07-03-2025, 08:31 PM
(07-03-2025, 05:49 PM)bravado Wrote: To me, when local councillors say "we approved all these projects but the shovels aren't in the ground!!!", they are being deceptive on purpose. Approval is just one step of an arcane system - and this project was "approved" in 2021. Either way, happy to see more progress on this amazing project.
I wouldn't necessarily say they are being deceptive on purpose, it's certainly more a case of ignorance is bliss. They go ahead and make those comments without knowing the full extent of the system.
Anyone has the ability to go and find out the process of development, one should expect city councillors and anyone in a public facing city role to understand the process before they make comments, if one doesn't know the full extent of something they shouldn't talk about it, however people are ignorant.
It's not like the process is exceptionally difficult to understand, you can explain it to any high school aged kid and they'd be able to understand the process. It's purely ignorance if someone is making off hand comments like that.
1. Is your project conforming to the Official Plan, yes or no, yes move on to step 2. If no file OPA.
2. Is your project conforming to the Zoning By-Law, yes or no, yes move on to step 4. If no file ZBA.
3. Get OPA/ZBA approved if required.
4. Remove any Holding Provisions on the property (can generally be done concurrently with Site Plan)
5. File your Site Plan (this will have back and forth with city staff for any issues and will be revised through the process)
6. Conditional Site Plan approval (meaning the city has reviewed it against MOE guidelines for Water/Stormwater/Sewage, OPSD, DGSSMS, OBC, Region/City By-Laws and Design Manuals
7. Clear SPA conditions
8. File building permits
9. Permit issued
It's only at the time where conditional SPA is given where a project is officially approved. City council does not have a say in SPA, hence to them they "approved" something by granting OPA/ZBA when in reality that's only step 3 in the process when final approval is granted at step 7 which can be years apart. There's countless projects that take years to go between Step 7 and Step 9 but that comes down to market conditions more than anything.
It really isn't a case of an arcane process the process is explained on Cambridge's website Site Plan Approval Process - City of Cambridge. While it isn't laid out as nicely as say Kitchener website Site plans - City of Kitchener it still shows the process. However one should expect elected officials to conduct the due diligence to not say things that are inherently false.