GORE BAY—The Manitoulin Planning Board (MPB) has voted in favour of increasing the cost of fees for services it provides to customers, for example on applications for severance of property, to bring their fees more in line with other planning board areas of the same size in the province. However, one member of the board did not agree with a new fee, which will see those persons who have constructed a building on their property without first getting the proper building permits required through the MPB (as part of the Ontario Planning Act) fined.
“You can go all over the Island and find a lot of stuff that has been done on people’s property that I guess shouldn’t have taken place,” stated Doug Head, a member of the MPB at a board meeting last week. “It is to the point that if you sell your property to someone they are told what they can and can’t do with it. I really honestly think we are jumping too hard on people by doing this, just because someone else complains about someone putting up something on their property.”
“In unorganized areas, a lot of people won’t necessarily know the process they have to go through before they can construct something on their property,” said Mr. Head.
“In this day and age people know there is a Planning Board in place,” said Dan Osborne. “We need something in place to deter people from doing this.”
“I think there should be warnings given out first,” stated Mr. Head.
It was explained by MPB secretary Theresa Carlise that advertisements on this exact issue and the need for a permit to build on their property is done at least twice a year in the Island newspapers.
Jake Diebolt, GIS technician/coordinator of the MPB, provided the board with a set of the current Planning Board fee structure and comparisons of this with other planning boards of similar size in Northern Ontario.
“I don’t think it would hurt to bring our fee costs up to average,” said Paul Moffat, noting that the MPB fees are generally lower than other planning boards charge. We should keep up with the times, we are not in the 1950s.
It was noted by Ms. Carlisle there seems to be more work involved for MPB staff, for example in taking applications for consent, and that the last update in the fees was made several years ago.
Mr. Moffat proposed since the board consent to sever property is currently at $650, and the highest charged on the list of other planning boards was $850, that the board should consider raising this fee to $725.
“I’m good with $725 (for consents to sever),” said Ian Anderson.
It was noted that the last time the certification of lots had an increase was in 2010 and is currently set at $100. “It has been set at $100 since 2012,” said Ms. Carlisle. “The work that has to be done on this is a bit more complicated than it has been in the past. I’d like to see the board increase this fee to $125.
An increase was suggested for plans of subdivision. “We want to see subdivisions developed,” said Austin Hunt.
“It won’t stop them from going ahead with this if we add another $150 to the fee (to make it $575),” said Lee Hayden.
The board members went through the list of tariffs and agreed on changes to be made.
Mr. Hayden noted that the board needs to pass a motion accepting the proposed fees. Mr. Head, who voted in opposition, requested a recorded vote.
The MPB passed a motion in support of the new fee structure, which includes increases, with everyone voting in favour except for Mr. Head.
The new fees based on application type are: consent to sever (per lot) have gone up to $725, from $650 in 2015, while amendment to conditions has gone up $50 to $350; certification has increased to $125 from $100; plan of subdivision, $1,350 from $1,200, plus per lot $725 from $650; request to extend draft approval from $250 to $300 and approval for second/subsequent phase from $500 to $575; Official Plan Amendment, municipalities-residential, rural open space from $1,200 to $1,350 and commercial, industrial institutional from $1,800 to $2,000; For Unorganized areas, residential, rural, open space etc. go from $1,400 to $1,550, commercial, industrial, institution from $2,000 to $2,250.
For zoning bylaw amendments residential, rural, open space etc. the fee has gone from $650 to $725, commercial, industrial institutional to $990 from $800.
For deeming bylaws, the tariff has been increased from $650 to $725 while re-circulation consents, subdivisions go from $300 to $350.
Letters of conformity have been bumped up $25, from $75 to $100, and for after construction a new tariff of $500 has been imposed. Plus site inspection costs if required stay the same at 55 cents per kilometre and for staff site inspections, fees remain the same at 75 cents per kilometre.
Validation of title and Power of Sale have both increased from $650 to $725.
For letters-response to planning inquiries, fees will increase from $50 to $75.
NSF cheques tariffs remain the same at $50 while geographic information system data (minimum one hour) is $62.50 per hour, while for document publications-official plan texts the fee is $50 and for copies of maps, i.e. official plan and zoning by-laws this is set at $25.
