[markbarbera]

From today's Spec:

December 05, 2007
The Hamilton Spectator
(Dec 5, 2007)
The city has found a compromise with local builders that raises the cost of doing business but less than originally proposed.

Councillors agreed yesterday to increase fees for development applications including subdivision applications, zoning and official plan changes by 50 per cent, instead adopting a proposal to match Burlington's significantly higher fees in the short term.

The Hamilton-Halton Homebuilders' Association was outraged last month after Councillor Brad Clark recommended Hamilton match Burlington to help the city recoup the cost of planning applications. City staff supported the fee hike, despite their original recommendation to only increase fees 25 per cent until a review was done.

Builders argued it was unfair to double charges without a complete report. Burlington had a comprehensive report finalized first, they said.

Council delayed the decision, giving Clark time to meet with the association. Yesterday, they agreed to compromise with a 50 per cent jump until the full review and pending final approval.

Apparantly the other shoe will drop on the developers at the end of the study period. I would expect a rush on construction permits, but tehn again Hamilton developers don't feel they need permits to start building anyway, do they