That, on the recommendation of the Deputy City Manager, Planning and Economic Development, the following actions be taken with respect to the evaluation of Community Improvement Plan and Financial Incentives Programs:
a) the recommendations identified through the 5-Year Community Improvement Plans and Financial Incentives Programs Review that can be addressed through existing budgets BE IMPLEMENTED:
i) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to revise the City of London Community Improvement Plan for Brownfield Incentives to update references to The London Plan, Provincial planning legislation, and Provincial financing tools;
ii) that the Community Improvement Plan for Industrial Land Uses BE AMENDED to remove ‘businesses that develop computer software or hardware for license or sale to end users that are on land zoned for industrial uses’ and to remove ‘enhanced transportation and logistics’, it being noted that ‘enhanced transportation and logistics’ is not defined as targeted in Schedule 3 of the Community Improvement Plan;
iii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to remove references to the former 1989 Official Plan and Provincial Policy Statement and to replace them with The London Plan and the 2020 Provincial Policy Statement in all Community Improvement Plans;
iv) that the Upgrade to Building Code Loan Program and the Façade Improvement Loan Program BE AMENDED to modify the repayment schedules to reduce the term length for loan amounts that are equal to or less than $5,000 from 114 monthly payments to 54 monthly payments instead;
v) that the Airport Area Community Improvement Plan (CIP) BE AMENDED to revise the eligibility criteria and requirements for retroactive applications, it being noted the Airport Area CIP requirements are inconsistent compared to other City of London CIPs;
vi) that the goals and objectives of the Downtown and Old East Village Community Improvement Plans BE AMENDED to introduce measurable objectives to inform when the CIPs’ identified Community Improvement goals have been achieved;
vii) that the Heritage Community Improvement Plan, City of London Community Improvement Plan for Brownfield Incentives, and Community Improvement Plan for Industrial Land Uses BE AMENDED to include performance measures, indicators of success, and targets to align with current City policies and Municipal Council Strategic Directions;
viii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to review the effectiveness of the Financial Incentive Programs supporting the City of London Community Improvement Plan for Brownfield Incentives; and,
ix) that the Development Charges Grant and the Tax Increment Equivalent Grant Programs in the City of London Community Improvement Plan for Brownfield Incentives BE AMENDED to limit the duration of Municipal Council’s commitment, it being noted that the Program does not define a time limit for holding City funds committed in future budgets;
b) the recommendations identified through the 5-Year Community Improvement Plans and Financial Incentives Programs Review that result in a funding reduction, or a program being suspended, BE IMPLEMENTED:
i) the Industrial Land Corridor Enhancement Grant Program BE DELETED from the Community Improvement Plan for Industrial Land Uses;
ii) the funding for the Property Tax Assistance Grant Program in the London Community Improvement Plan for Brownfield Incentives BE SUSPENDED in the next Multi-Year Budget pending review of the impact of 2023 changes made to the Provincial Brownfield Financial Tax Incentive Program; and,
iii) that funding for the Wharncliffe Road Corridor Sign Loan Program in the Lambeth Area Community Improvement Plan BE SUSPENDED in the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget, it being noted that this program will continue to be approved as part of the Lambeth Area Community Improvement Plan;
c) the recommendation identified through the 5-Year Community Improvement Plans and Financial Incentives Programs Review that continues existing financial incentive programs with an existing budget BE IMPLEMENTED:
i) that, based on results from the review of the City’s current Community Improvement Plans and the associated Incentive Programs, the following Programs, BE CONTINUED, noting that funding for these Programs was set to expire December 31, 2023:
A) Residential Development Charges Grant Programs offered in the Downtown and Old East Village Community Improvement Project Areas;
B) Downtown, Old East Village, and SoHo Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Tax Grant Programs;
C) Downtown, Old East Village, Hamilton Road, and SoHo Upgrade to Building Code Loan Programs;
D) Downtown, Old East Village, and Hamilton Road Upgrade to Building Code Loan Programs, including existing provisions for forgivable loans;
E) Downtown, Hamilton Road, Old East Village, Lambeth and SoHo Façade Improvement Loan Programs;
F) Downtown and Old East Village Façade Improvement Loan Programs, including existing provisions for forgivable loans; and,
G) City-wide Industrial Development Charge Program that continues to distinguish between targeted and non-targeted industrial uses;
d) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to submit business cases for all recommendations requiring additional investment through the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget process:
Enhancing an Existing Financial Incentive Program
i) that the Core Area Community Improvement Plan BE AMENDED to make available to properties facing Dundas Street in the Midtown Area, the Façade Improvement Loan, Upgrade to Building Code Loan, and the Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Tax Grant Programs;
ii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of funding the Upgrade to Building Code Loan, the Façade Improvement Loan, and the Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Tax Grant Programs approved in 2021 for the Argyle Core Area CIP, including consideration of a forgivable loan component for properties facing Dundas Street between Clarke Road and Hale Street;
