On the January 24 Council agenda there is a staff report recommending delegation of authority for most site plans. Site plans are the tool for implementing what has already been approved by Council for the land in quesetion. As reviewed council members will be aware of all site plans and will have the choice to request that the site plan approval be “bumped up” to Council. As clearly identified in the report the delegation recommendation does not include site plans involving the Mary lake property. The proposed new protocol has been tested throughout 2021 and no deficiencies were identified. I believe that the proposed process is appropriate; it is an example of effective streamlining or red tape cutting. As always if you want to make a deputation and or submit comments please contact clerks@king.ca by noon on January 24.
Upon looking through the staff report recommending delegation of authority for most site plans, I can see and appreciate the efficiencies and potential advantages for developers and the Township. My only area of concern is awareness of the public and the opportunity for the public to contribute comments. Council members could bring site plan approval applications to the attention of the public, but this may not always happen. Is there a way to provide for public awareness and comment while achieving the efficiencies?
Debbie:
Thank you for sharing your insights on the agenda of the forthcoming Council meeting.
Please can you clarify how Council are kept abreast of all site plan applications? Is there a report on the status of all developments which have been approved by Council or LPAT that is provided to Council at Council meetings with some frequency please in order for the “Bump up” decision to be made or not?
The question is driven by the need for some approved developments in King to satisfy many criteria before site plan approval & a concern regarding the transparency to affected tax payers of any site plan approvals made by the Director of Development.
Thanks Ian Hilley
I think you have identified a gap in the process which has been piloted and is being proposed: when a site plan is approved without it being at Council for Council approval or refusal how does public know that it has occurred and what has been approved. Site plan review and approval occurs after the plan has been approved by Council. For it to be approved Engineeering, Planning will have been satisfied whether criteria has been met. Affected taxpayers have opportunity at the meeting when the plan is approved or denied; other than it being another chance for public to say that they do not agree I don’t know that there is more the public can achieve by a site paln application being approved in a council meeting vs being approved by Director unless it is bumped up,