The Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM) Mayor wants more control over subdivision and condo planning in the municipality.
“This is an idea that I'm putting forth to try to simplify the process,” said the TBM Mayor, Alar Soever, who presented a notice of motion at a special meeting of council held on Sept. 15.
Soever is requesting the TBM receive approval authority from Grey County for planning applications of subdivisions, condos, condo exemption and part lot control.
“While it is the town council that provides its endorsement, ultimate approval authority for the subdivision itself currently lies with Grey County,” said Nathan Westendorp, director of planning and development services for TBM.
Subdivision and condo approval is currently given by Grey County, with the municipality then managing zoning bylaw amendments.
“Right now, there are costs at the county level and costs at the town level. But, it's the same taxpayer that pays for both of those. By eliminating one of the two parallel processes, I think we're actually going to achieve cost savings and efficiencies,” Soever said at a TBM council meeting held on Monday.
Soever calls the current process “cumbersome” and explains that the two application processes duplicate efforts with sometimes opposite outcomes.
Westendorp added the TBM and county planning departments currently work well together, but that by allowing TBM to have approval authority, “considerable efficiencies are gained.”
Along with requesting approval authority, the mayor’s motion also directed the TBM CAO and director of planning to engage in conversations with Grey County, to draft a Memorandum of Understanding for council’s consideration and for the TBM clerk to provide the resolution to the county.
According to Soever, within Grey County, Owen Sound is the only other municipality that looks after its own planning issues.
“We will have to take the rest of the county into consideration. But, quite frankly, the Georgian Bluff, Southgate or West Grey are on the other side of Owen Sound. There's no impact on them, yet their representatives are deciding on what's going on here,” Soever said.
