Gibsons council has voted to replace the planning and development committee with an advisory design panel intended to get more professional advice and increase community input.
Council gave three readings to the bylaw at a Jan. 19 meeting and directed staff to start recruiting members and to disband the planning committee once the new panel bylaw is adopted.
The push to replace the planning committee arose during strategic planning workshops held two years into the council’s term, said a Jan. 19 committee report. Last December council asked staff to present an alternative to the committee.
Unlike the planning committee, which is composed of the mayor, four councillors and two volunteers – a qualified architect and engineer – the new design panel will have six community members: two architects, one landscape architect and three residents or property owners from a mix of backgrounds, such as engineering, urban planning, construction, affordable housing or crime prevention.
Only one councillor would sit on the panel as a non-voting liaison member and staff would also participate as liaisons.
Volunteer members would be appointed by council.
The panel would also have a narrower scope than the current planning committee – advising the director of the planning department and council “specifically on the design quality of development applications,” said the Jan. 19 staff report. Recommendations would be forwarded to council.
Form and character development permits, zoning and OCP amendments would be among the items the panel would consider.
Drawbacks of a design panel are that they tend to add to the time it takes to make a decision and they demand more staff time, said the report.
During discussion, Coun. Aleria Ladwig asked whether relevant Town projects that might not fit the terms of reference could also be reviewed.
Mayor Bill Beamish suggested an amendment to the bylaw, which councillors approved, that council could refer projects to the panel.
Coun. David Croal said he supported replacing the committee, but voiced concern over recruiting volunteers. He also asked what would happen to the two volunteers on the existing committee, since their term ends in March.
Staff said they would be invited to re-apply and council could appoint them.
The planning committee was struck in 2019 to advise council on planning matters such as zoning, Official Community Plan amendments, development permit applications for form and character, variance permit applications, temporary use applications and proposed neighbourhood plans.
Currently most staff reports from the planning department flow through the planning committee before hitting council.
