Mayor Lou Maieron is questioning the definition of the completeness of an application in cases where council still has concerns.
Maieron’s case in point, as he discussed at a recent meeting, regarded a downtown Erin location seeking a broader range of property use.
The mayor questioned a portion of the meeting minutes in which he’d stated there appeared to be a considerable amount of information for the applicant to submit.
At the time, planner Sally Stull responded that pursuant to a recent understanding/clarification, deeming an application complete is less restrictive.
Maieron said he didn’t understand the answer.
He asked there is a checklist to determine if applications are deemed complete.
Maieron said there were a number of issues which were still being resolved.
“Can we deem an application complete if all those submissions haven’t come to you or to us.”
Stull said there are number of requirements within the Planning Act.
But the shortfalls listed, did not fall in those regulations – and therefore not issues which would determine whether an application would be considered complete.
Maieron asked whether the re are pre-consultation meetings with applicants.
Stull said that while she attempts to have such meetings, they are not a requirement of Erin’s Official Plan at this time.
Maieron then wanted to know how a checklist is developed.
Stull said there is a specified list within the Planning Act, “which may be different than materials we may ask of the applicant in order to evaluate the application.”
Maieron asked if the normal protocol or policy was to have pre-consultation meetings with the client according to the Planning Act.
“If your Official Plan deems it so,” responded Stull.
Erin’s plan does not.
Maieron asked “isn’t the public interest better served by having the required information before staff and council before deeming it complete.”
Rather than the applicant coming before council and discovering aspects are not covered, Maieron believed a set checklist would be better for both the applicant and the municipality.
He asked whether a checklist could be developed.
In response, councillor Barb Tocher stated “That’s Sally’s job. She knows what has been checked off according to the regulations.”
Unfazed, Maieron again stated that it isn’t within the town’s regulations to require pre-consultation meetings.
Tocher said the Official Plan would need to be changed to bring that into effect.
“Then it is a change we should look at doing.”
Stull noted that in the Wellington County five-year-review, they are adding that pre-consultation package to their Official Plan and the lower tiers follow suit.
“It is something we would do in close relationship to the passing of the county plan.”
“We are working towards that.”
