Many of my municipalities are proceeding with subdivision applications and the public notice procedures involved. If the application is a discretionary use, then public notification is required before council makes the decision to either continue with negotiating with the developer, or denying the application entirely. It is council’s discretion to make the final decision, but they do want to hear what their ratepayers have to say. What do you think? Is it idea good or bad?
In some cases public notification is not required, such as if the municipality receives a subdivision application for a permitted use (a residential subdivision in a residential district), and council can promptly make that decision at the next council meeting. If the proposed subdivision is for a discretionary use, then the zoning bylaw will outline public notification procedures that must be completed before council makes their final decision, such as posting the notice in the newspaper, putting it on their website and mailing letters to adjacent landowners.
A fellow called the office this week asking if it was worth it to put in his letter of concern for a subdivision, asking if council considers it. Folks, it’s important to remember that your municipal council was elected by you, so they probably care what you think about a decision that may affect you. However, this does not mean that they will agree entirely with your position or follow your recommendation to approve or deny the application. However, as elected officials, they are to consider your opinions before they render a decision.
Informed decisions are best achieved when people provide both positive and negative feedback on a proposal. Not all submissions have to be negative, but typically that is all we hear. It seems that when people have no problem with a proposal they don’t write a letter, so all council sees are the letters of concerns and recommendations to completely deny the application. If you are in support of the proposal, please also voice those opinions. Or, you can even comment in your letter about the aspects of the proposal you like, and which ones need improving.
Letters that include both positive and negative comments are the ones that I find most informative when I’m preparing to brief council on ratepayers’ concerns. It is beneficial to read the reasons you don’t like the proposal, and what is the make-or-break feature that you’re concerned with. If you can explain why a certain feature is concerning to you, then it is possible that within the framework (or subdivision design) your council may be able to alter the plan to make it more suitable for everyone. Council may not want to deny the application entirely, but your feedback may provide ideas on how to alter it to meet the needs of all parties involved.
A great example of this process occurred in one of my municipalities a few years ago at a lake. There was a developer who wanted to subdivide adjacent to an organized hamlet. The OH didn’t want the subdivision because it was going to use their infrastructure without contributing to it. The OH board came to the council meeting with a list of concerns and explained why these items bothered them. Council listened to the concerns, weighed both sides of the argument, and made their decision to allow the subdivision with major revisions based on the feedback provided by the OH. Both parties got something out of the decision: the developer got his subdivision, but couldn’t use the OH infrastructure free of charge, which made the OH happy.
Planning processes include public consultation for a reason, to hear what ratepayers have to say. Councils should consider the feedback provided to them, weigh the options and then make their decision. I always encourage people to participate, good or bad, because this feedback is one of the only gauges council and administration have when deciding the right direction to proceed.
— S. Yvonne Prusak, BASc, MA, MCIP, RPP, is a Municipal Planner with municipalities and communities in Northwest Saskatchewan. She specializes in land use planning and development.
