Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

City Hall looking to avoid delays in approval of new development permits

Jun 15, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Grande Prairie city hall is going to look at ways to work around a backlog at the land titles office.

The city’s Land Use Bylaw currently requires that land titles are transferred through the office before new development permits can be approved.

When that policy was made, the wait at the office was three to four days. It is now three to four months.

Councillor John Lehners says this can mean projects are delayed.

“That could translate into other developments and in a winter city, where you only have a limited opportunity to begin development, it’s important that we maintain some flexibility in our development processes so that things can occur without putting the city at risk.”

Seniors' Event

Join us for a FREE Seniors' Movie Night!

May 13, 2024

Plan Ahead

Why Would You Pre-Plan Your Funeral?

Apr 03, 2024

Dying away from home

What Happens if You Die Away From Home?

Mar 04, 2024

He adds the motion he made that was passed by council at Monday’s meeting asks administration to find ways to delegate or work around that requirement.

“I think they’ve already discussed it. I don’t think it will be a big leap for them. Hopefully we can make sure that everybody ensures that Grande Prairie is a great place to develop, and we try and be as expeditious as we can when it comes to creating prudent development in our community.”

Administration has been asked to report back to a standing committee on possible ways to expedite the development permit process.

Lehners says he doesn’t know why the wait time has grown so much.

“But it has become that pattern now for awhile, for years, is my understanding. I think we need to deal with it and adapt to that new reality.”

Council has already run into this once as it voted to waive this same bylaw requirement when it approved the development permit for the new Sunrise House Youth Emergency Shelter.