October 26, 1998
To:Chairman and Members of the Scarborough Community Council
From:Ted Tyndorf, Director, Community Planning East District
Subject:Status of Committees of Adjustment and Consent Applications
Purpose:
To respond to a request from Scarborough Community Council for a report on the status of
the process respecting Committees of Adjustment and the procedure for severance
applications.
Recommendation:
That the Scarborough Community Council receive this report for information.
Background:
Planning officials from the six former cities and Metro, have been working to establish the
"best practices" for processing development applications and harmonizing operations for the
delivery of planning services. A report from the Commissioner, Urban Planning and
Development Services, regarding the implementation of harmonized practices for
development application review and approval should be considered by the Urban
Environment and Development Committee, and City Council, by year's end. This report
will provide an overview of best practices and basic business rules for processing all
development applications, together with specific recommendations to Council regarding
delegated approval authority for certain applications.
Consent Applications:
In accordance with the interim policy and practice of the former City of Scarborough
Council, consent granting authority was delegated to the Commissioner of Planning and
Buildings. On October 2, 1998, City Council adopted By-law No. 23933 transferring this
authority to the Director, Community Planning, East District.
In the other former municipalities, consent approval authority was delegated to the
Committee of Adjustment. Delegation to the Committee of Adjustment ensures that
community and planning issues on controversial consent applications, together with
proposals involving a minor variance application, are considered in a public forum.
The "harmonization" report will recommend that the Committee of Adjustment be delegated
the authority to grant consents. It is expected that this report will be referred to the
Community Councils for comment before any substantive changes are implemented.
Committee of Adjustment:
On October 5, 1998, four Deputy-Secretary Treasurers for the Committee of Adjustment
were appointed. These appointments reflect the four geographical areas established for the
new organizational structure of the City Planning Division. The Deputy Secretary-Treasurer
for the Community Planning East District will co-ordinate the daily administrative functions
for the Committees of Adjustment in the former Cities of Scarborough and East York.
Committee of Adjustment staff are currently reviewing the "best practices" of the former
municipalities in order to harmonize procedures for processing consent and minor variance
applications. A further report will be prepared recommending, in more detail, the
harmonized procedures for these applications. The report will also put forward
recommendations to City Council regarding the creation of one Committee of Adjustment in
the new City of Toronto, together with recommendations on the size, composition and
nomination process for each Community Council to appoint citizen members on their
respective panels. Staff are working to resolve these structural issues and will report as soon
as possible.
Contact Name:
Denise Rundle, Deputy Secretary-Treasurer
Committee of Adjustment, East District
Telephone 396-7018
Fax 396-4265
E-mail rundle@city.scarborough.on.ca
Ted Tyndorf
Director of Community Planning, East District
Urban Planning and Development Services
DR:dm
