Agencies, Boards, Commissions and Corporations (ABCCs) > Quasi-Judicial & Positions
Committee of Adjustment
The Committee of Adjustment is a quasi-judicial body that hears applications for minor zoning variances and land severances.
The Committee of Adjustment is a local board of the City established under the Planning Act. It conducts itself in accordance with the Statutory Powers Procedure Act, and is also governed by the Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 4, "Adjustment, Committee of" (PDF).
Board responsibilities
The Committee of Adjustment is organized into hearing panels. To make informed decisions, each panel member is expected to:
- review materials filed with each application
- conduct site inspections of the subject property to assess the impacts the proposal may have on the surrounding area
- attend and participate at all public hearings scheduled for their respective panels, including a briefing session prior to the actual hearing
Panel chairs are responsible for:
- ensuring fair and timely public hearings
- addressing matters concerning the operation and conduct of their panel membership
- participating as a member of the panel chair group to discuss issues affecting the city-wide committee membership
Members must attend an intensive orientation and training program.
Term of office
Four years.
Composition
The Committee of Adjustment consists of 28 citizen members organized into four Panels corresponding to the Community Council boundaries. There are:
- 5 panel members in Scarborough;
- 5 panel members in Etobicoke - York;
- 8 panel members in North York (a maximum of five panel members may participate in any one meeting of the North York Panel); and
- 10 panel members in Toronto - East York (with hearing panels set at 5).
(Amended by City Council at its meeting held on October 24 and 25, 2011, as Item CA11.4 and further amended by City Council at its meeting held on November 29 and 30 and December 1, 2011 as Item MM14.31)
Meetings
Public hearings are generally scheduled every two to three weeks depending on the application volume in each District, but they are sometimes scheduled weekly for the Toronto and East York panel when volumes are high. Public hearings are held at the Civic Centres.
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