City eliminates development charges in vulnerable neighbourhoods

In an effort to encourage investment and revitalization in some of Windsor's struggling neighbourhoods, the city has eliminated fees for developers.

Councillorsagreed to dropdevelopment cost charges for a large area of the downtown and surrounding neighbourhoodsat Tuesday's council meeting.

The decision was based on recommendations from a report put together by a Toronto-based consultant hired last year to conduct at Neighbourhood Market Value Analysis of the city.

The area that will see fees eliminated will stretch fromSandwich in thewesttoPilletteRoadin the east, and from the riverfront toTecumsehRoad in the south.

Mayor Drew Dilkens recognizes new investment won't come immediately, but he's hopeful the cost reduction will attract new investment.

"It will probably take a couple years for itself to play itself out," he said. "I would expect over the next couple of years, we should see the impact of the decision tonight."

Coun. Chris Holt says the economic incentive isn't enough.He asked administration to bring back a report on other incentives.

"You need to look into other things: construction, loan, financing, other kinds of incentives to really encourage developers to come and spend some money downtown," he said.

Holt says one option could be a community improvement plan for the area.