Council approves 17 ICBL Exemptions to Permit Shovel Ready Development to Continue

Council has approved the first round of exemptions from Interim Control By-law No. 2021-024 under the Short-Term Exemption Program approved in May, further supporting shovel ready development projects to continue. During the period while the ICBL is in place, Council has expressed the desire to continue to support goals including employment, housing supply and predictability for the development industry within a complete community context.
 
Exemptions approved at the June 20th Council meeting include: 
o    111 Napier Street
o    1 Nettleton Court
o    10 Dey Drive
o    68 Georgian Manor Drive
o    33 Glen Road
o    7704 Poplar Sideroad
o    40 Georgian Manor Drive
o    65A & 65B St. Vincent Street
o    9 Juniper Court
o    132 Bartlett Boulevard
o    9402 Beachwood Road
o    Summitview Subdivision (51M-1170, Lots 42-47, 181-195, Blocks 236-254, 294 & 295)
o    2 Spruce Street
o    142 Sixth Street
o    60-62 Collins Street
o    10 Golfview Drive
o    502 Hume Street
 
The short-term ICBL exemption program brings the Servicing Capacity Allocation Policy (SCAP) into effect and in accordance with that document, considers exemptions for all development proposals that do not require planning approvals or are minor in nature (i.e. such as the creation of a single infill lot through consent) and for any major application that was submitted and deemed complete prior to May 17, 2022 (i.e. applications that were submitted during the first year of the development pause under the ICBL and prior to the effective date of the SCAP) up to an annual capacity allocation threshold.  Major developments include plans of subdivision, vacant land condominiums and site plans and these must satisfy the required minimum 50% of available points per the SCAP criteria to be considered for an exemption, thus demonstrating that they are in line with our community’s values and help build a complete community. Projects must be imminently ‘shovel-ready’ to receive water allocation, while the ICBL is in effect.
 
Applicants under this intake met the deadline for application of May 27, 2022. The deadline for the Second intake of ICBL Exemption Applications is August 15, 2022. Those applications will be considered at the September 6th Strategic Initiatives meeting followed by Council on September 19, 2022.
 
For the ICBL Exemption Application, information on the short-term ICBL exemption program, Servicing Capacity Allocation Framework, and more visit: https://engage.collingwood.ca/interim-control-by-law-icbl
 
Background
At the Council meeting held Monday, April 26, 2021, Collingwood Town Council approved a pause in development to address municipal servicing capacity limitations for future development, using an ICBL that could last up to a year while a Land Use Planning Policy Study (LUPPS) is completed.  One of the key outcomes of the LUPPS was a recommended zoning by-law amendment that ensures adequate municipal servicing capacity is available prior to any building permit being issued.
 
The Town received 3 Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) appeals to the zoning by-law amendment earlier this year causing the automatic continuation of the ICBL under the Planning Act and a continued pause on development.
 
The water supply is safe and available for current residents, industry, commercial uses, and temporary visitors. There is enough water for several years of growth, but not enough to continue at the same pace of development until the water treatment plant is expanded in 2025. As soon as becoming aware of this difficult situation, Council took a proactive and transparent approach to seek further capacity and responsibly manage that which remains.
The ICBL limits the issuance of building permits, however some construction that does not use more water and where no change of use is proposed, such as most residential renovations, can continue.  
 
An initial ICBL exemption program was in effect in June of 2021, with 36 exemptions granted, which allowed construction of 316 Single Dwelling Equivalent Units, using some of the remaining water capacity in Collingwood.  Subsequently an additional 18 exemptions were granted for industrial/commercial/institutional changes of use or accessory residential dwelling units.
 
Next Steps 

• For those developments and individuals who have been granted exemptions from the ICBL, your application can continue through the planning process and building permits may be issued.   
• For those developments and individuals who have not been granted exemptions from the ICBL, your planning application will continue to be processed and reviewed, however no decision from Council will be available until the completion of ICBL. 
• Please contact the Planning Division at planning@collingwood.ca should you have any questions.

For more information, and to track the progress on increasing water capacity and planning activity associated with removing the need for the pause in development, please visit: https://engage.collingwood.ca/interim-control-by-law-icbl. Questions and comments are also encouraged using the Engage Collingwood page. 

For more information, contact:

Christa Carter
Manager, Public Relations
& Communications
705-445-1030 Ext. 3274
ccarter@collingwood.ca
    
Summer Valentine
Director, Planning, Building,
& Economic Development
705-445-1030 Ext. 3284
svalentine@collingwood.ca