City of Powell River staff will work with councillors CaroleAnn Leishman and Rob Southcott to draft a framework for a city planning committee or design panel.
The issue of creating the volunteer advisory committee was brought up as new business at city council’s committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, November 29.
Leishman said the idea is something she has been thinking about for some time, but now seemed appropriate to bring up as council is expecting a larger volume of design permit applications at its committee meetings.
Also, whether or not an elected official should be put in the position of commenting on design elements of potential buildings is an issue.
“I don’t feel comfortable with that,” Leishman told the committee. “This is not the place for us to be commenting on design criteria.”
Recently, city planning staff brought forward a number of design permit applications saying they wished to have council endorse the proposal in principle and send it back to the developer with recommendations. One such example was the proposed Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue station planned for the old barge terminal.
Leishman offered to work with staff to develop a draft terms of reference that would create a community-based advisory panel or committee that can comment on proposed projects with regard to the city’s design parameters. Those comments would then be brought forward to the city’s committee of the whole meeting.
City chief administrative officer Mac Fraser said larger centres use similar types of planning committees or design panels compiled with architects, engineers and other professionals.
“An advisory planning committee, in my experience, should not and cannot refuse an application,” said Fraser. “It just makes comment on them.”
Fraser said it is important that the committee not become a vetting tool. He added that it is the applicant’s right to hear the committee’s advice and decide if they want to proceed.
The committee directed Leishman and Southcott to work with staff to create a draft terms of reference and have it presented at an upcoming committee meeting.
