Belleville Engineering & Development Services Department

Key Initiatives

Growth and Housing Initiatives

The City’s Strategic Plan identifies Growth and Housing as a strategic theme as we need to ensure a full range of housing options is available to
meet the housing needs of our residents and to provide for growth of the community. Growth and Housing is supported with the strategic theme
of Infrastructure which recognizes that we need to provide for growth of the community through extension and expansion of infrastructure.

Engineering and Development Services leads the theme of growth and housing through proper land-use planning, approvals, coordination
of infrastructure expansion and issuance of building permits. EDS is dedicated to the improvement and coordination of increasing serviced
residential lands to provide the opportunity for development of housing. This includes updating planning studies, improving development
approval processes, prioritizing new infrastructure aligned to development of housing, and continued processing and inspection of building
permits.

• Timeline: Growth management and housing supported by expansion of infrastructure is a continual process for the Municipality. We
  continue to work on updating plans, approving development applications and delivering infrastructure projects. We will be looking to
  meeting the Province’s assigned target for yearly new home construction which will contribute to Ontario’s provincial goal of building at least 1.5 million homes by 2031. It is expected that the 2024 housing starts goal for Belleville will be published on the province’s website.
• Strategic Plan Theme: Growth & Housing, Infrastructure
• Budget: Growth and Housing activities are budgeted within the EDS Department in 2024.

Avonlough Pump Station – $55M

Initiation of Multi-year construction of Avonlough Pump Station and Conveyance System.

• Timeline: 2024 (10-Year Capital Plan Development)
• Strategic Plan Theme(s): Growth & Housing, Infrastructure
• Budget: 2024 Capital Issue #1.001 ($55,000,000)

Zoning By-law – $350k

Completion and Approval of City’s New Comprehensive Zoning By-law.

• Timeline: 2024-2025
• Strategic Plan Theme(s): Growth & Housing, Infrastructure
• Budget: 2019 Operating Issue #5-07 ($350,000)

Corridor Study – $400k

Completion and Approval of Corridor Study (North Front Street and Bell Boulevard).

• Strategic Plan Theme(s): Growth & Housing, Infrastructure
• Budget: 2021 Operating Issue #D6-10 ($400,000)

Secondary Plan Update – $750k

Completion and adoption of Belleville West (Loyalist) Secondary Plan Update.

• Strategic Plan Theme(s): Growth & Housing, Infrastructure
• Budget: 2021 Operating Issue #D6-9 ($750,000)

Digital Building and Land Use Tool – $50k

Website tracking of building and land use supply statistics for housing to provide more transparency.

• Timeline: 2024
• Strategic Plan Theme(s): Growth & Housing, Infrastructure
• Budget: 2024 Operating Issue #D6-4 ($50,000)

Goals & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Strategic

Increasing serviced residential lands to provide the opportunity for development of housing. This includes updating planning studies,
improving development approval processes, prioritizing new infrastructure aligned to development of housing, and continued processing and
inspection of building permits.

Facilitating the Province’s assigned target for yearly new home construction which will contribute to Ontario’s provincial goal of building at least
1.5 million homes by 2031. It is expected that the 2024 residential construction goal for Belleville will be published on the province’s website.

• Key Performance Indicator: Provincial housing start goal.
• Measurement: Meeting housing start goal.

Operational

Departments will continue to develop operational initiatives throughout the year and work with the City’s Departmental Performance Standards Committee to develop SMART Key Performance Indicators to properly evaluate performance and provide reliable, relevant, and accountable
performance metrics to the community.

Performance

Department Plans and their performance reports were first introduced in the 2024 Operating Budget. Performance will be published in 2024 once sufficient data is collected to accurately assess the department’s performance and provide meaningful insights.

Budget

The proposed 2024 Engineering & Development Services Operating Budget is $11,634,300 in gross expenditures and $2,333,500 in net expenditures supported from the general tax levy. This represents a 22.05% increase over the 2023 budget.

In 2024, the Engineering and Development Services department has budget for significant expenditures related to the Federal Housing Accelerator program, the corresponding grant revenue has also be budgeted to fully fund these initiatives.

Achievements

2023

The Engineering & Development Services department’s 2023 achievements include:

• Exceeding the contruction starts identified through the Province’s Housing Supply Plan.
• Final approval by the Province of the new Official Plan work.
• Substantial completion of the new Zoning By-law to replace the 40 year old zoning by-laws.
• Ongoing work on the update to the Belleville West (Loyalist) Secondary Plan and when approved by Council will accommodate growth for new homes and an expanded Loyalist College.
• Completion of Herchimer Avenue Reconstruction (from Dundas Street East to Keegan Parkway), Orchard Drive and Pringle Drive Reconstruction, Black Diamond Road Sanitary Sewer Extension (first step in development of the new Fairgrounds property) and the Lower Bridge Rehabilitation.
• Implementation of the City’s first Traffic Calming Project on Yeomans Street.
• Initiation of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for the Northeast Industrial Park
  Expansion to provide road access and municipal servicing to more than 685 acres of City-owned lands from the end of College Street East to ensure there is a long-term supply of fully serviced and zoned industrial land ready for development.
• Building permits issued by Nov. 30, 2023 for 324 new residential units & 160 longterm care beds.
• The ongoing construction of a new apartment building by Staikos with 67 units north of the 401.
• Construction underway on two longterm care facilities including a 160-bed facility at Adrian and Sidney and a 128 bed expansion at Wilkie and Dundas.
• Construction of three school sites supporting growth including East Hill Elementary north of the Hospital being built, refurbishment and expansion of the vacant St. Joseph’s at Bridge and Herchimer and the Belleville Christian School on Loyalist/Wallbridge.
• Expansion underway on Loyalist College expansion with construction of new indoor gymnasium and new restaurant.
• New industrial activity with the million sq. ft. Amazon Centre receiving final occupancy, a 400,000 sq. ft. addition to Vision Transport in the NE Industrial Park and a 375,000 sq. ft. industrial warehouse being built by University and Adam.

