Newmarket is set to give final sign-off on its 2022 budget and an accompanying 1.99 per cent tax rate increase.
Council is completing its budgeting process with final approval at its meeting Dec. 13. Councill will also be rezoning for a Main Street development despite parking concerns and approving a full slate of decisions from its committee meetings.
Here is what NewmarketToday is following:
Budget approval
Council is finalizing a budget that could see Newmarket taxpayers pay between approximately $60 to $103 more in Newmarket municipal taxes next year, depending on their dwelling. Besides the residential tax rate, the increase is also driven by a 3.8 per cent water rate increase approved by the region and a 10 per cent stormwater rate increase.
Council made some adjustments to the budget this week, including the addition of funds for a fix for birds flying into library windows, goose management, as well as parkette and sports pad design. Staff are expected to provide council with a detailed breakdown of which parkettes could come forward with a new $50,000 line item dedicated to them.
Approval of Main Street development rezoning
Newmarket council is to approve a zoning bylaw amendment for a 16-unit townhouse development at 281 Main St. North, north of Davis Drive.
The developer sought the amendment to replace two semi-detached units with five townhouse units in the project. Council members had expressed some concern about parking on the property, at one per household plus a garage. But staff said the development met site-specific parking requirements, and the developer increased visitor parking spaces from four to six in response to the feedback.
Still, Mayor John Taylor said the town needs to take a deeper look at its parking requirements for condominium roads and townhouse developments like this one. He suggested a workshop to examine the broad issue at a deeper level.
“I don’t think we have this figured out in Newmarket, frankly, and I think it’s causing problems,” Taylor said Dec. 6. “Council really collectively wants to address that.”
Finalizing motions
Council will also give final approval for several decisions made at its committee of the whole session Dec. 6.
These include backing a report on anti-Black racism and asking for a new environmental assessment for the Bradford Bypass.
The town will stream the meeting from the municipal offices at 1 p.m. You can view the stream through newmarket.ca/meetings. You can also email [email protected] to send correspondence, register a deputation, or make an appointment to attend the meeting in person at the municipal office at 395 Mulock Dr.
