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The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 31, 2006 - 3 0M B reform must come now to make a difference By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF While those on hand for Tuesday night's Ontario Municipal Board (0MB) reform open house were pleased with the proposed changes, many made it clear to Ontario's Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister they want new legislation passed sooner rather than later. During a packed forum at the Central Library, John Gerretsen heard this loud and clear from Mayor Ann Mulvale to ratepayer group rep resentatives, each one anxious to see the long-overdue reforms made law. "Can you hurry it up?" asked mayoral candidate Rob Burton. Gerretsen said things in govern ment don't always move fast, but he agreed those involved in the process are working hard to enact change as soon as possible. Gerretsen went on to say that the likeliest scenario is autumn passage of the legislation, prompting Mulvale to say that with Oakville facing 19 OMB hearings, passage in May would be preferable. Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, who hosted the evening, said if it were up to him, new legislation would have been enacted the second week of the McGuinty government's term. Short of that, he said he' s pleased with how Gerretsen has followed through with his promise to make changes that are long overdue. `We are embracing what is being suggested," said Milton Mayor Gord Krantz. Flynn concurred reforms are des perately needed because, by 2031, Ontario's population is expected to increase by four million people most of them in the GTA Current patterns of growth place a heavy strain on infrastructure, contribute to traffic gridlock, negatively affect air quality and threaten to reduce the province's economic competitiveness and quality of life - key features of communities that attract investment BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER WAITING ANXIOUSLY: Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing John Gerretsen, left, was hosted by Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn (second from left) where many residents, organizations and politicians, including Milton Mayor Gord Krantz and Mayor Ann Mulvale, came to the Oakville Central Library to hear about the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) reform promised by the provincial Liberal government. and innovation. "This is a very exciting process," Gerretsen told the crowd, including councillors from Oakville and Milton, heritage advocates, ratepayer group representatives and others. After all, Gerretsen continued, good community planning starts with planning, but somehow this "got away" from local communities. This, he said should be accomplished through local councils making deci sions based on their own official plans and zoning by-laws - with the OMB involved only to determine whether these processes have been followed. In a nutshell, the proposed reforms would provide clearer rules and a more effective process for the public, local councils and others involved in planning communities. They would also give local residents and commu nity leaders more opportunity to play an important role in community plan ning and development. The proposed legislation would clarify the role of the OMB and pro tect local decision-making by return ing the body to its original role as an appeal body on local planning mat ters and not continue as a "substitute decision-maker." The Bill requires the OMB to give ability to require architectural or sus greater weight to the decisions of tainable design features. Gerretsen said while some devel local councils in the appeal process and limiting appeals to information opers are not happy with the latter and materials provided to councils provision, "good quality" developers when they made their decisions. New don't mind at all. The legislation also aims to make information must first be provided to the OMB more accessi local councils. ble and effective, said Parties participating "Can you hurry it Gerretsen, by imple in OMB appeals will be up?" menting a new citizen limited to those who did liaison function; so at the local level. . Rob Burton, improving the board's The planning process Oakville mayoral i pre-hearings, mediation itself would also be candidate ! and timelines; improvimproved by allowing i ing the appointment local council' s to dictate process for OMB memto applicants exactly . bers as well as providing what constitutes a them with more training. "complete" application. Gerretsen did say, however, that The new legislation would enable municipalities to establish local nothing is yet carved in sfone: the appeals bodies for some planning public input process will likely result decisions such as minor variances to in amendments to the legislation in order to make it as "user-friendly and avoid the costly OMB route. If a developer applied for a multi community-oriented" as possible. "We'll look at every idea out there storey condo project, for example, Gerretsen'said pyblic consultation that comes forward," he said. While Gerretsen covered off most and decision-making would be done up-front. In addition, complete appli questions, he was asked about the cation information must be provided grandfathering of applications and to council and the public. said that rules in place when a hear Municipalities would also have the ing begins would be followed. Oakvillegreen President Hank Rodenburg - who explained how financially onerous participation in OMB hearings is - asked if develop ment charges could be applied by municipalities to pay legal fees. Gerretsen said he couldn't offer a definitive answer, but promised the issue would be thoroughly examined. Mulvale then told Gerretsen that "the devil's in th e r details" and implored him to make sure that the new regulations are "water-tight." In October 2005, representatives from the Greater Toronto Area Tksk Force on OMB Reform - including Mulvale -- pressed their case at Queen' s Park and outlined four criti cal areas that needed to be addressed in OMB reform: limit the OMB' s role to a review body; require developers to submit a truly complete application before appealing; allow meaningful and affordable citizen involvement in the review; and, review the OMB to ensure qualifications and impartiality. In November, Oakville council which had its own OMB Reform Task Force -- unanimously passed -two motions telling the province quick action on OMB reform should be a key priority. 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