Virtual Public Meeting scheduled June 17 for Millcroft Greens proposal
A virtual public meeting to receive public input on the Millcroft Greens proposed development has been scheduled for Wednesday June 17 from 7-9pm. Details for how to participate can be found on the Pending Applications webpage for this proposal. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna will be participating via remote connection.
As part of our enhanced commitment to public input on development, Burlington requires developers to meet with the community in advance of submitting a development application. Applicants are then required to demonstrate how that input shaped the application.
Pre-application public meetings are not required under the Planning Act, nor can we refuse to receive applications if this step is not taken. However, to date applicants have been willing to work with the city and the community to hold public meetings prior to submitting an application.
Given the COVID19 pandemic and provincial emergency orders limiting in-person gatherings to no more than five people, in-person public meetings cannot currently be held. However the city cannot use this to prevent applications from being submitted.
The option of receiving an application without holding a public meeting was simply not acceptable to us, so a virtual option had to be developed to ensure that residents have every opportunity to submit input to help shape the application before it is received.
Knowing that there are other proposed applications currently and expected to come in across the city, we needed to find a consistent way to receive virtual public input until such time as we can once again hold public meetings. As a result, City Council recently approved a format for virtual public meetings for development applications, to ensure there are opportunities for public input throughout the COVID19 pandemic while in-person meetings are not possible. The Millcroft Greens proposal will be the first application (but certainly not the last or only) to use this new approach.
Providing input via the virtual public meeting is only one way for residents to convey their views. Prior to the application being received you can submit input via phone or email directly to the applicant (Millcroft Greens, info@millcroftgreens.comor 289-208-7543), as well as at any time during the planning process to the Mayor’s Office (mayor@burlington.ca) and the Ward Councillor (Angelo.Bentivegna@burlington.ca).
Once an application has been filed, you can submit input directly to the city planner on the file.
There will also be additional public meetings and opportunities to share your feedback directly with staff and City Council as the application makes its way through the planning process, which takes many months.
Additionally, the city of Burlington has taken another step forward in enhancing public involvement in planning and development matters by creating webpages for proposed development applications. In the past, a webpage would only be created after a complete application had been submitted, yet public input starts much sooner than that in Burlington. See related article: City enhances public notice of development proposals
A page has been created for Millcroft Greens proposal and you can subscribe to receive updates on that page. Notices of public meetings (including the June 17 meeting) and other materials are posted as they are received.
My Take:
The city can’t prevent developers from filing development applications, and under the Planning Act, we can’t require that they host a public meeting (virtual or otherwise) before making a submission. However, these steps are important to us to ensure early involvement of the community in development proposals, to allow resident input to help shape the proposal. Hosting a virtual public meeting is one way (but not the only or the last) to ensure residents have an opportunity to provide input on this proposal.