HomeMy WebLinkAboutADM 230 Appeals Planning Act Applications and CofA Decisions Policy
Policy
Procedure Title: Appeals of Council Decisions on Planning Act
Applications and Committee of Adjustment Decisions
Policy Number
ADM 230
Reference
Planning Act
Resolution
#870/22
Date Originated (m/d/y)
April 25, 2022
Date Revised (m/d/y)
"Click and type date"
Pages
3
Approval: Chief Administrative Officer Point of Contact
Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor
Manager, Zoning & Administration, City
Development
Policy Objective
The objective of this Policy is to establish a process for obtaining Council direction on The
Corporation of the City of Pickering (“City”) representation at Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT)
hearings in appeals of Planning Act applications including appeals of Committee of Adjustment
Decisions.
This policy supplements the Planning Act (Ontario), as amended, and the City of Pickering
Committee of Adjustment Rules of Procedure.
Governing Legislation
The Planning Act (Ontario) sets out various persons or public bodies who may appeal to the OLT
in respect of: (i) Decisions of Council related to Planning Act applications including official plan
amendments, demolition control areas, zoning by-law amendments, holding provision by-laws,
community benefits by-laws, interim control by-laws, site plan control approvals, conveyance of
land for park purposes by-laws, subdivision approvals and consents; and (ii) Decisions of the
Committee of Adjustment on minor variance applications.
Index
01 Definitions
02 General
03 Staff Attendance and City Representation at OLT Hearings
01 Definitions
01.01 Act – The Planning Act (Ontario), as amended.
01.02 Council – The Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering.
Policy Title: Appeals of Council Decisions on Planning Act Application
and Committee of Adjustment Decisions Page 2 of 3
Policy Number: ADM 230
01.03 Committee of Adjustment – The Committee of Adjustment constituted and
appointed by the City pursuant to section 44 (or a predecessor of such section)
of the Act.
01.04 Decision – A decision made by Council on an application under the Act
(whether or not delegated to City staff), a non-decision of Council on an
application under the Act (whether or not delegated to City staff), or a Decision
of the Committee of Adjustment on a minor variance application under section
45 of the Act.
01.05 Secretary-Treasurer – Secretary-Treasurer of the Committee of Adjustment.
01.06 OLT – The Ontario Land Tribunal, an independent adjudicative tribunal
responsible for resolving appeals and applications on municipal and land use
planning matters.
02 General
02.01 Appeals of Council Decisions to the OLT are filed with the City Clerk, and
appeals of Committee of Adjustment Decisions to the OLT are filed with the
Secretary-Treasurer.
02.02 Appeals of Council Decisions filed with the City Clerk will be sent by the City
Clerk, or their designate, to the Director, City Development & CBO. Appeals of
Committee of Adjustment Decisions filed with the Secretary-Treasurer will be
sent by the Secretary-Treasurer, or their designate, to the Director, City
Development & CBO and to the Chair, Committee of Adjustment.
02.03 The Director, City Development & CBO, or their designate will, as soon as
practical after their receipt of same, circulate notice of any appeal of a Decision
by email to Mayor; Councillors; Admin CAO; Chief Planner; Manager,
Development Review & Urban Design; Manager, Policy & Geomatics; City
Clerk; and Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor.
02.04 The email notice circulated by the Director, City Development & CBO pursuant
to section 02.03 shall include a brief summary of the Decision appealed from
including: (i) a description of the subject lands, (ii) the parties, (iii) the main
issues raised by the appeal.
02.05 Upon receipt of formal communication from the OLT, the City Clerk, or their
designate, will circulate by email to Mayor; Councillors; CAO; Admin CAO;
Director, City Development & CBO; Chief Planner; Manager, Development
Review & Urban Design; Manager, Policy & Geomatics; Secretary-Treasurer;
Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor; and Planning Webmail, the
following correspondence in respect of the appeal of a Decision: (i) appeal
acknowledgement letter, (ii) notice of any hearing dates (iii) notice of withdrawal
or an adjournment, and (iv) notice of OLT decisions.
Policy Title: Appeals of Council Decisions on Planning Act Application
and Committee of Adjustment Decisions Page 3 of 3
Policy Number: ADM 230
02.06 Upon receipt of a notice of any appeal of a Committee of Adjustment Decision
pursuant to Section 02.03, the Chief Planner or any Councillor may notify the
Director, City Development & CBO; the Director, Corporate Services & City
Solicitor; the City Clerk; the Chief Administrative Officer; and the Mayor that
they request the Notice be added to an upcoming in-camera session or special
in-camera meeting of Council to be called by the Mayor.
02.07 Upon receipt of a request from a Councillor pursuant to section 02.06, the
Director, City Development & CBO and the Director, Corporate Services & City
Solicitor shall draft and send to the CAO and the City Clerk, a Confidential
Memo containing all of the information set out in section 02.04 together with City
staff’s legal and planning advice on the issues raised by the appeal, including a
recommendation regarding what role, if any, the City and its staff should take on
such appeal. Such Memo shall be included in the confidential Agenda package
provided to Council.
02.08 Council will consider in-camera, what role, if any, the City should take on any
appeal of a Decision, and will direct staff accordingly. Such direction shall be
ratified in open session.
03 Staff Attendance and City Representation at OLT Hearings
03.01 Upon receipt of a notice of any appeal of a Council Decision pursuant to
Section 02.03, the Chief Planner will notify the Director, City Development &
CBO; the Director, Corporate Services & City Solicitor; the City Clerk; the
Chief Administrative Officer; and the Mayor that they request the Notice be
added to an upcoming in-camera session or special in-camera meeting of
Council to be called by the Mayor.
03.02 Active involvement of the City in an OLT hearing is considered by Council on a
case-by-case basis and decided by resolution.
03.03 City staff will attend OLT hearings only when: (i) authorized by Council by
resolution, or (ii) served with a Summons to Witness.
03.04 City staff can only attend OLT hearings as representatives of the City when the
professional opinion of staff regarding an OLT appeal aligns with Council’s
position on the Decision under appeal.
03.05 In situations where the professional position of City staff on the appeal of a
Decision does not align with Council’s position, Council may decide that the City
shall take no active role in the appeal or that City staff be directed to retain such
outside planning, legal and/or consulting representation as is required to
support Council’s position before the OLT.
Please refer to all associated Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures, if applicable, for
detailed processes regarding this Policy.