The Town of Petawawa is adding a Community Improvement Plan (CIP).
The CIP would provide incentives and grant opportunities to help revitalize the community, get more use out of underdeveloped properties and promote private investment in land and buildings.
The town held a public meeting on Monday night (October 4th, 2021).
The CIP would cover the entire Town of Petawawa, including Garrison Petawawa.
The vision statement for the CIP reads, “Petawawa will be a dynamic business community that offers a
diverse range of goods and services for residents and tourists in the Ottawa Valley.”
One of the goals of the Community Improvement plan is to position Petawawa as the regional hub
of the Ottawa Valley given its geographic location, workforce and abundance of nature.
Some of the proposed funding streams approved by council to be part of the Community Improvement Plan include COVID-19 relief, building façade improvements, grants for signs, parking/landscaping, accessibility and green initiatives.
Mayor Bob Sweet says this is a great move forward for the Town of Petawawa and added this will help grow and improve local businesses.
Deputy Mayor Gary Serviss says it’s an exciting project and noted that it’s worked well in other communities.
Economic Development Officer Christine Mitchell said each application will come before council in the form of a staff report.
As part of budget talks last year, council agreed to put $140,000 aside to implement the new program.
The final draft copy of the CIP is available on the Town of Petawawa’s website.
With council adopting the CIP on Monday night, there is now a 20-day appeal period.
FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
TO BE OFFERED BY
THE TOWN OF PETAWAWA
UNDER THE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN
COVID-19 Relief Grant:
- Purpose: To provide financial assistance for business owners to undertake improvements related to COVID-19 health and safety requirements, enabling them to reopen or increase business operations.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $2,500, with a maximum of one grant application per business.
Building Façade Improvement Grant:
- Purpose: To promote rehabilitation, restoration and improvements to building façade elements that promote high quality design.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Parking Area and Landscaping Improvement Grant
- Purpose: To assist with optimizing the quality of off-street parking and promote a greener and more aesthetically pleasing streetscape.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Signage Improvement Grant
- Purpose: To encourage and facilitate the improvement of signage in the Town, including the installation of permanent signs.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Accessibility Improvements Grant
- Purpose: To assist businesses with improving the accessibility of their buildings in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Commercial and Retail Market Study Grant
- Purpose: To provide financial assistance to property owners to undertake market studies to support and inform retail and commercial business opportunities.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Planning, Building and Demolition Fee Grant
- Purpose: To offset the cost of Town planning application, building permit and demolition permit fees that are incurred through the development process.
- Grant Value:
- Planning Fees: 100% of fees, up to a maximum of $2,500.
- Building Permit Fees: 100% of fees, up to a maximum of $2,500.
- Demolition Fees: 100% of fees, up to a maximum of $500.
Temporary Mobile Market Grant
- Purpose: To support new and existing business owners to establish temporary entertainment, retail and gathering spaces in Town.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $7,500.
Brownfield Redevelopment Grant
- Purpose: To encourage the remediation, rehabilitation, and redevelopment of brownfield sites in the Town.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Green Initiatives Grant
- Purpose: To encourage and promote green buildings and environmentally friendly interior and exterior design within the Town.
- Grant Value: 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Tax Increment Equivalent Grant
- Purpose: To help offset the costs for property owners undertaking redevelopment where the property assessment increases as a result of development, redevelopment, or major improvement, and there is a subsequent increase in municipal property taxes.
- Grant Value:
- Year 1 – 100% of the assessed property tax increase.
- Year 2 – 80% of the assessed property tax increase.
- Year 3 – 60% of the assessed property tax increase.
- Year 4 – 40% of the assessed property tax increase.
- Year 5 – 20% of the assessed property tax increase.
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