From Fort Erie Times Archives
Pilot project aims to maintain Crystal Beach’s ‘cottage community’ look
Posted By Mark Ladan
Posted 2 years ago
To ensure cottage-like look of the old village of Crystal Beach, Fort Erie Town council is moving ahead with something called a Development Permit System (DPS).
The first step in the pilot project is to develop regulations that must be adhered by builders and
homeowners, when doing any work on a home or commercial building that requires a building permit. At its Monday meeting, council approved a staff recommendation to send out a request for proposal to companies that are experienced in developing such regulations. Staff estimates developing the regulations will cost about $20,000.
In the case of Crystal Beach, the regulations would likely require that new homes or renovation projects to stick with “cottage-type” designs, including a certain range of exterior colours and building materials. If the pilot project is successful, it could be implemented in other neighbourhoods in Greater Fort Erie.
All members of council, with the exception of Ward 3 Coun. Bob Steckley, voted in favour of proceeding with the pilot project. He said he’s not necessarily opposed to it, but felt staff hadn’t provided enough detail to council to make an informed decision.
“I’m against the fact that we were requesting additional information on it as far as what legalities we have to make sure that the ideas of the report get carried forward and don’t get lost. We’re going to spend $20,000, I want to make sure that we can uphold the letter of the law. We had asked for additional information, it wouldn’t have taken more than a week to get.”
Part of the additional information requested was how many homes per year would fall under the DPS guidelines. The community and development services department reports that the 10-year average for new home starts in Crystal Beach is 17 units.
DPS has been tried in a couple other of municipalities, including downtown Hamilton. Mostacci told council that system was shelved there, because there were too many requests for variances. It was also tried in the Muskoka community of Lake of Bays, but Mostacci was unsure as to how it was received there.
Posted By Mark Ladan
Posted 2 years ago
To ensure cottage-like look of the old village of Crystal Beach, Fort Erie Town council is moving ahead with something called a Development Permit System (DPS).
The first step in the pilot project is to develop regulations that must be adhered by builders and
homeowners, when doing any work on a home or commercial building that requires a building permit. At its Monday meeting, council approved a staff recommendation to send out a request for proposal to companies that are experienced in developing such regulations. Staff estimates developing the regulations will cost about $20,000.
In the case of Crystal Beach, the regulations would likely require that new homes or renovation projects to stick with “cottage-type” designs, including a certain range of exterior colours and building materials. If the pilot project is successful, it could be implemented in other neighbourhoods in Greater Fort Erie.
All members of council, with the exception of Ward 3 Coun. Bob Steckley, voted in favour of proceeding with the pilot project. He said he’s not necessarily opposed to it, but felt staff hadn’t provided enough detail to council to make an informed decision.
“I’m against the fact that we were requesting additional information on it as far as what legalities we have to make sure that the ideas of the report get carried forward and don’t get lost. We’re going to spend $20,000, I want to make sure that we can uphold the letter of the law. We had asked for additional information, it wouldn’t have taken more than a week to get.”
Part of the additional information requested was how many homes per year would fall under the DPS guidelines. The community and development services department reports that the 10-year average for new home starts in Crystal Beach is 17 units.
DPS has been tried in a couple other of municipalities, including downtown Hamilton. Mostacci told council that system was shelved there, because there were too many requests for variances. It was also tried in the Muskoka community of Lake of Bays, but Mostacci was unsure as to how it was received there.
The proposed Development Permit System was not intended to be an enforcement tool for the Crystal Beach Neighbourhood Plan as the story suggests. They are distinct issues. The DPS was intended to streamline the development application process for zoning, site plans and minor variances. It didn't introduce new regulations on property owners.
ReplyDeleteThe new regulations Mark pointed out are provisions in the Official Plan of which the Neighbourhood Plan is a part and which the DPS has no bearing. If a proposed zoning amendment, site plan change or minor variance complies with the Official Plan, then it could be dealt with through this permit system. I can only speculate why that is not clear in this story.
It also enabled council to establish policies to decide what types of changes could be handled administratively instead of through the council hearing process.
Bob Steckley was concerned that the DPS could be used to subvert the intentions of the Neighbourhood Plan, which is not the case. His other concern was also the idea of hiring a consultant to help write the new bylaw.
You can read the salient details of the DPS if you follow the link to my website.
I bring this up because the DPS is completely unrelated to the Bay Beach issue, although I see the point you were getting at regarding the Neighbourhood Plan, and I don't want to see the debate get clouded by unrelated issues.
Mr. Cloutier,
ReplyDeleteHonestly I just thought the story, in light of where things now stand was...bizarro.
No. We wouldn't want to see the issue get clouded by unrelated issues.
I couldn't agree more!
John
John,
ReplyDeleteAre you aware that Port Colborne also has a concern with the building of condos in Wainfleet at the Lakewood Camp for Crippled Children.
It is going to the OMB and there is a concern for the Fowler Toad there as well.
Front page article in today's paper. Story NOT on line.