Addressing the Committee of Adjustment COVID-19 Related Application Backlog

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The decision

2020-09-30 · Toronto City Council · amended

As filed

City Council on September 30, October 1 and 2, 2020, adopted the following: 1. City Council resolve that, notwithstanding Section 4-2 of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 4, Adjustment, Committee of, and By-law 1134-2019, all members appointed to the Committee of Adjustment shall be deemed to be cross-appointed to all Districts and Panels for hearings until the end of December 31, 2020, to help reduce the application backlog for the Toronto and East York District.

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2. City Council direct that, until December 31, 2020 in all districts other than Toronto and East York, and in all districts between January 1, 2021 and to the end of November 14, 2022, or until successor members are appointed to the Committee of Adjustment, cross appointments shall be used only as necessary and, in all instances, panels shall be comprised of a majority of previously appointed members for those hearings. 3. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee meeting in the first quarter of 2021 on potential improvements to virtual hearings at the Committee of Adjustment with regards to: a. expanding notification timelines; b. ensuring Application Information Centre documents are online for general review in a timely manner before a hearing; c. ensuring written comments are part of the Committee of Adjustment's review of applications; and d. ensuring deputants on online meetings are provided sufficient time to address the committee.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

As a result of COVID-19 related restrictions, 18 scheduled Committee of Adjustment public hearings, from March 25, 2020 through to May 28, 2020 were cancelled. The backlog resulting from these cancelled hearings was approximately 700 Committee of Adjustment applications. Since that time, Committee of Adjustment operations were substantially adjusted to allow for virtual public hearings, which commenced on June 3, 2020.

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A backlog remains; however, measures have been taken to substantially reduce it. As per Council's direction, this report describes these measures, including an additional recommendation to continue the cross-appointment of members between districts in order to increase the capacity of the Committee of Adjustment to clear the backlog.

Staff recommended

The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning recommends that: 1. City Council resolve that, notwithstanding Section 4-2 of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 4, Adjustment, Committee of, and By-law 1134-2019, all members appointed to the Committee of Adjustment shall be deemed to be cross-appointed to all Districts and Panels for those hearings until the end of November 14, 2022, and until their successors are appointed.

Considered

2020-09-22 · Planning and Housing Committee · amended
Decision as filed
The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that: 1. City Council resolve that, notwithstanding Section 4-2 of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 4, Adjustment, Committee of, and By-law 1134-2019, all Districts and Panels will be comprised of a majority of previously appointed members of for those hearings, with cross-appointed members representing a minority of those Districts and Panels, until the end of November 14, 2022.
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2. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report back to the Planning and Housing Committee meeting in the first quarter of 2021 on potential improvements to virtual hearings at the Committee of Adjustment with regards to: a. expanding notification timelines; b. ensuring Application Information Centre documents are online for general review in a timely manner before a hearing; c. ensuring written comments are part of the Committee of Adjustment's review of applications; and d. ensuring deputants on online meetings are provided sufficient time to address the committee.
2020-09-30 · Toronto City Council · amended

On the record

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