More powers for planning staff could increase efficiency: city administration

THUNDER BAY – On Monday’s city council meeting, city staff will ask council for permission to begin the work to grant extra authority to the manager of planning services.

Devon McCloskey, manager of planning services, says if approved, city staff will proceed with changes to allow administration to make minor by-law amendments, grant consent to sever lots, approve subdivisions and give timeline extensions.

These delegations would not have a “very drastic effect on the planning process overall,” says McCloskey.

There wouldn’t be changes to professional planning analysis, the appeal process, or public notice requirements.

She says the changes would help streamline development projects by not having to seek council approval to amend minor policies.

“We are very supportive of these delegations because it would speed up approval timelines. So where we currently are giving recommendations to council for these various matters. Then council considers them. That last step of going to counsel, with the recommendation, would not be needed anymore,” says McCloskey.

For example, she said, getting council approval to remove a holding provision on a lot could slow down the development of a new multi-unit condominium project.

The municipality can put a holding provision on a building permit until they can verify there wouldn’t be a negative impact on the surrounding environment.

“They're used in the City of Thunder Bay for things like noise. So, where we know that there's a noisy facility, perhaps the airport or a large highway, we ask for a noise study to be completed prior to the development,” says McCloskey.

The last step would be the removal of the holding provision to approve the building permit, which administration needs council to approve.

“We've got a short building season, and every day matters in those kinds of situations,” says McCloskey.

“Because of the monthly preparation and the scheduling of items at council, as well as the committee of adjustment. Because of those monthly scheduling, because of those timelines, we wouldn't be restricted to those timelines, and administration would be able to give approvals much faster.”

By delegating this step to administration, city staff wouldn’t need to wait for a council meeting. They could remove the hold on the permit, speeding up the development process.

If approved, the delegated authority would include granting consent applications on lot creations.

She says this would include lot severances, lot addition, boundary adjustment, easement and right-of-way registration, validation of title, and registration of lease of more than 21 years upon application.

“What we're looking at is situations where there is already a council approved policy and regulation in place that could guide the size of a lot to be created and all of the necessary requirements for that lot,” says McCloskey.

“If it's meeting all of those requirements, those kinds of applications could be delegated to staff because we already have, as far as we're concerned, all of the means and measures to be able to evaluate that property and determine whether or not it's an application that could move forward.”

Subdivision approvals and time extension, where all requirements of the city's zoning bylaw and official plan are met, would also be delegated if council decides to go in this direction.

McCloskey notes that this is the first in a series of approvals city staff will need from council and the public.

“We still need to prepare the procedures. We still need to have a public meeting. We need to give notice. Do the appropriate consultation that's required because there are also official plan amendments that need to take place, which are the enabling policies to be able to put these delegations into effect,” says McCloskey.

The council report says this change will support the city's one stop development shop, which is set to be implemented sometime this spring, according to the city manager's work plan.