We told you recently that the owners of the former Playtex site in Arnprior have a problem with the over 200 thousand dollars in Development Charges (DC) being assessed to add four storage facilities at the Fourth Avenue property.
That’s the amount slated to be assessed by the Town of Arnprior under the community’s 2018 DC Charges Bylaw.
Huntington Properties would like the Ford government’s newer version of DC charges to apply, although it was not in effect at the time the project received site plan approval from Arnprior.
That would grant them a development charges exemption.
But the semantics got a little more complex at a Development Charges Hearing held in Council Chamber August 28th.
Geoff Howard, Legal representative for Huntington maintains the firm is entitled to the exemption even under the Town’s 2018 bylaw because the storage units are an extension of an existing building on the property.
Never mind that the argument requires you to believe that because the units are connected to the old building by an in-ground utilities labyrinth, they are essentially joined to, and thus part of the older structure.
While that argument may hold sway at an future Land Tribunal appeal, it did not impress elected representative who voted unanimously to uphold the Town’s position that the 200k is owed.
Huntington’s Matt Desjardins says the new storage units would not have a sprinkler system, because no fire protection is legally required.
Huntington’s lawyer suggested the issue will likely be destined for a Land Tribunal Hearing for a ruling on the convoluted question.
By Rick Stow
