‘Why would council go against their planning department?’ ~ Huntsville’s Deputy Mayor Karin Terziano explains

This is the eighth in a 2018 series of commentaries from municipal politicians which allows them to tell you, in their own words, what is important to them, what bugs them and what makes them tick. Each week will feature a member of either the Huntsville or Lake of Bays Council. As we enter an election year, this is your opportunity to get a better picture of your elected politicians. This week: Huntsville’s Deputy Mayor Karin Terziano.

Municipal Planning – one of the least understood Council responsibilities

Municipal Planning is an interesting and complicated subject. In the Town of Huntsville there are two separate entities involved in the planning process. The staff level is comprised of professional planners, while the council level has a Planning Committee and a Committee of Adjustment comprised of elected officials from all walks of life. The interaction between staff and council is paramount to good planning decisions. Both the department staff and council committee deal with minor variances, consents, zoning amendments, official plan amendments and all applications that affect the growth and development of our municipality. The responsibility of planning staff is to make recommendations on each application to Council and the responsibility of Council is to ultimately make the decision on each application.

I’ve often heard the questions “Why would council go against their Planning Department? Aren’t they the professionals?” The answer is an absolute “yes”. Our town planners are professionals and as such they make recommendations to Council based on Provincial Policy, District Policy and the Town’s own Official Plan Policy, and they make good decisions. As professionals, they don’t and can’t let emotion, NIMBYism, or subjective opinion enter into their recommendation.

However, while Council also has to be cognizant of the policies — Provincial, District and Town — they have a bit of leeway in looking at property character, future growth, impact on neighbours, views, vistas and they can be more independent in their decision. This is the very reason we have Planning Committee and Committee of Adjustment. It gives our residents an opportunity to have a say in the process.

Another question I often hear is “Why doesn’t the Town defend their decision at the OMB?”

There is generally not a lot of regard for the OMB among municipal councils. Municipal councils work hard to make the best decisions for the communities in which they live. An appointed OMB representative can overturn any decision without regard for local sensitivities.

Bill 139, the Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act 2017, was passed in December 2017. This will replace the OMB (Ontario Municipal Board) with the LPAT (Local Planning Appeal Tribunal). The new legislation is expected to give greater weight to municipal decisions and restrict the type of planning matters that can be appealed.

I have been on both the Planning Committee and Committee of Adjustment for two terms now. In the past seven years my understanding has increased with each meeting, yet making some decisions on these committees is the hardest work I’ve encountered as a councillor. Inevitably there is one side that is unhappy with any decision and they are our neighbours, our residents and our friends.

The current committees are comprised of Councillors Nancy Alcock, Chair of Planning, Bob Stone, Chair of Committee of Adjustment, Jonathan Wiebe, Jason FitzGerald and myself. Our Mayor is also a member and able to sit at Planning. This group has been together for just over three years, and I am very proud of how we have grown as a decision-making body. It’s been suggested that we make too many deferrals and perhaps we do defer more often than previous committees, but I’d rather get it right than get it fast. Sometimes when an application is before committee it is lacking enough information or there are unanswered questions. When committee defers rather than denies, it gives all parties a chance to have another look. At the end of the day the committees’ responsibility is to make decisions that support responsible growth. It is not to make things difficult. It is not to stifle development. In my seven years I have had to vote on difficult applications; overall, it’s a challenging job and I think our record is credible.

My advice to future Councillors is to get on the Planning Committee. The work is hard but rewarding, and you’ll learn a great deal about local politics.

To read more in this 2018 series of commentaries from municipal politicians, click here.

Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here.

Karin Terziano is a lifelong resident of Huntsville. She worked for the Town of Huntsville for 24 years in various departments, so running for Council was a natural progression. Karin is in her eighth year on Council and currently serves locally as Deputy Mayor, Chair of Finance, and member of the Adjustment, Planning, Property Standards and Heritage committees. At the District level she is a member of the Community Services Committee.