Financing Urban Growth: The Use of Development Cost Charges and Community Amenity Contributions

After completing this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

• Explain the B.C. legal framework for Development Cost Charges (DCCs), Amenity Cost Charges (ACCs), Community Amenity Contributions (CACs,) density bonusing and inclusionary zoning, heritage building preservation, and other means of obtaining contributions from urban development for infrastructure or amenities.
• Discuss the pros and cons of current approaches and practices in BC communities, from the perspectives of local government, developers, land owners, and the community.
• Consider and discuss the municipal fiscal rationale for contributions from development projects and compare with the use of property taxes to fund infrastructure and amenities.
• Recognize the urban land economics foundation for development contributions and the potential market impacts of DCCs and ACCs, including potential impacts on housing prices and affordability.
• Discuss the principles for sound design and effective implementation of CAC and ACC plans.
• Understand the implications for municipalities: pros and cons of using these tools to obtain community amenities and infrastructure.
• Understand the implications for land owners: effect on land value.
• Understand the implications for developers: land acquisition costs, impact on profitability, impact on ability to acquire/assemble land.
• Understand the implications for provincial legislation: is there a better way to achieve community amenities and infrastructure?
• Review actual approaches used in communities in B.C. Discuss pros and cons of different approaches.

• Lectures
• Small group discussions
• Case study analysis

You will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis on:

• Attendance. You need to attend at least 75% of classes to pass the course.

• Planners, architects and landscape architects
• Engineers, developers, builders and real-estate professionals
• Elected officials
• Transportation professionals
• Staff of non-profit organizations
• Local, provincial and federal government administrators and project managers
• Lawyers, financiers and community advocates

No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.