Councillors in Gibsons have adopted their 2019 budget. The budget will see residential property taxes rise by 7.5 per cent and business taxes increase by three per cent.
Director of finance Dave Douglas has estimated that works out to about $75 more for the town portion of the taxes on the average residential property.
The budget also includes provisions to tax utility properties at the provincially allowed maximum of $40 per $1,000 in assessment and recategorize commercial marinas, which had previously paid the residential tax rate, as businesses – moves that could bring in more than $40,000 in tax revenue.
Council voted to adopt the various budget bylaws at the May 7 meeting.
Housing needs study
The Town of Gibsons is hoping to get a $125,000 grant to conduct a housing needs assessment on behalf of the whole Sunshine Coast.
The grants are part of a provincial government program announced last month to help “strengthen the ability of local governments to understand what kinds of housing are most needed in their communities, and help inform local plans, policies, and development decisions.”
The province is also moving to make changes to the Local Government Act that will require municipalities and regional districts to complete housing needs assessments every five years.
Mayor Bill Beamish said he supports Gibsons taking the lead on a bigger project rather than applying for a smaller grant to do the work for the town alone, which is the same approach local governments have taken on a child care needs assessment, a project the District of Sechelt will lead.
Off-leash areas
Gibsons council gave three readings May 7 to amendments to the dog licensing and regulation bylaw to remove references to off-leash dog areas on Shaw Road.
Under the existing bylaw, Lots 8 and 9 on Shaw are designated as off-leash areas, but one of those lots has since become Christenson Village and the other is slated for a non-profit housing project.
The amendment would leave only the Inglis Trail and all beaches during the period Oct. 16 to April 14 as designated off-leash areas.
Council supported the amendment, but also asked staff to look for new areas that could be designated as “off-leash.”
