City of Revelstoke

Council Report

File No.: 3900-20

To: His Worship Mayor McKee and Members of City Council

From: Teresa LeRose, Manager of Legislative Services
Date: November 20, 2018
Subject: Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 2243

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 2243 be read a First, Second and
Third time.

CAO Comments:

Approved for Council consideration. AC

Background:

All existing fees and charges levels are reviewed annually as part of the financial
planning/budgeting processes. The report includes the amount of recommended changes to
which the fees and charges cover the cost of the goods and services provided.

The Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw will be posted and highlighted on the City’s website
to inform the public and provide opportunity for comment pursuant to the Financial Planning &
Budgeting Policy F-16 (attachment 3). Comments will be presented to Council during the
December 11, 2018 meeting.

Options / discussion:

In order to impose a fee payable to the City in respect of all or part of a service, the use of
municipal property or the exercise of authority to regulate, prohibit or impose requirements must
be established by bylaw, pursuant to Section 194 of the Community Charter.

Amendments to the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2008 (attachment 2) are mainly increases to
cover the cost of the services and goods provided along with housekeeping matters. Key
comments are noted below.

Schedule ‘A’ – General

 Required a new item to purchase a City flag
 Credit card payment fee – establishment of a convenience fee for credit card
transactions over $500. To reduce the financial impact on the general taxpayer of the
increasing use of credit cards to payment of fees to the City.
 City of Revelstoke
Council Report

 Property tax certificate – increased in-house costs to meet services provided and are
now available to purchase through BC Online.
 New tax roll listing – every year a listing is provided of all roll number and their property
taxes owing to the Okanagan Real Estate Board for their database. This allows realtors
to easily access how much a property pays in property taxes. It takes staff time to
prepare this report and Revelstoke is one of the few municipalities that were doing this at
no charge.
 Mortgage company property tax listing – mortgage companies give their customers the
option to pay for their property taxes through their mortgage payments. Each year
mortgage companies give us a listing of all the properties they paying the property taxes
for. Staff then provide a listing of the balances owing for the roll’s requested. This uses
staff time to prepare, manage and reconcile each year. We are one of the few
municipalities that were doing this at no charge.
 Property tax refund - in circumstances where a taxpayer or mortgage company has paid
more than the balance owing in property taxes, the City refunds the overpayment. There
are numerous hours of staff time involved in reconciling the overpayments and issuing
the refunds. We are one of the few municipalities that were doing this at no charge.
 No longer using a voters list

Schedule ‘B’ – Development Services

 Relocated building services fee to appropriate schedule

Schedule ‘C’ – Building Services

 Removal of Section 57 Notice on title - increased fee to help recover costs associated
with registering and removing the charge. There is no avenue for recovering costs when
the City is putting one on title. Same fee represented from similar communities.
 New online document fee – needed for company searches, covenant and charges on
title, pulling title and the proposed fee can be used for one, a combination or all.

Schedule ‘D’ – Public Safety (RCMP / Fire Rescue Services) – no changes

Schedule ‘E’ – Parks, Recreation and Culture

 New Pacific Sport Interior BC – GymWorks Program – partnership agreement approved by
Council on June 26, 2018; reflected as no charge to BC’s top ranked athletes/coaches
subject to presentation of membership card.
 Purchased new Bouncy Castle rental for children’s events within the building only
 Removed portable sound system; not feasible to replace
 Broke out fees for the Junior Team due to additional services required during games and
tournaments
 Required a new category for ice rental specific to corporations and business

Schedule ‘F’ – Garbage Rates

 1.7% increase
 City of Revelstoke
Council Report

Schedule ‘G-1’ - Water

 10% increase – to cover the increase in the rate-payers share of the total cost of the
Illecillewaet water crossing project due to the defeated update to the Development Cost
Charges Bylaw.
 Breweries, car washes, asphalt & cement production facilities have been adjusted to
better reflect expected water usage

Schedule ‘G-2’ – Water Big Eddy (new schedule)

 Separate water schedule created for Big Eddy – it is a separate service with identifiable
costs recoverable from properties connected to that service. It also has different user
categories
 3% increase
 Breweries, car washes, asphalt & cement production facilities have been
adjusted to better reflect expected water usage
Schedule ‘H’ – Sewer Rates
 10% increase – to build up reserves for future growth related sewer projects that will be
funded by ratepayers after the defeat of the update to the Development Cost Charges
Bylaw.
 Dedicated connection fees - included boundary extension area of Thomas Brook
 Breweries, car washes, asphalt & cement production facilities have been adjusted to
better reflect expected sanitary sewer usage

Schedule ‘I’ – Business License – no change

Schedule ‘J’ – Pound and Animal Control – no change

Schedule ‘K’ – Transit – no change

Schedule ‘L’ – Cemetery

 5% increase

Schedule ‘M’ – Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

 Copying records increased fee consistent with Schedule ‘A’ – General.

Schedule ‘N’ – Traffic and Highways

 Use of City streets application fee increased to recover costs; average fee represented
from similar communities.
 New vehicle impoundment fee - the City established a vehicle compound to remove
uninsured vehicles from municipal streets and lanes late in 2017 and the towing and
vehicle storage fee was effective January 1, 2018. This new fee will help recover costs
writing warnings and tickets, searching for vehicle ownership and sending registered
legal notifications; average fee represented from similar communities.
 City of Revelstoke
Council Report

Financial/Risk Implications:

It is not expected that the amendments to the bylaw will have any significance on the budget,
except for utility and cemetery rates. Increases for future years will be determined as part of the
long term financial planning process.

Others Consulted:

T. McCabe, CPA, CA, Director of Finance

Directors and Managers of the City of Revelstoke

Attachments:

1. Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 2243

2. Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2008 – tracked consolidated version
3. Financial Planning & Budgeting Policy F-16

Respectfully submitted,

Teresa LeRose
Manager of Legislative Services