DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE
	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
	FROM:	Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services Valerie Shuttleworth, Director of Planning and Urban Design
	PREPARED BY:	Valerie Shuttleworth, Acting Director of Planning
	DATE OF MEETING:	2003-Feb-04
	SUBJECT:	Streamlining of Development Approval Processes, Including Delegation of Development Approval Authority Six Month Review

RECOMMENDATION:

That the following development approval process improvements, approved by Council on June 25, 2002 for a six month trial period and implemented through planning process changes and enactment of delegation By-law 2002-202, be approved for continuation on an ongoing basis:

• Delegation of extension of draft plan approval and minor revision to draft plan approval authority to the Director of Planning and Urban Design;

• Delegation of additional site plan approval authority to the Director of Planning and Urban Design;
• Delegation of draft plan of condominium approval authority to the Director of Planning and Urban Design;
• Three Stream preliminary reporting process;
• Regular reporting on incoming applications, with a “bump-up” processing option;
• New street address policy; and
• No longer include Hold provisions on standard residential draft plan of subdivision approvals.

And that Council enact the amendment to Delegation By-law 2002-202, attached as Appendix ‘A’.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to review a number of initiatives approved by Council on June 25, 2002 to improve the processing of development approvals within the Development Services Commission. The approval was given for a six month trial period. The report recommends continuation of revised processes improvements.

BACKGROUND:

On June 25, 2002 Council adopted recommendations of a staff report that outlined a number of initiatives to streamline processes and ensure a continued high level of service within the Development Services Commission. Council approved the recommended changes for a six month trial period. The now implemented recommendations streamlined the processing of development applications related to:

• extension of draft plan approval;
• revisions to draft approved plans;
• site plan approval;
• approval of draft plans of condominium;
• preliminary reports;
• requests for street address changes; and
• removal of hold provisions appended to the zoning of standard residential subdivisions.

DISCUSSION:

Benefits of Adopting “Best Practises”

The June 18, 2002 staff report outlined the following benefits of adoption of the streamlined processes and “best practises”:

• earlier open-dialogue with the applicant, public and affected parties;
• increased customer service and satisfaction through reduced application processing time;
• assistance in focusing issues and options for all concerned and facilitation of earlier attention to identified public issues;
• removing smaller, “technical” matters from Development Services Committee and Council agenda and freeing up Council to spend more time on “big picture” items and issues;
• provide applicants with clear, consistent, early direction on application issues;
• reduced application processing times;
• empower staff to do what it does best.

Upon review it is clear that after the six month trial period these benefits are being realized.

New report regarding incoming applications

To ensure that Council remains cognizant of applications in process, a standard report, listing and giving a brief summary of all incoming applications (including approval route) has been prepared and included in the Development Services Committee Agenda at least once a month. In this manner, Councillors have all been able to review incoming applications and identify or “flag” any applications they had concerns with or questions about. During the six month trial period, we had one application (LCBO Site Plan on Highway 7) “bumped up” from the staff approval level to Committee approval.

Standard Reporting on Delegated Approvals

Staff routinely provides a report to the Development Services Committee listing all applications recently approved by the Director/Commissioner under delegated authority. This reporting procedure has continued with respect to all of the new approval authority delegations.

Time Frame for Completion of “Preliminary Reports” for Development Applications

The initiation of a standard early reporting procedure for all application types requiring public input was approved. For the most part, all incoming applications requiring committee approval and public input have been before the Committee on a preliminary basis, within six to eight weeks of receipt.

Delegation of Various Approvals to the Director of Planning and Urban Design

It was recommended that a new delegation by-law be enacted to empower the Director of Planning and Urban Design as the approval authority for all extensions of draft plan approval and minor revisions to draft approved plans. The enacted delegation By-law 2002-202 reflects that recommendation. However, it has become clear that the Director of Planning and Urban Design should also have authority to make minor revisions to conditions of draft approval. A proposed amendment to the delegation by-law is attached as Appendix “A”.

Delegation of further Site Plan Approval Authority to Director of Planning and Urban Design

Council approved delegation of all site plan approval authority to the Commissioner/Director with the exception of the following, which approval authority remains with Committee:

· multi-storey residential buildings, four storeys and over in height;

· office buildings located on arterial roads and over 7,500 m² (80,000 sq. ft.);

· retail/commercial developments over 4,700 m² (50,000 sq. ft.).

During the six month trial period, one site plan approval application (LCBO on Highway 7) was “bumped up” from a staff approval level to the Committee. It is recommended that this adopted delegation also remain in place.

Approval of Draft Plans of Condominium

Council also approved delegation of approval authority for draft plans of condominium to the Director of Planning and Urban Design. This practise should continue as well.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The Core Services Implementation Program - Development Applications Review and Approval Process Project includes a savings target of 1 FTE and $62,000 and an efficiency target of 5 FTEs and $310,000.

As noted in the June 18, 2002, report, implementation of the recommendations realize an efficiency target gain of $60,604.00, and 0.980 F.T.E. This efficiency will only be realized if the process changes and the approval authority delegations remain in place permanently.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The Legal Services Department was consulted regarding the June 8, 2002, recommendation.

ATTACHMENTS:

Appendix ‘A’ Amendment to Delegation By-law

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Director of Planning and Urban Design ___________________________________

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services

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