This week City’s Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee has approved the purchase of the natural environmental land beside Deevy Pines Park (Bridlewood Core Park). Provided it is approved by council next week, the purchase will go ahead.The land is the last forested area within Bridlewood. It’s location means that a large number of Bridlewood residents will be able to enjoy the area. In fact many people are under the impression the land is already parkland.

In the report on Urban Natural Features in the City the land is described as having a high ecological value. The site includes several rare species of plants and animals.

Because the land was zoned for development many years ago, purchasing the land was the only way to protect it. If the City had not agreed to buy the land, the zoning would have allowed high density housing.

Getting the land protected has taken a lot of work. Urbandale and the City have not been able to agreed on a final price so far so a dispute resolution process will be used. However, by purchasing this land we will be able to protect the last natural area within Bridlewood.

I was brave and opened the envelope. Unlike the abject fear that ensued when the notice regarding my investments arrived, I knew that I could deal with the new property assessment. Part of me wanted to see the assessment of my home go up (what real estate sales representative in their right mind would want to see that their property was NOT increasing in value), even though I knew that the consequences of this would hit my pocketbook). The assessment did go up, but not as high as as the norm…….so I am safe!

Here are comments from  the Ottawa Real Estate Board on how to handle an assessment that you feel is unfair:

Property owners should be receiving their 2009 property tax assessments in the mail this week from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). Under the revised system, a new assessment will be conducted every 4 years, with any increase phased in over that 4-year period. MPAC says that because property values have increased by about 20 per cent province-wide since 2005, Ontario property owners can expect an average increase of 5 per cent on their 2009 property assessment and the same in the subsequent 3 years.An increase in a property’s assessment will not necessarily mean an increase in that homeowner’s property taxes. If the assessed value of the home has increased by the same percentage as the average in their municipality, there might not be an increase in the property taxes paid. If the value of a property has decreased, the entire decrease will be implemented immediately. If an owner feels that his or her assessment is inaccurate, a brochure sent out with all assessment notices includes information about how to report inaccuracies and file a complaint or challenge.

I love it when a positive comes from something so negative….such as the mistakes made in the Carp River development studies. The public’s access to information was very limited.

The city’s reaction has been a definite +. You can now log on to the City of Ottawa website, punch in “development application search” and get any and all information for all current development applications and supporting studies for everything from zoning changes that allow taller buildings to site-plan applications that show exactly how a building project will be laid out.  http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/home.jsf?lang=en

When a developer makes application for development of any type they must also file an electronic application too.  Note though that online information is only available for development applications submitted on or after February 1, 2008, so you must still contact the City of Ottawa directly for ones made prior to that 613-580-2424.

Qudos to the City of Ottawa for this response.

So….the big news yesterday was that Ottawa’s property taxes are not going to be going up as much as anticipated because of the provincial freeze on education taxes. Instead of going up 5.2% on urban properties and 6.1% on rural properties, the increase will be 4.1% & 4.5% respectively.  http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/city/story.html?id=0911fae7-a859-474c-aad6-9584842d9c83

I do the same thing after going on a great shopping spree. When Harry, my husband of 29 years (God bless him), asks me how much I have spent, I do the “shock routine”. I state double the amount spent and then after he picks himself up off of the ground after such a vicious blow I come in for the kill and share that I only spent half of that amount. Works every time!!

For additional details on Ottawa’s property taxes go to http://ottawa.ca/residents/proptaxes/index_en.html