NEW PRACTICES FOR THE REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS

City Clerk, Planning and Transportation Committee to all Community Councils

(July 30, 1999)

Recommendation:

The Planning and Transportation Committee:

(1)referred the report (June 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services respecting New Practices for the Review of Development Applications to Community Councils for review and comment back to the Planning and Transportation Committee for its meeting on October 4, 1999; and

(2)requested each Community Council to schedule deputations from the public on this report.

For the information of Community Councils, the Committee reports having requested that:

(1)notice of meetings of Community Councils be given by way of a newspaper advertisement using plain language;

(2)copies of the report be distributed to resident and ratepayer groups in the City of Toronto;

(3)Councillor Filion forward his suggested amendments to the foregoing report to the Acting Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services for consideration by the Community Councils; and

(4)the Acting Commissioner develop an informal process to better educate the Community Councils.

Background:

At its meeting on July 12, 1999, the Planning and Transportation Committee gave consideration to the attached report (June 25, 1999) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services proposing new practices for the review of development applications and for the delivery of City Planning services across the City and recommending that:

(1)this report be referred to the Community Councils for review and comment to the Planning and Transportation Committee for its October 4, 1999 meeting;

(2)Council endorse the following principles as the foundation for new practices in City Planning:

(i)delegation of authority to staff, as permitted by statute, to approve applications for site plan control approval, various classes of consents, draft condominium approval (except for conversion of rental housing) and authority to execute, amend and release site plan agreements on behalf of the City;

(ii)a case management system which provides for a continuity of planning staff assignment from the beginning to the completion of any project;

(iii)a one-window review and comment process which is streamlined to the essential agencies and which establishes time frames for responses;

(iv)use of preliminary evaluation reports, for applications to amend the official plan or zoning by-law, to identify issues, set up a community consultation process and to establish a target for delivery of a final recommendation report and statutory public meeting;

(v)provision for roundtable meetings between applicants and empower staff from City departments to identify issues, technical studies needed and other relevant matters early in the review process;

(vi)use of plain language and common formats in reports to Council, notices to the public and agreements related to development approvals; and

(vii)use of informal and formal dispute resolution throughout the approval process to avoid appeals and referrals to the Ontario Municipal Board;

(3)the City Solicitor be directed to prepare by-laws for presentation to and approval by City Council as follows:

(i)to delegate authority to approve applications for site plan control approval to the Chief Planner or delegate(s), subject to a provision for the Ward Councillor(s) to request a "bump-up" to City Council for approval;

(ii)to establish areas of site plan control on a consistent basis across the City, establishing appropriate thresholds defining the intensity of development or redevelopment which would require the submission of an application for site plan approval as detailed in this report;

(iii)to delegate authority to grant draft condominium approvals except for applications involving the conversion of rental housing and exemptions from draft approval as appropriate, to the Chief Planner or delegate(s);

(iv)to delegate approval authority for the creation of new lots by consent to the Committee of Adjustment as permitted under Section 54 of the Planning Act;

(v)to delegate approval authority for all consents, other than the creation of new lots, to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Committee of Adjustment or delegate(s) in accordance with Section 54(2) of the Planning Act, and

(vi)to delegate authority to execute, amend and release agreements as required, to the Chief Planner or delegate(s);

(4)the City Solicitor be authorized and directed to prepare and present for Council approval, standard form agreements as required and authorized by the Planning Act and any other statutes to replace standard form agreements currently in use;

(5)Council request the Province of Ontario to amend the Planning Act to delete the requirements for a public meeting in conjunction with plans of subdivision;

(6)staff be authorized to accept certificates of completion from Provincially registered professionals as proof of compliance with City requirements and Provincial statutes with regard to site plan approval and condominium registration;

(7)staff be directed to bring forward any amendments to the Official Plans of the former municipalities required to implement the findings of this report;

(8)staff be directed to bring forward a report to the Planning and Transportation Committee recommending a new structure for the Committee(s) of Adjustment;

(9)staff be directed to bring forward a report to the Planning and Transportation Committee recommending new practices for harmonizing the Committee of Adjustment function; and

(10)staff in the Urban Planning and Development Services Department, Corporate Services Department, Economic Development Culture and Tourism Department, and Works and Emergency Services Department, be authorized to undertake necessary actions to give effect to these recommendations.

(Copies of the aforementioned report dated June 25, 1999 from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services to the Planning and Transportation Committee are available in the Clerk's Division, York Civic Centre, 2700 Eglinton Avenue West.)