Regional Planning Forum: Why and How to Plan Regionally

Introduction

·         Growth and development is competitive locally, provincially, and interprovincially

·         Parallel growth policy:

·         Subdivision can proceed when there is a commitment that infrastructure will be built in a timely manner (parallel with development)

·         Planning takes time and trust

·         Each community remains autonomous but determines how municipalities work together

·         Challenges and Successes

·         Buy in

·         Leadership

·         Capacity

·         Roles and responsibilities

·         Relationships

·         Funding

·         Governance

·         Implementation

Regional Planning Forum, June 10, 2015

Regional Planning Across Canada

·         Regional planning is cooperation

·         Regional planning is about achieving mutual goals through collaboration

·         32 planning districts with 161 municipalities

·         What does regionally planning look like?

·         Edmonton, to ensure wealth and vitality is sustained through socio-economic cooperation (24 municipalities)

·         Vancouver, includes social cohesion (21 municipalities)

·         New Brunswick, amalgamation of 24 into 12, also includes recreation

·         Red Deer values include:

·         Trust,

·         respect,

·         understanding,

·         equity,

·         cooperation,

·         collaboration,

·         coordination,

·         communication

·         Common Themes

·         Common across Canada

·         There are multiple methods and models

·         Close relationship with service delivery (shared admin)

·         Challenges and struggles are okay

·         You have to think bigger than your borders (the most successful partnerships)

Role of Ministry of Government Relations

·         Support,

·         Education

·         Advice

·         Reviewing and approving

·         Legislative oversight

·         Empowers municipalities and planning

·         Plan Hierarchy:

·         DP > ZB

·         DP > OCP > ZB or DP > ZB

·         All plans must be consistent with OCP

·         Intermunicipal Development Agreement (a little more formal than a MOU)

·         Planning on fringe of development area

·         Dispute resolution

·         Share or extended service, infrastructure or facilities

·         Sharing of costs for services, infrastructure or facilities

·         District Planning Commission (97-100 PDA)

·         Defined geography

·         Advisory body

·         Make rules of procedure

·         Joint public hearing

·         Appoint consultants and employees

·         Appoint committees

·         Dispute resolution is available

·         SMB determines best process

·         District Plan Authority

·         Set fees for service

·         Pass bylaws

·         Regional Planning Authority

·         Role of Municipality

·         Ensuring the health, safety, and general welfare of community

·         Should operate with public’s best interest – citizen’s don’t care about boundaries

·         Provide services to citizens

·         Role of Municipal Capacity Development Program

·         Facilitates open communication between municipal leaders

·         Educates through workshops and communicates

·         Research and provides communication of issues

·         Supports regional initiatives 

·         Support, education, and advice to develop

·         MOU

·         Strategic planning

·         Cost sharing agreements

·         Regional recreation as a part of regional strategic plan

·         Asset management

·         Mediation

·         Emergency plans

·         Agreement must outline how funds are raised including proportion, in kind, staff loans

·         How are costs recovered (168 of PDA): through fees like development permits, variances, zoning bylaw amendments, etc

·         Costs best recovered through Asset Management Plan

·         Benefit to region/district asset management plan is usually cost sharing and efficient allocation of resources and infrastructure

·         Developer is contributing about 13% of the infrastructure while the remaining 87% is covered by the tax base over the 40 year life cycle of the development

·         Examples of regional collaboration

·         RM & City of Swift Current water

·         RM & Town of Lumsden, share administration, office, and much more

·         What if municipality disrupts Planning Commission?

·         ‘best interest’

·         Minister’s Order can remove a municipality

·         All parties are expected to agree to any and all amendments

·         Ministry will not be a part of an unhealthy triangle

·         Advantage of regional agreements is clear procedure and communication

·         Why? Regional planning has proven to work, greater market certainty,