The Public Input Process for Development Approvals: A Comparative Policy Review of Leading Practices in British Columbia’s Local Governments
Date
2020-10-05
Authors
Nicholls, Barrie
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Abstract
Local governments are important partners in the Province of British Columbia’s (B.C.) strategy to build new homes and support affordable housing. Each local government develops its requirements and processes for development approvals. These vary widely between local governments, including adjacent ones, adding a layer of complexity for developers while also recognizing the differences among communities. The development approval process strives to find a fair balance between the desire for communities to provide input on new developments that might impact them while at the same time providing a consistent and fair regulatory framework for builders. The development approvals process can have a major impact on how quickly housing projects can be built. These processes can be complex, lengthy and expensive, with significant uncertainties for the development community. In 2018, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH) initiated the Development Approval Process Review (DAPR) to support local governments in eliminating barriers to affordable housing and accelerate home construction. As a first step, MAH engaged a broad range of stakeholders to discuss the challenges of the current development approvals process and to develop an informed list of ideas about how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. During the stakeholder consultation, there was significant interest in, and high importance placed on, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the public input process, including the need to improve, supplement, or replace the public hearing process and identification of options for receiving more meaningful, earlier input from the public. This report provides recommendations to the Province of B.C. on how it can strengthen public engagement in the local government development approval process. The report entails a comparative jurisdictional review of guidance and practices for public participation in development approvals process for all municipalities in BC with populations greater than 50,000. It provides a comparative review of these standards and policies and identifies leading practices.