The City of Belleville…

The City of Belleville expresses concerns regarding proposed regulations under Bill 17 that would change complete application requirements. Limiting studies in planning applications threatens our ability to comprehensively evaluate development impacts within the statutory timelines. The proposed constraints may limit Staff’s capacity to require necessary studies on urban design, wind impacts, lighting, and sun/shadow, which may impact residents' quality of life and environmental considerations. Mandating acceptance of reports from qualified professionals without municipal discretion may impede the rigorous review needed for informed decision-making. These changes could undermine our planning autonomy, leading to recommendations of refusal from Planning Staff on the grounds of insufficient information to make an informed planning decision. Uniform application requirements fail to recognize the unique challenges faced by smaller municipalities in Ontario, risking a one-size-fits-all approach that may not be effective. The City urges the province to reconsider these proposals, offering flexibility to municipalities to tailor study requirements to address specific local contexts, and retention of local discretion on application completeness based on Official Plan conformity.