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The city will net about $237,000 each year from increased property taxes, so after three years, a new condo project such as Pixel will contribute an estimated $700,000-plus in new tax revenue — the same amount as in the second scenario of the proposed new public ream levy. Does the city really need both the increased public realm levy AND new property tax revenue for public realm improvements?

Why would the City of Calgary use a Vancouver model for development levies, given Vancouver has the highest housing costs in Canada and some of the highest in the world? Why is it that so many of Calgary’s urban condo developers are Vancouver-based (e.g. Anthem, Bucci, Concord Pacific, Embassy Bosa, Grosvenor, Landmark-Qualex)? Is it in part because Vancouver’s excessive development levies have caused them to look elsewhere for development opportunities?

Perhaps we should be asking the fundamental question, “Why does the city need more money for public realm improvements in established communities?” It would seem, given both residential and commercial property owners in Hillhurst Sunnyside have been paying taxes for many decades, there should already be money set aside for upgrading parks, tree planting and sidewalk replacement as part of an ongoing maintenance program. Why should the burden be placed on the new residents to fund the cost of community improvements?

Did somebody say “cash grab?”

Suburban developers currently pay a development levy of about $350,000/hectare for off-site regional infrastructure, but no levies for public realm improvements projects. This number may be increased in 2016 to more than $415,000/hectare, a topic of discussion at a public hearing Jan. 11 on the proposed off-site levy bylaw. Depending on the scenario council chooses for the Hillhurst-Sunnyside public realm levy, one consultant I’ve talked to said it could work out to between $4 million and $14 million per hectare. Is somebody saying “cash grab?” If not, they should be!