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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 45 Issue 10
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.50% 3 Year GIC - 2.35% 5 Year GIC - 2.76% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, March 9, 2012
Tax collection for farmland, managed forests costs township $600,000 annually by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Councillors here are hoping a complaint to county Warden Chris White might lead to some action on the way the province handles taxes on farms and managed forests - but they are not going to hold their breath. Finance director Mike Givens presented council with a report last month about what municipalities see as a tax inequity for those two types of land. Farmland represents 40 per cent of Mapleton’s current value assessment. The problem is much of it is not taxable by the municipality - which leaves other township ratepayers to make up the shortfall. The issue goes back over 20 years. “Prior to 1998, owners of farmland property paid their taxes to the municipality and then, subject to meeting eligibility criteria, applied to the province to receive a rebate of 75% of the taxes paid,� Givens wrote. But, he said, assessment reform in 1998 transferred the funding responsibility to municipalities. The province set a 0.25 tax ratio on farmland - or 25% of the residential tax rate. Givens said the lost tax revenue “from farmland properties within a given municipality is therefore funded in full through higher tax rates within the municipality.� He added the same issue exists for managed forests but the cost impact is on a smaller scale. “Just as with farmland, this property class carries a 0.25 tax ratio, with the forgone property taxes funding by the remaining property owners in the township.� Givens offered a spread-
sheet that showed the effects of the policy. Farmland in 2011 provided $437,796 in property taxes under the current system. Under the previous system, it would have provided $1.75 million in taxes. Managed forests in 2011 paid $4,214, while under the old system the township would have collected $16,857. Givens said the funding shortfall amounts to $607,831 per year the township has to find through taxes to everyone else. “This is not the first time we’ve looked at this sort of report,� he added. Mayor Bruce Whale said he remembered there was a great deal of lobbying amongst farm groups prior to 1998, because members did not want to continue to wait for their rebates after paying full taxes through the year. He added when the provincial government changed rules to eliminate that wait, those farm groups did not realize the brunt of the costs would fall on municipalities. Councillor Mike Downey wondered if municipal lobbying would help. “I know we’ve done it in the past,� Downey said. “We’re down $600,000 every year.� He added he suspects farmers, under the current circumstances, would say, “We’ll wait nine months� for a rebate. Whale said rural wardens have lobbied the province for years to change the system back, but they “never get a response.� Downey wondered, “Where does that lobbying show up?� Whale was unsure, but said he would follow up with White. Downey noted, “In ten years, it’s $6 million. It’s worth Continued on page 3
Community thanks – A group studying the Bible decided they could take on a community challenge by saluting volunteer firefighters in Mapleton. They held a banquet at the Drayton Christian Reformed Church on March 3 with all the firefighters invited. From left are: organizers Nanda and John Zwart, Fire Chief Rick Richardson (holding granddaughter Emmaleigh Rozema) and his wife Paula at one of the decorated tables. photo by David Meyer
Bible study group salutes local firefighters by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. – About 100 people gathered at the Drayton Christian Reformed Church on March 3 to salute volunteer firefighters from Drayton and Moorefield. The event was organized by a Bible study group that considered the topic 40 Days of Community. One of the organizers, John Zwart, said in an interview
prior to the banquet that the challenge to the group was “to do something that was loving in the community. We thought of this.� Among the 100 people Zwart estimated would attend were not only firefighters, but also their spouses and family members as well. Fire Chief Rick Richardson estimated there were 14 volunteers coming from Drayton, and
another 13 from Moorefield, in addition to family members accompanying them. The committee organizing the event even had fire truck decorations as a place setting for each table. The event appears to be unique. “This is the first time I know of for something like this,� Richardson said of the community salute to his vol-
unteers. He said there were a number of church groups involved and the firefighters “were honoured� when they heard of it. He noted “way over half� from each station were attending. But, as it is with firefighters, Richardson also noted he could only hope there were no problems during the event. “We’ll have to leave if the pagers go off,� he said.
Building activity slow - but up a little over 2011 by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - There were six building permits taken out here in January, and the estimated value of construction was $586,400.
Chief building official David Kopp wryly reported permits are up 12% over January of 2011, when value of construction totalled $565,000. The permits consisted of a
single family dwelling estimated at $300,000, two additions to single family dwellings, one accessory to a home and two agricultural structures. The total fees collected in
January were $4,314. Kopp also told council that by mid month, “February is looking pretty good.� Council accepted Kopp’s report for information.
Township to correct past permit error by selling Rothsay road allowance by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Council here has agreed to sell a road allowance to a couple to help correct an error made several years ago. Ryan and Nicole Martin hold property at lots 86, 87, 112 and 113 on Concession 14, off County Road 7 in Rothsay. Several years ago they applied for and received a building permit for an accessory shed there. The township later learned the building encroached well onto township property, something that would not be evident
just looking at the undeveloped road. There are also some trees growing on the road allowance. Recent efforts at council to correct the problem were stalled when council received a poor sketch of the property that was inadequate to show the location of the shed and the unopened road allowance owned by the township. That road allowance is known as Nelson Street. It runs from County Road 7 to another unopened road allowance to the north called Head Street. Nelson Street is to the east
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of the Martin holdings. It is 264 feet deep and 66 feet wide. Township clerk Patty Sinnamon presented a report to council with assessment mapping and a recommendation to declare the land surplus and to sell it to the Martins. She stated the sale price across Ontario for such transactions is usually the cost of the sale, including the required advertising of the property, legal fees and other disbursements, as well as survey costs. “Based on previous unopened road allowance trans-
fers (11 since amalgamation in 1999), the total cost has been less than $5,000 and is generally borne by those receiving the lands,� Sinnamon said. If the township sells the lands, it can be taxed. As it is, Mapleton gets no revenue from it. Sinnamon added, “It is still my recommendation that the cost be shared on a 50:50 basis between the property owner and the municipality. An undertaking has been signed by the Martins to share in the cost.�
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Sinnamon told council, “The majority of unopened road allowances were created many decades ago [some as far back as the mid-1880s] as in this case. They would have been created by a developer at the time and for whatever reason, the development did not proceed.� Normally when selling a road allowance, municipalities offer adjoining landowners the opportunity to each buy a portion. Sinnamon had told council that is normal practice, but sometimes the laws do not fit
the circumstances. In this case, the shed encroaches so far onto the road allowance that it covers over half the road width. If the township considers sideyard requirements, it makes no sense to sell to anyone other than the Martins. Sinnamon told council she had received a letter from the neighbouring property owner, who gave up any rights to the purchase. Council agreed to Sinnamon’s recommendations and it is expected the land will be sold to the Martins.
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