To whom is may concern, The…

To whom is may concern,

The proposed changes to the Town of Fort Erie Official Plan do not include transition policies, particularly as it relates to development applications that are in process. Transition policies provide guidance to policy interpretation for applications that were deemed complete under existing policies, and which would still be under municipal review during the transition to the new Plan.

The Town of Pelham’s proposed policies are a positive precedent for Fort Erie’s OP, as they provide guidance to ensure that there is a smooth transition between applications deemed complete under existing policies.

It is recommended that the Town of Fort Erie's Official Plan maintain procedural fairness and provide certainty by incorporating clear transition policies. This will ensure consistent direction for staff and applicants regarding applications deemed complete under the existing framework, preventing the review of plans against policies that were not in effect at the time of submission.