By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
At the November 6 County of Essex Council meeting, Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers put forward a Notice of Motion, which he ended up withdrawing at the November 20 meeting. Originally, he asked County Council to direct Administration to bring forward a report regarding the delegation of its approval authority for Plans of Subdivision and Plans of Condominium to local municipalities.
Part of his motion also asked that County Administration consult with the administration of each local municipality, and outline in the report which two-tier municipalities in Ontario have delegated this authority to the local level.
Rogers said the goal and the premise is always how to move forward.
“I think the spirit of this motion is to get a conversation going,” Rogers said, noting the goal is to eliminate layers. “If we have to get homes built and we have to get shovels in the ground, there are some things that need to be removed.”
Having full confidence in the County and local municipalities, Rogers noted what has been done historically is not necessarily how to move forward.
He noted this motion was brought forward previously, in 2019. Since, the world, economy, and legislation have changed.
As that conversation was taking place, he removed his Notice of Motion.
Brent Klundert, Chairperson and Norbert Bolger, Vice Chairperson, of the Windsor Essex Home Builders Association spoke to Rogers’s Notice of Motion. Klundert said many good meetings have taken place between the Essex Home Builders Association and County administration. They were looking for a consistent approach with the County and all seven local municipalities.
“We would like to work together at the County-level to basically come up with that consistent approach [to planning],” he said, noting conversations had with County Planning Manager, Rebecca Belanger, have gone well.
Rogers’s motion was appreciated, however, Klundert said good headway has been made.
Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey called it “ill practice” to have a delegation speak to a motion no longer on the floor.