(City of Lacombe)

By Dwayne McLaughlin

cutting red tape

Lacombe city council cutting lots of red tape

Jan 28, 2021 | 12:41 PM

Lacombe city council has streamlined the municipality’s development application approval process.

It did so this week by approving amendments to the Subdivision and Development Authority Bylaw.

Previously, applications required Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) approval – extending the permit process by six-eight weeks.

City staff may now approve variances up to 15 per cent, as well as applications referred to adjacent landowners as long as no objections are received.

“These changes align perfectly with council’s goal to cut red tape and encourage business development in Lacombe. Going to MPC can be time-consuming and is often not necessary for straight-forward projects,” said Mayor Grant Creasey.

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“By giving administration more development authority, we are vastly improving the time it takes to gain the necessary approvals.”

The changes parallel those made to Land Use Bylaw 400 last year.

The revised bylaw aligns with council’s goal to have the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) reflect council and the community’s will.

Keeping with the theme of reducing red tape, Lacombe city council has also rescinded several historical policies that were deemed inoperative and obsolete.

For four years, the city has worked on what’s called the data integrity project, with 1,024 bylaws and 300 policies removed in that period.

“One of council’s goals was to consolidate our municipal books, helping ensure City governance is clear, concise and transparent,” said Mayor Creasey. “By eliminating outdated bylaws and policies, we are reducing red tape.”

The project was given the go-ahead in 2016, and in many cases it found that outdated bylaws or policies had not been repealed or rescinded once amended legislation had been passed.

The process is cost-free to the municipality and uses existing staff. It also aligns with council’s goal to have user-friendly and accessible documents for the public.

The project still includes three more phases.