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HomeMy WebLinkAbout75-103REPORT N0.103 PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF NEW ZONING BY-LAW. This report is largely a repetition of a memorandum on the same subject which was sent out to the Committee on January 22, but has not yet been given consideration. The Planning Advisory Committee has now almost completed its work on the Interim District Plan, and hopefully after the Committee's next meeting, the plan will be launched on its way up the ladder to ultimate Ministerial approval. The Committee must now devote its attention to producing an implementing zoning by-law which will enable the Plan to be realized in practice and bring uniform standards of development into force throughout the whole municipality. This is also a matter of great concern to the Planning, Building and By-law Enforcement staff and to the Committee of Adjustment who experience every day the difficulties and uncertainties of working within the present by-laws. I have been giving some consideration to the manner in which this task should be approached and have come to certain conclusions on procedure which I have spelled out below. The proposed zoning by-law is a long and rather complex document which it could take the Committee a great length of time to go through. The major principles to govern development are set out already in the Interim Plan and much of what the zoning by-law contains is only detailed regulations to implement the general provisions already contained in the Interim Plan. Much of the discussion of the zoning by-law will revolve around minor matters such as the definition of words used in the by-law, whether the side yard in a certain zone should be 6 feet or 8 feet, and Page 2. other matters of detail. I think that these are not matters which really need to be discussed on a clause -by -clause basis by the whole Committee. What I am suggesting is that a smaller sub -committee of the Plan- ning Advisory Committee should be struck to review the text of the proposed by-law in detail and report back to the main Committee. The main Committee could then review the report and recommendations of the sub -committee and discuss any other particular points which the members of the main Committee wished to raise. This would enable the main Committee to dispense with most of the minor and on -controversial aspects of the by-law and concentrate on the important features of it. I think that the consideration of matters of planning principle is the main purpose of the Planning Advisory Committee as it is presently structured and matters of detail should not, where possible, be allowed to take up an undue amount of the Committee's time. I think it would be a worthwhile general practice for the Committee to follow in the future, that wherever it has a long and complicated document to con- sider, such as a zoning by-law, subdivision agreement, etc., it should set up an appropriate sub -committee to give detailed consideration to the matter and report back. What I am suggesting in this particular case is that a special sub -committee composed of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and two other members of the P.A.C. be struck to give det- ailed consideration to the proposed by-law in conjunction with staff and consultants and report back their recommendations to the whole Committee. Page 3. I would like to see the new by-law enacted and ready for the OMB by the time the Interim Official Plan is approved, and if the Region and the Province keep even close to their promises to deal with the Plan within a month of receipt, the Plan should hopefully have approval within four months time. Therefore, I am recommending that a subcommittee composed of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman and two other members be struck to review the proposed new zoning by-law and report back within one month's time. Respectfully submitted, r George F. Howden, Planning Director.