Team

The Human Resources department is comprised of 7 highly skilled staff who provide support to all City of Belleville departments and staff:

• Director – Marie Doherty
• Talent Acquisition, Training & Development, Organizational Design, Performance Management, Wellness, Health & Safety, Labour Relations, Employee Relations, Compensation & Benefits, Strategic HR, Administration (6)

Responsibilities

Engineering and Development Services (EDS) facilitates the efficient delivery of municipal infrastructure projects, growth management and private development that benefits a healthy and prosperous community.

The Building Services division is responsible for the enforcement of the Ontario Building Code Act. Core services include review and issuing building permits with inspection of construction projects resulting from building permits. It also oversees property standards and by-law enforcement.

The Engineering division is responsible for the delivery of municipal infrastructure projects that serve our existing community and provides the necessary infrastructure to support future housing and businesses.

The Approvals division delivers development approvals. Core services relate to pre-consultation, committee of adjustment, and zoning bylaw amendments. Priorities to facilitate residential development include subdivision management which involves detailed design review,
agreements and securities, construction, and maintenance.

The Strategic Growth and Sustainability division prepares community plans and master studies for the long-range development of the City determining where people live, work and are active. The division supports special advisory committees such as heritage and the environment.
They are tasked with ensuring the City’s housing and development targets are met through the provision of adequate land supply.

Governance

Municipal guiding documents and plans as well as legislation that govern the work of the Engineering and Development Services department:

• Acts – Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Building Code Act, Canadian Navigable Waters Act (federal), Clean Water Act, Condominium Act, Conservation Authorities Act, Construction Act, Development Charges Act, 1997, Drainage Act, Endangered Species Act, Environment Assessment Act, Environmental Protection Act, Fisheries Act (federal), Highway Traffic Act, Municipal Act, Municipal Freedom of
  Information’s Act, Nutrient Management Act, 2002, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Ontario Heritage Act, Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act, Ontario Resources Act, Planning Act, Professional Engineers Act, Provincial Offences Act, Public Accounting Act and BPSPD, Public Lands Act, Public Service Works on Highways Act, Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, Railway Safety Act (federal), Residential Tenancies Act, Safe Water Drinking Act, Species at Risk Act (federal)
• Plans & Policies – Belleville Official Plan, Cash-in-lieu of Parking Policy, City of Belleville Asset Management Plan, City of Belleville Site Plan Guidelines, Street Naming Policy, Subdivision Administration Policy, Transportation Master Plan, Tree Canopy and Natural Vegetation Policy
• Standards, By-laws and Statements – Belleville Development Guidelines and Manual, Environmental Compliance Approval through Environmental Services CLI process and/or through MECP, Environmental Compliance Approval through Environmental Services CLI process and/or through MECP, Fire Underwriters Survey – Water Supply for Public Fire Protection, Infrastructure Phasing Strategy, MFIPPA and Records Retention, Municipal Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Compliance Approvals, Ontario Ministry of the Environment Design Guidelines for Drinking-Water Systems, Ontario Ministry of the Environment – Design Guidelines for Sewage Works, Ontario Ministry of the Environment – Stormwater Management Planning and Design Manual, Ontario Provincial Standards Drawings, Ontario Provincial Standards Specifications, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses, Provincial Policy Statement, Transportation Association of Canada Guidelines, various other applicable Ontario Regulations and Municipal By-laws.

Trends

Legislative/Governance

• There is focus on the priority of housing nationally, provincially and municipally. This focus is on the importance of providing housing
  through an increase in overall supply and an increase in the different types of housing units that will allow people to enter the marketplace
  and to find different types of housing as they move through the housing lifecycle which could mean finding larger or smaller homes or rental
  housing.

Municipal Budget

• In 2023, the City began an Asset Management Plan Update to ensure compliance with Ontario Regulation 588/17 – Asset Management
  Planning for Municipal Infrastructure. The plan will include a financial strategy to close the City’s infrastructure funding gap, which is
  experienced by all Ontario municipalities. The updated AMP is scheduled to be completed in July 2024 and will include a 10 year capital plan.
  All City Departments, including EDS, will be refining our growth strategy and organizational capital planning capabilities to deliver increased
  development related and infrastructure replacement and renewal projects that will be included in the 10 year capital plan.

Technology

• Investment in technology such as online application software to provide quicker approvals, prioritizing new infrastructure projects like the
  new Avonlough Pump Station and Distribution system which will open up new development in the Belleville West (Loyalist) Secondary Plan
  Area.