City approves bylaws to waive lot development tax and gradually raise facilities renting fees

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — City council has approved two bylaws that focus on cost recovery for community structures and the development of a prominent vacant lot. 

During the July 14th City of Fort St. John council meeting, two bylaws were approved to support revitalization and recreational facilities in the city. 

The revitalization tax exemption bylaw specifically applies to the 100th Street and 100th Avenue vacant property, and was initially presented to city council during the June 9th committee of the whole meeting.

The bylaw is intended to support economic development on the currently vacant lot by exempting it from municipal property taxes for five years if the construction value is at least $5 million. 

The bylaw can be modified at a later date to include other unused lots within the city, however in its current form, it only applies to the 100th Street and 100th Avenue property. 

The second bylaw approved by council on Monday, a community services fees and charges bylaw, was also reviewed during the June 9th committee of the whole meeting.

The bylaw is intended to guide a gradual increase in community services fees and charges for rentable recreational spaces operated by the city. 

These include event spaces, meeting rooms and indoor and outdoor sports facilities at Festival Plaza, the North Peace Arena, the Kids Arena Fieldhouse, the Pomeroy Sport Centre, Surerus Park and Kin Park.

The 2025 operating costs for the spaces are estimated by staff to be approximately $8.47 million. Prior to the approval of the new bylaw, only 22 per cent or $1.87 million is projected to be covered by rental fees and the remaining $6.6 million would be covered by taxes collected during the year.

According to staff in June, the facilities are being used less than 42 per cent of the year on average.

The bylaw also provides community groups renting facilities the opportunity to see and plan for the next five years of fees, which would go towards cost recovery for the facilities. 

To read the bylaw, which details specific user group fee breakdowns and explains the choice for a three per cent fee annual increase, see below.