Planning Advisory Committee Policy — full text

This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source document governs. Snapshot a2534bcdd298 · verified 2026-06-05 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

## 1. TITLE - 1.1 This policy shall be known as the Planning Advisory Committee Policy. ## 2. AUTHORITY - 2.1 This policy is pursuant to section 200 of the Municipal Government Act, S.N.S. 1998, c18, as amended from time to time. ## 3. DEFINITIONS - 3.1 In this policy, - "CAO" means the Chief Executive Officer of the Municipality; - "Committee" means the Planning Advisory Committee for the Municipality; - "Council" means the Council of the Municipality of the County of Inverness; - "Director" means the Director of the Eastern District Planning Commission; - "Eastern District Planning Commission" means the commission that provides planning, subdivision and building inspection services in eastern Nova Scotia for the Counties of Antigonish, Inverness, Richmond, and Victoria and the Towns of Port Hawkesbury and Antigonish; and - "Municipality" means the Municipality of the County of Inverness. ## 4. PURPOSE - 4.1 The purpose of this policy is to advise the Municipality on how to best: - (a) develop community-based municipal planning; and - (b) foster vibrant and healthy communities while balancing economic development ## Planning Advisory Committee Policy | Policy Number: | 2025-09-04 | |------------------|--------------| | Effective Date: | 2025-09-04 | and sustainability. ## 5. OBJECTIVE - 5.1 The objective of this policy is to clearly outline the mandate of the Committee and the structures that the Committee shall use to guide its decision making to fulfill its mandate. ## 6. SCOPE ## 6.1 This policy applies to: - (a) the Municipality's Planning Advisory Committee members - (b) the CAO - (c) Council; and - (d) Municipal staff appointed to assist the Committee to fulfill its mandate ## 7. ADMINISTRATION - 7.1 The Administrator for this policy is appointed by the CAO. - 7.2 The Administrator is responsible for the administration of this policy. ## 8. MANDATE OF COMMITTEE - 8.1 The mandate of the Planning Advisory Committee is to: - (a) advise Municipal Council respecting the preparation or amendment of Municipal Planning Strategies, Land Use Bylaws and the Subdivision Bylaw, as well as general land use planning matters; - (b) receive and consider recommendations from any of the Municipality's Area Advisory Committees; - (c) gather information on matters affecting planning and development; - (d) provide a forum to hear and consider representation from any individual, organization or delegation with respect to planning; - (e) take other steps consistent with this policy that the committee reasonably deems necessary to carry out its mandate; and, - (f) take action on such matters as are lawfully delegated to it by statute or by Council. - 8.2 The duties assigned to the Committee shall only be carried out by the Committee. ## 9. MEMBERSHIP - 9.1 Membership shall include three members of Council and three members of the public who are residents of the Municipality. - 9.2 The Council shall appoint members of the Planning Advisory Committee by resolution. 9.3 It is the intention to have members with a varied background; however, members with a planning, architecture, engineering or other similar background will have some preference. ## TERMS AND REAPPOINTMENT - 9.4 The terms of appointment shall be for three (3) years. - 9.5 Any member of the Committee is eligible for re-appointment, to a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms. - 9.6 If any member of the Committee vacates their position for any reason at any time prior to the expiry of their term, Council must promptly appoint a new member to the Committee to hold office for the unexpired term. - 9.7 Any member of the Committee who is absent from three (3) consecutive meetings of the Committee, forfeits office as a member of the Committee, unless the absence is caused by illness or is authorized by resolution of the Committee and noted in the meeting minutes. ## CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR OF COMMITTEE - 9.8 Each year, the Committee shall elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair from among its members. ## 10. MEETINGS - 10.1 The Committee will meet at least six (6) times per year, or as needed to fulfill its duties. - 10.2 Meetings of the Committee must be open to the public, with the exception of matters included in subsections 203 (1) (a) and (b) of the Municipal Government Act. - 10.3 A majority of the members of the Committee constitutes a quorum. Committee vacancies shall not be counted toward the total number of Committee members. - 10.4 The chair, in consultation with the Director of Planning, may change meeting times as appropriate within 48 hours of a scheduled Committee meeting. 10.5 The chair, in consultation with the Director of Planning, may cancel Committee meetings if there are no agenda items and 48 hours notice has been given to Committee Members. ## AGENDAS - 10.6 Agenda items must be forwarded to the appropriate Municipal staff at least two weeks in advance of meetings. - 10.7 Agendas and all other required documents required for the Committee to fulfill its mandate shall be made available to the Committee one week prior to the scheduled meeting. - 10.8 Agendas and all other required documents shall also be posted to each the Municipality's and the Eastern District Planning Commission's website prior to the meeting. - 10.9 No additions to the agenda will be permitted at the beginning of a meeting unless unanimously accepted. ## 11. AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEES - 11.1 The Committee may establish area advisory committees to advise Council on specific issues related to planning in one area of the Municipality. - 11.2 An area advisory committee shall include residents of the Municipality. - 11.3 An area advisory committee shall include one member of Council. - 11.4 The chair of a working group must be a member of the Committee. - 11.5 Members of an area advisory committee shall be appointed by Council resolution. ## 12. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MUNICIPAL STAFF - 12.1 The Director of EDPC is responsible for all functions of the Committee including: - (a) Calling the Committee meetings; - (b) Distributing agendas and other documents as required; - (c) ensuring public notification of the Committee meeting is given; - (d) Providing Committee motions and reports to the Municipal Clerk for inclusion on the Council agenda. - 12.2 Where additional information or work is required of staff by the Committee the Director will be responsible for prioritizing staff resources, in conjunction with the Municipal Clerk when required. - 12.3 Meetings are to be attended by the Director of Planning or designate as well as a Municipal staff member assigned to record the minutes of the Committee meeting. - 12.4 At the discretion of the Director of Planning other staff may be invited / asked to attend Committee meetings. ## 13. REPORTING ## 13.1 The Committee shall: - (a) maintain minutes of its meetings and all area advisory committees which must be available for review by the public; and - (b) submit written reports to Council as required by Council. ## 14. CONFLICT OF INTEREST - 14.1 Members shall declare possible conflicts of interest before agenda items are discussed and leave the meeting or part of the meeting during which the matter is under consideration. ## 15. LEGISLATION AND SEVERABILITY - 15.1 In instances of conflict between this policy and pertinent federal and provincial legislation, the legislation supersedes this policy only to the extend required to resolve the conflict. - 15.2 A decision by a court of competent jurisdiction that any part of this policy is illegal, void, or unenforceable severs that part from this policy and does not affect the other provisions of this policy which shall remain in full force and effect. ## 16. POLICY REVIEW - 16.1 The Committee may recommend amendments to this policy to Council at any time. - 16.2 This policy will be amended as required by Council. ## Policy History ## Approval: I, Keith MacDonald, CAO and Clerk of the Municipality of the County of Inverness hereby certify that the above-noted policy was passed on September 4, 2025, at a meeting of the Council of the Municipality of the County of Inverness. | Date of Notice to Council: | 2025-06-05 | |------------------------------|--------------| | Date of Council Approval: | 2025-09-04 |  Keith MacDonald