Kelowna new mayor wants to axe the APC

Alistair Waters - Kelowna Capital News Published: December 06, 2011 5:00 PM
If Kelowna's new mayor has his way, the city's public committee that vets development proposals before they go to council will cease to exist.  Walter Gray, in his inaugural address following the swearing-in of the new city council Monday night, said he believes there are considerable cost savings and valuable staff time efficiencies to be realized through the elimination of the Advisory Planning Commission.  The commission is made up of members of the public appointed by council to review development proposals and hear from the public, as well as make recommendations to council before the proposals are officially presented to council by city staff. The committee, typical in many municipalities, has been in existence here for decades.  "If (the elimination of the APC is) implemented, this will make for a faster approval process in getting applications to council and to pubic hearing," said Gray, who during the election campaign said he wanted to send a clear message to developers that Kelowna is, in his word, open for business.  He justified his call for an end of the APC, saying "time is money," and that the public is often confused about the role of the APC.  "While the APC has served the development review process and city council well in the past, I believe it's time to do things differently." As a replacement for the APC, Gray is proposing what he calls a design panel, to be made up of volunteer professionals who would look at some applications from a design perspective, but only where deemed appropriate by the city. In addition to his desire to see an end to the APC, Gray has also asked city staff to review all city committees from a cost perspective, to see if they are necessary, of value to the public and how much staff time they take up. "Change is inevitable and constant as our community changes," Gray told a packed house at the Mary Irwin Theatre Monday night. "To move forward, that likely means shedding some committees or taking the time to consider what form of public input is needed by this council today and in the future."