Saturday 31 January 2015

MLDP: Community and Land Use Planning Workshop


Today Councillor Henry and I attended Municipal Leadership Development Program (MLDP). This is a program to help elected officials and administrators better understand best practices and legislation for municipalities. The program is sponsored by:

·         Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities,

·         Saskatchewan Association of Urban Municipalities,

·         Rural Municipal Administrators’ Association of Saskatchewan,

·         Urban Municipal Administrators’ Association of Saskatchewan,

·         Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations, and

·         New North – SANC Services,

While Councillor Henry was sitting in on Human Resources I was attending Community and Land Use Planning.  The workshop outline included:

·         Planning Structure Overview,

·         Official Community Plan,

·         Zoning Bylaw,

·         Amendments,

·         Public Consultation,

·         Subdivision,

·         Dedicated Lands,

·         Servicing Agreements,

·         Development Permits,

·         Appeals,

·         Enforcement,

·         Fees,

·         Regional Planning, and

·         Building Permits.

Here are some highlights of the workshop:

·         Canadian Institute of Planners Definition of Planning:

·         “the scientific, aesthetic, and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities”.

·         Planning is governed by Provincial Legislation:

·         The Planning and Development Act, 2007,

·         Statement of Provincial Interest,

·         The Subdivision Regulations,

·         The Dedicated Lands Regulations

·         Municipal Plans

·         Official Community Plan (OCP),

·         Zoning Bylaw

·         The role of the Provincial Government through Government Relations, the Community Planning Branch:

·         Review and Approve Plans,

·         Planning Inquiries,

·         Subdivisions,

·         Protect Provincial interests.

·         The role of the municipality:

·         Create plans,

·         Subdivision review and servicing agreements,

·         Development Officer,

·         Development Permit,

·         Enforcement,

·         Appeals, and

·         General Inquiries.

·         Role of the Planner

·         Research, analyze, and recommend,

·         Balance a variety of interests,

·         Develop clear plans for action for Council and community.

·         Why a planner?

·         Legislative Requirement: Planning and Development Act, 2007 Section 29(3) “The official community plan shall be prepared in consultation with a professional community planner”.

·         Community Need: many municipal issues revolve around planning considerations, such as housing, infrastructure, environmental, social services, location of development, conflict.

·         The OCP is a Statement from Council to residents about what the municipality wants to do in terms of growth management and as a growth guide for the community.

·         Included in the OCP are:

·         Goals, objectives, and policies for land use, subdivisions, services, green space, and public utilities, etc

·         Specifies what types of development are appropriate and under what circumstance to ensure healthy community growth.

·         The plans are important so the community is ready for development so services are planned, regulations are set, community is aware of Council’s attention.

·         The plans provide regulatory and cost certainty for developers.

·         The benefits of the Zoning Bylaw include:

·         Districts/Zones,

·         Development Permits,

·         Minor Variances,

·         General Conditions and Regulations,

·         Clarity,

·         Alignment between current and future users.

·         The difference between the Zoning Bylaw (ZB) and OCP include:

·         ZB s specific and OCP is broad,

·         ZB is regulatory and OCP is policy,

·         ZB is used daily while OCP is a guide for future direction and guidance

·         Recently Council has been amending the ZB and here is the process:

·         Application,

·         Fee,

·         Administrative Review,

·         Referral,

·         Council Approval,

·         Ministerial Approval.

I had a lot more notes but my computer has not been cooperating.

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