A potential hybrid planning department model for Grey County is now in the hands of local municipalities.
On March 21, the nine municipal councils (The Blue Mountains, Chatsworth, Georgian Bluffs, Grey Highlands, Hanover, Meaford, Owen Sound, Southgate and West Grey) of Grey County joined together for a special joint meeting chaired by The Blue Mountains mayor and county warden Andrea Matrosovs.
More than 70 elected representatives and staff members logged in for the virtual meeting hosted by the county. County staff presented a report that outlined the comments, questions and concerns it had received from local municipalities about the possibility of forming a joint planning department for the entire county.
Last year, the county started studying the possibility of a joint planning department and a joint council meeting was held on the concept in August. Although there is not universal support for the joint model, The Blue Mountains council passed a resolution opposing the concept, there was enough interest from the various municipalities for the county to consider investigating a hybrid model that would see the county offer full planning services to some municipalities, while others would continue to have their own planning departments.
At the meeting, the combined body of the local council passed a resolution to receive the staff report on the matter and ask the local municipalities if they are interested in pursuing the hybrid model further. Local municipalities interested in proceeding have been asked to express in-principle support for the hybrid model by May 9, 2025.
County staff emphasized that any municipality expressing an interest in looking at the hybrid model in more depth was not making a decision, rather it was a nod to continue investigating the concept. There will be a later point in time when municipalities can formally opt in or opt out of the hybrid model.
The report, delivered by deputy CAO Randy Scherzer and planning director Scott Taylor reviewed the comments the county had received from local municipalities about the possible hybrid model for planning.
Common concerns included:
- Would the hybrid model speed up planning decisions?
- Would the model be more efficient and cost-effective?
- Would planning staff continue to work in local municipal offices?
- How would the hybrid model impact the working relationships between local planners and other municipal departments, which often work hand-in-hand?
- How would IT, software and records management work?
- How would human resources function with the hybrid model?
A full list of the comments and concerns can be found in the report online here.
Scherzer told the assembled group of local councillors that once the county had a full understanding of how many municipalities were interested in proceeding with further study of the hybrid option, the county would begin more in-depth research and study for how such a system would work.
“We have some further details to work out with the proposed model,” he said.
Taylor explained that hybrid models for planning services are in place in other counties in Ontario, the closest to Grey being Wellington county. He said should the process continue the county would develop a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with each participating municipality that would outline how the system would work. Taylor also noted that, if the hybrid model proceeds, it would not be changing who has planning authority in Grey County.
“Under the hybrid model, the approval authority is not changing,” he said, noting that local councils would continue to have responsibility for approving or denying local planning applications.
In terms of next steps, should enough local councils indicate support for proceeding, the county will begin the process of building out what the hybrid model will look like. This will include: meetings with local CAOs and planners, drafting MOU templates, study the hybrid models in use elsewhere to what works and what doesn’t, create an organizational chart and look at any updates that will be needed to county and local fees and charges bylaws.
The Blue Mountains councillor Shawn McKinlay asked how the hybrid model would work for staff compensation. He noted that the municipalities and the county have their own pay grids in place for staff.
“If you’re going to absorb staff from other municipalities, you can’t pay them less,” said McKinlay.
Scherzer said preliminary work has begun on that front and it would be completed in more depth in the next stage of the process.
Owen Sound councillor Melanie Middleboro asked how municipalities that choose to opt out of the hybrid model would avoid paying for the new system.
“How can we be sure, if we opt out, that we’re not also going to be paying for an increased planning department for the county?” Middleboro asked.
Scherzer said the current status quo would continue for municipalities that opt out of the system. He also noted that concern was one of the reasons to take a look at fees and charges at the county and local levels during the next stage of the process.
Meaford Mayor Ross Kentner encouraged the county to develop more financial information about the hybrid system for local councils to consider.
“It’s not looking like this is a cost-free transition to a hybrid system,” said Kentner. “We could really benefit from seeing the numbers crunched before we have to make a final decision.”