The City is looking at refining their development approval process in a bid to reduce wait times for applications. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

improved process

Nanaimo eyeing approval efficiencies to better near-record levels of development

Mar 30, 2024 | 10:40 AM

NANAIMO — Already boasting near-record development, the City is looking at ways to become more efficient and green light more projects in the community.

City councillors heard a detailed report on their development permit approval processes during a governance and priorities meeting on Monday, March 25, which outlined what the City does well and where things can improve.

A main focus for one of the report authors, Allan Neilson from consultant Neilson Strategies Inc., was to shorten wait times for property owners and developers to move through City processes.

“To address efficiency, to address certainty, to look at transparency, to look at fairness to make sure that we are doing the best we can as a local government jurisdiction to move development applications through the system and get the good development that comes out at the end.”

Neilson, along with his colleague Sherry Hurst, made 13 recommendations for the City to consider, ranging from pre-zoning initiatives to merging several processes which can run concurrently.

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The report aims to expedite applications which clearly meet goals outlined in Official Community Plans, as well as existing zoning and neighbourhood goals.

“What we’re trying to get at in these issues and the recommendations…whenever we have the City play its regulatory role, particularly as it relates to the development of property and the build environment, we always want to strike a balance between speed and mitigation of risk.”

Neilson said it’s a difficult balance to strike, but one the City has a good track record on.

“Council has a very good reputation in Nanaimo of not holding up development applications, of not being unreasonable when they come before Council.”

One specific area Neilson spoke on during his hour-long presentation was the City’s Design Advisory Panel, which reviews certain proposals for form and character.

The Panel, which is made up of citizens, City staff and at least one Council representative, then provides feedback for developers to make adjustments to their plans.

“We’re not suggesting you get rid of the Design Advisory Panel,” Neilson said. “We’re simply saying let’s look at some other places…let’s clarify the role of this body particularly….the role of staff and let’s also then limit the numbers of things and scope of things that have to go before this body.”

He pointed to Surrey which made similar changes with the goals of reducing applications going through their Panel by 60 to 70 per cent.

Other recommendations included setting and communicating target timelines for applications, again providing more clarity and certainty for developers.

Supported by members of Council, the recommendations will now go to staff for their take on how to implement them successfully in Nanaimo.

“I think these are addressing a lot of things that we have been hearing in the development community and I think even from staff, it will ultimately provide a lot more clarity, consistency and efficiency in how we’re doing our development approvals,” coun. Ben Geselbracht said.

Coun. Tyler Brown was the lone voice showing some reservations.

He suggested he was “nervous” around a few, concerned they wouldn’t have a tangible impact on reducing workloads.

“Tracking, developing inquiries, development of new systems. I worry just in general that process and procedure is really replacing practical sense and wisdom. I worry they will put us in a situation where any gains made in some other great items are dragged down by more process, more systems.”

Councillors, including Brown, all voted for the report to be forwarded to staff, however coun. Sheryl Armstrong, Ian Thorpe and Erin Hemmens were absent for the vote.

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