Statement from Burlington Mayor on Proposed Interim Control Bylaw

I have released a statement regarding the proposed interim control bylaw public staff report that is coming to the Planning and Development Committee Meeting on Tuesday, March 5.Burlington, Ont.—March 4, 2019 — The Department of City Building has brought forward a report (PB-36-19) recommending an interim control bylaw to temporarily limit the development of certain lands within a proposed study area of the City of Burlington.An interim control bylaw (or ICB) is a tool available to Ontario municipalities as part of the Planning Act. An ICB puts a temporary prohibition or limitation on the development of certain lands while the municipality is studying or reviewing its land use policies. The initial “freeze" can be imposed for one year, with a maximum extension of one additional year. In accordance with the Planning Act, when an ICB is first passed by City Council, there is no ability to appeal it. Any extension, however, could be appealed.The study areas recommended in the report by the Department of City Building include the Urban Growth Centre (including Downtown Burlington) and lands in proximity to the Burlington GO Station on Fairview Street.  The rationale of the land-use study is to examine the role of existing transit, transportation and land use in our Urban Growth Center and align future decisions with our city’s Strategic Plan.More information about the report and affected areas can be found by clicking the link: Addendum Package - Planning and Development Committee_Mar05_2019 (4)Existing development applications that have already been approved and their related appeals processes have elapsed are proposed to be exempt from the ICB. Applications that have not yet been approved or are still in the process of appeals would be affected by the ICB.This measure will allow us the time to better study our land-use policies in the areas specifically designated under the ICB, review and refine our goals for community growth and development, and ensure they align with the vision the people of Burlington have for our city.Overall, I support the rationale behind this report and believe this is a very important and timely matter for City Council to consider at this time. Subject to Council approval, I want to reiterate that what is being recommended is a temporary measure, not a permanent one. It will afford us the time and opportunity to do the more detailed land-use review work needed on our vision and policies, without the pressure of reviewing applications at the same time within the study areas included in the ICB. Once the land-use study outlined in the report has been completed, and any required policy changes are made, we will be in a better position to properly evaluate applications and ensure they align with updated policies and the community’s vision for these key areas in our city.We will consider this report at the Planning and Development Committee on Tuesday (March 5) afternoon, with a Special Council meeting to follow. A decision will be made whether or not to move forward with the recommended action laid out in the report, and at that time, more updates will be released by the City of Burlington.