired by the Ministry and includes representatives from local government, the Province, and the development community. There was consensus that expanding the parkland dedication provisions to a wider range of services would not be pursued.