Steeves would limit ward councillors’ power over development projects
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/09/2014 (4032 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Calling it “excruciating” and one of the worst decision-making venues in Canada Gord Steeves vowed to reform the community committee process by giving ward councillors far less say in development projects.
Steeves spoke of the raucous, four-year fight to get the YMCA in his St. Vital ward built, a fight nearly lost serval times, that left him bruised.
He said often one ward councillor, under extreme pressure from a small group of vocal residents and even friends and family, will kill a project otherwise positive for the city. Or, a residential or commercial building will be changed at the last minute by community committee to appease residents, rendering the project financially unsustainable.
“All the best plans could be washed away in a minute by the greatest fear in the world — change,” said Steeves.
Instead, he proposed a more complicated process that would give local councillors far less veto power over projects.
Development applications would first be considered informally by planning staff and the local councillor. If an agreement to go forward can’t be made, the developer can appeal to a standing committee of council that does not include the ward councillor. If that standing committee approves the project, then the proposal goes to another committee made up of councillors and planning staff to ensure a project meets all the bylaw and zoning requirements.
That meeting happens in public. If 10 people are registered in opposition to the project, the matter goes to yet another council committee for a public hearing. Again, the ward councillor cannot sit on that committee but can make representations.
Steeves said the process allows the public an opportunity first to get all the facts and hear planners work through the reasons it does or doesn’t meet city requirements. Then, if there is still opposition, another formal meeting allows residents to speak.