Streamlining a By ALEX MCCUAIG
streamlined building permitting system passed as part of Medicine Hat’s Land-Use Bylaw in 2013 is doing what it was designed to, according to the city planning
win-win A
at City Hall
“We used that approach throughout the bylaw and we streamlined it a lot. We also reviewed the lists themselves within the land-use categories and we grouped similar uses within those categories,” said Schwartzenberger.
department general manager.
Stan Schwartzenberger said the permitting system has been simplified and, “one of the ways we did that was that we moved a number of uses that were previously identified as discretionary — which would take more review — and moved them into permitted uses.”
That has seen a cut in the number of staff required to review building permits while also cutting down the time to acquire them, said Schwartzenberger.
The permits which qualified for this redesignation have minimal if any off-site impacts or required increase noise or vibration levels to be incurred.
The result has seen the regulatory burden lessened compared to what was previously required to obtain a building permit.
“It’s a win-win. It streamlines the process for getting projects done in the city — whether it’s residential, commercial or industrial,” Schwartzenberger said.
“And it also reduces our manpower requirements for what is really low-risk processes . . . MPC (municipal planning commission) really hasn’t been all that busy.”
MPC continues to review all large-scale developments but Schwartzenberger said all developments have benefited from the efficiencies built into the permitting system. ■
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