iii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of amending the Upgrade to Building Code Loan Program offered in the Downtown and Old East Village Community Improvement Project Plans to increase the amount of the forgivable portion from 12.5% to 75% for residential units created in building levels above the ground floor and from 12.5% to 50% for commercial units created in building levels above the ground floor;
iv) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to review the feasibility of including a Safety Audit Grant Program in the Hamilton Road Area and Argyle Core Area Community Improvement Plans;
v) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to report back to Municipal Council with recommendations for eligible property security improvements under the Core Area Safety Audit Grant Program to supplement recommended improvements from safety audits which also consider community visual impact;
vi) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of amending the Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Tax Grant Program offered in the Downtown and Old East Village Community Improvement Plans to increase the grant value for Level 2 properties to promote occupancy in above ground floors;
vii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate improving the functionality of the existing Additional Residential Unit Loan Program to encourage the construction of Additional Residential Units in alignment with the multi-year budget process;
Creating a New Financial Incentive Program or Community Improvement Plan
viii) that, following Council’s adoption of the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget setting funding for Financial Incentive Programs in existing Community Improvement Plan, Civic Administration TO REPORT BACK on the policy and financial impacts of introducing a new Community Improvement Plan for the Hyde Park Hamlet on Gainsborough Road;
ix) that the Heritage Community Improvement Plan BE AMENDED to add a new Heritage Grant Program to incentivize the rehabilitation of Heritage properties up to $5,000 capped at 50% of completed eligible improvements;
x) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of adding energy upgrades and climate change adaptation measures into London’s Community Improvement Plans;
xi) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to review the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan and report back to Municipal Council on how to improve the Plan to incentivize affordable housing developments;
xii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to prepare new Community Improvement Plans and programs to support low-cost housing within primary transit areas;
xiii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of introducing a new grant program in the Downtown, Old East Village, SoHo, Argyle Core Area, Lambeth, and Hamilton Road Area Community Improvement Plans for funding 100% of eligible interior and exterior building improvements undertaken by business tenants, up to a maximum of $5,000;
xiv) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of a new community improvement financial incentive program to support conversion of vacant commercial buildings with a low potential for continued commercial use to residential units in alignment with the multi-year budget process;
xv) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of introducing a new community improvement financial incentive program to support attainable housing within primary transit areas in alignment with the multi-year budget process; and,
xvi) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to review the Core Area Community Improvement Plan to consider amendments addressing property acquisition options and financial incentive programs aimed at identifying and encouraging commercial occupancy options identified through the Core Area Land and Building Vacancy Reduction Strategy;
Boundary Changes to a Community Improvement Project Area
xvii) that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to investigate the feasibility of consolidating the Core Area, Downtown, and Old East Village Community Improvement Plans, it being noted that the Core Area comprises of three distinct areas: Downtown, Midtown, and Old East Village;
xviii) that the Old East Village Community Improvement Plan Project Area BE AMENDED to include the properties located at 425 Rectory Street, 419 Rectory Street, 417 Rectory Street, 415 Rectory Street, 800 King Street, 796 King Street, 794 King Street, 790 King Street, 786 King Street, 784 King Street, 774 King Street, 768 King Street, 764 King Street, 762 King Street, 758 King Street, 754 King Street, 748 King Street, 376 Hewitt Street, 378 Hewitt Street, 380 Hewitt Street, 382 Hewitt Street, 386 Hewitt Street, and 390 Hewitt Street; and,
xix) that the Hamilton Road Community Improvement Plan Project Area BE AMENDED to include the property located at 512 Horton Street East; and,
xx) the comments and communications received as part of the associated public participation meeting relating to affordable housing BE FORWARDED to the appropriate external reference group(s) for consideration;
it being noted that the Planning and Environment Committee received the following communications with respect to these matters:
• a communication dated June 5, 2023 from K. Duever, VP, Public Affairs, London Chamber of Commerce; and,
• the revised staff report;
• the staff presentation;
• a communication dated June 12, 2023 from Councillor S. Franke;
• a communication dated June 8, 2023 from B. Maly, Downtown London Executive Director and S. . Collyer, LDBA Board Chair;
• a communication dated June 8, 2023 from A. McClenaghan, Chair, Mainstreet London; and,
• a communication dated June 9 2023 from S. Levin;
it being pointed out that the following individuals made verbal presentations at the public participation meeting held in conjunction with this matter:
• S. Levin;
• M. Wallace, London Development Institute;
• D. Bellrose;
• B. Maly, Executive Director, Downtown London Business Improvement Area;
• K. Duever, London Chamber of Commerce;
• J. Ryan, Indwell;
• Sister J. Atkinson, Sister of St. Joseph and Vision SoHo Alliance Group;
• J. Pastorius, Old East Village Business Improvement Area; and,
• J. A. John, Partner Housing.