An Erin Ridge resident is calling on the city to bring in harsher penalties for property owners who leave plots of land empty and undeveloped for years at a time.
For years, Erin Ridge residents have been waiting for the development of two plots of land located at 77 and 81 Erin Ridge Drive. So far, nothing has happened.
The land is owned by Manuel Martin, of Martin Homes, whom the Gazette could not reach for this story. In 2013, Martin said he semi-retired his company following the 2007 financial crash. He said at the time the two lots on Erin Ridge Drive were expected to be sold to another builder.
Resident Dustin Bizon, who spoke to city council during Monday’s meeting, said he emailed Mayor Cathy Heron for an update on the development but was told she couldn’t reach the owner.
“This response infuriated many of us and is the reason that I am here today,” Bizon said. “The answer of ‘sorry but he won’t call me back’ is unacceptable and shows us city council is unwilling to take further steps or (is) willing to be bullied by some individual. To be blunt, the owner of these undeveloped properties has made the city look foolish.”
In an attempt to crack down on vacant residential lots, the previous city council brought in a bylaw where property owners who didn’t develop anything after seven years would have to pay 25 per cent more in taxes.
Bizon acknowledged the city’s efforts to try and deal with these kinds of issues but argued it didn’t go very far to motivate developers to build. He estimated the property owner paid roughly $1,600 more in taxes over five years on property he estimated was worth more than a million.
While the owner is paying minimal taxes and small penalties, Bizon argued the rest of the property owners in the area are seeing their property values going down because of the "eyesore."
He suggested council look at raising the penalties.
“Vancouver, for instance, levies a vacancy property fee of one per cent,” he said. “That applies to vacant homes and undeveloped sites. The property values there are so high that it can be tens of thousands of dollars per property for a year. Other jurisdictions have different rates, with the highest I found being seven per cent in Minneapolis, Minnesota.”
Bizon mentioned the city’s rate was around 0.13 per cent.
Heron acknowledged Bizon and other residents in the gallery weren’t happy with the situation but reminded them there wasn’t anything council could really do.
“We can do a little bit more digging,” she added. “There’s a few questions that came out today. The community standards bylaw might be the next best hope for you guys. I know you are angry but I can’t force (Martin) to email you back. I don’t even know where on the planet he is right now.”
David Leflar, the city’s director of legal and legislative services, reminded council taxation is really the only leverage the city has, but cautioned it is not supposed to be used for punitive purposes.
He added if the city does increase taxation for vacant lots, it would impact all properties, not just the ones owned by Martin. Leflar also pointed out the city has no way to compel someone to develop on their own property and clarified that the city policy addresses lots that have no significant development on it and doesn’t address homes that are left empty.
