Norfolk taps consultant to tackle development application backlog
Faced with a backlog of development applications - and a ticking clock in the form of new provincial legislation that levies fines on municipalities that take too long to make planning decisions - Norfolk County is bringing in reinforcements.
Council approved spending $200,000 to contract out some development engineering work to GM BluePlan Engineering Limited, a consulting firm that often advises municipalities with similarly short-staffed planning departments.
GM BluePlan has extensive experience in this sector," said Andrew Grice, Norfolk's general manager of environmental and infrastructure services, at the March 21 council meeting.
They do this work for other municipalities, and they do it well."
GM BluePlan will help Norfolk's development engineers review the technical aspects of applications, such as traffic flow, water and sewer, road design as well as waste collection.
The consultants will also review how Norfolk processes planning applications to see what customer service improvements can be made.
We need to update, and in some cases develop, design standards so we have more clear expectations for the development community," Grice told council.
Norfolk needs the help because applications to build new housing throughout the county are pouring in, while provincial laws designed to encourage faster construction impose shorter turnaround times for municipalities, with the potential for financial penalties if these timelines are not met," Grice said.
Development held strong in Norfolk last year, with 1,230 building permits issued worth more than $165 million, according to the county.
A record-breaking 2021 saw 1,470 permits approved - mostly for residential builds - with the same estimated construction value.
Half the $200,000 spent on GM BluePlan's services will be reimbursed through user fees, while the balance comes from a grant program, meaning taxpayers will not foot the bill for the consultants.
The consultants do not have any ties to developers looking to build in Norfolk, which removes the potential for conflicts of interest, Grice added.
Council unanimously approved the plan.
J.P. Antonacci's reporting on Haldimand and Norfolk is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. jpantonacci@thespec.com