Council considers Procedure for Evaluation of Exemption Requests for Building during the Land Use Policy Study
On Monday, May 31, Collingwood’s Strategic Initiative Committee received Staff Report CAO2021-07 Interim Control By-law No. 2021-024 - Exemptions and Procedure for Receipt and Evaluation of Exemption Requests and recommended the report be forwarded for approval at the June 3rd Special meeting of Council.
At the Council meeting held Monday, April 26, Collingwood Town Council approved a pause in development to address drinking water capacity for future development, using an Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL) that could last up to a year. 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, and we must manage the remaining capacity. Construction that does not use more water, such as most residential renovations, can continue. If any Exemption Requests are approved, they could also move forward to construction during the ICBL.
For those developments and individual property owners affected by the ICBL, the proposed Procedure for Receipt and Evaluation of interim Exemption Requests for water use during the Land Use Policy study, still subject to approval by Council on June 3rd, is as follows:
- Applicant fills out the prescribed Exemption form available on Engage.Collingwood.ca and submits the form to the Town Clerk;
- Requests received by the Town Clerk are scheduled for receipt by Council and referral to the CAO for review by senior management and the Town solicitor;
- Those requests which are deemed to be eligible for possible ICBL exemptions are identified and, where applicable, performance conditions are crafted which will frame consideration of the exemption request;
- A staff report is prepared for Council’s consideration that sets out the terms under which the municipality will further consider or grant those requests for exemptions from the ICBL; and
- The Town will periodically report on these items relative to the identification of available water system capacity and/or relative to the timeliness of the Study.
All request forms are to be submitted to clerk@collingwood.ca by no later than June 18, 2021, to be considered by the Strategic Initiative Standing Committee on July 5, 2021, and Council on July 19, 2021. Anyone with a project that will use water, including large developments, individual infill lot developments and new accessory apartments should apply.
“Addressing our drinking water capacity challenges is the Town’s highest priority. We must manage the remaining water capacity in a responsible and fair manner,” says Mayor Brian Saunderson. “By having this Procedure in place, Council will be able to make decisions on exemption requests that considers a number of criteria, from the type of development, our strategic priorities and vision for Collingwood’s future.”
A list of staff proposed evaluation criteria and exemptions is also included in the recommendation to Council which can be viewed here: Staff Report CAO2021-07 Interim Control By-law No. 2021-024 - Exemptions and Procedure for Receipt and Evaluation of Exemption Requests.
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: engage.collingwood.ca.
Questions and comments are also encouraged using the Engage Collingwood page.
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For further information:
Christa Carter
Manager, Public Relations & Communications
Town of Collingwood
705-445-1030 Ext. 3274
ccarter@collingwood.ca
Adam Farr
Director, Planning &
Building Services
Town of Collingwood
705-445-1290 Ext. 3284
afarr@collingwood.ca
Sonya Skinner
Chief Administrative Officer
Town of Collingwood
705-445-1030 ext. 3277
sskinner@collingwood.ca