The city’s planning department has received a tongue-lashing from Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes for streamlining development projects without consulting the public first.
“I think city planners consider the development community to be their clients, rather than the public being their clients,” says Holmes.
Holmes criticized Ottawa’s development review services branch and the planning and growth management department, two entities she works with frequently, for not making enough of an effort to work with developers to consult with the community before submitting applications to the city.
“There is still so much that is done too quickly and with no public comment,” she says. “They should not do what developers want all the time.”
Holmes began her offensive recently when she attacked city planners for disregarding the concerns of Centretown residents. She says the planning department has stereotyped them as Not-In-My-Back-Yard residents.
None of the city’s planning staff were made available to comment about Holmes’s remarks. Instead, Alta Vista Coun. Peter Hume, chair of the planning committee, spoke on their behalf, in an e-mailed statement.
“Planners with Development Review do consult the public on development proposals and changes to projects often result,” he wrote. “However, planners are bound by the planning policies of the province of Ontario and the policies approved by planning committee and council.
“Property owners have the right in Ontario to request permission for development and have it dealt with in certain timelines.”
Holmes says her attack was prompted after Claridge Homes brought a development plan for a 27-storey apartment on Lisgar Street to city hall without reaching out to the community.
“I finally lost it,” she says. “With this application there was no discussion with myself or with the community.”
While there are 12 steps the city makes developers go through in the application process, including consulting with the public and the ward’s councillor, it is possible for developers to circumvent notifying anyone except city planners until after their package has been submitted.
And this is what concerns Holmes. She says the first step should be pre-consultation with the public, and it’s up to the planning staff to make that happen.
But Hume contends the planning staff are not in bed with developers, and are wary of approving applications that don’t fit the character of a neighbourhood.
“Development review staff often refuse proposed projects as unsuitable to neighbourhoods or not in accordance with city plans,” he wrote. “Typically, projects that are before (planning committees) are significantly changed by the time they are at committee.”
He says the process is transparent and city councillors have the ability to influence the physical details of a development plan.
“They have the final say over site-plan approval and often make suggestions for improving the development.”