MINUTE Processing and Administration of Development Applications (Regulatory Council

Item 7.1 - Attachment 1

MINUTE Processing and Administration of Development Applications (Regulatory Council - 9 March 2009)

For Action
Regulatory Council	9/03/2009
TO: Manager Land Use and Transport Planning (Marcelo Occhiuzzi)

Subject:	Processing and Administration of Development Applications
Target Date:	16/03/2009
Notes:	Marcelo for your action please.

MOTION (Esber/Bide)

(a) That Council note the following improvements to processes proposed within the Development Services Unit:

1 Fast tracking of minor DAs

2 Expediting internal referrals

3 Improving the “clearing house” process

4 Performing a “blitz” on determining DAs that have been in the system for over 80 days

5 Improving responsiveness associated with pre lodgement meetings

6 Commencing a process of defining a policy position on how to proceed with incomplete or deficient DAs.

(b) That the Chief Executive Officer be delegated the functions of Council for a period of 12 months to:

a) Approve development applications (including section 96 applications) provided:

i. There are not more than 7 objections to the development; or

ii. The development application does not relate to land in which Council holds, or has recently held, a direct pecuniary interest;

iii. deleted; or

iv. The development application is not known to have been made, or relate to a property owned by a member of staff or Councillor; or

v. deleted;

vi. The development application does not seek to demolish a heritage item; or

vii. The development application does not relate to a brothel, massage parlour, sex services premises, restricted premises, tattoo parlour or place of public worship; or

viii. The application does not seek a review of determination under section 82A.

ix. The application is lodged as a “Fast Track DA” (i.e., swimming pools, garages, carports, awnings, decks, pergolas, change of use and similarly small scale DAs) even if 7 or more objections are received.

1 Approve complying development certificates.

2 Exercise the assumed concurrence of the Director-General in relation to objections made pursuant to State Environmental Planning Policy No.1 – Development Standards.

3 Refuse development applications and complying development certificates.

Note - Individual households are to represent only one objection to a development application irrespective of the number of individual objections received or signatures provided on behalf of that household for the purpose of determining 1(a)(i) above.

(d) That site meetings be held for the following Development Applications prior to a determination being made:

a) Where 10 or more objections have been made.

b) For all other DAs where 2 Councillors request that a site meeting be held.

(e) That the current practice of referring proposed meeting dates and times for site meetings to Council for endorsement be replaced by such meetings being organised by staff in the Development Services Unit and notified to Councillors on a monthly basis.

(f) That Council commence 6 monthly ‘Industry Forums’ commencing in early 2009. The purpose of the ‘Industry Forums’ is to receive feedback from regular customers on the Development Assessment Service and local planning issues including architects, designers and developers.

(g) That Council suspend the current practice of referring Development Applications for child care centres to the Local Engineering Advisory Committee and Traffic Committee for comment in cases where on-street car parking is not being relied upon to comply with the car parking controls.

(h) That amendments being made to the standard notification letter advising stakeholders that individual households are to represent only one objection to a development application irrespective of the number of individual objections received or signatures provided on behalf of that household. In addition, advice being included indicating that if objections are received from a significant distance to the proposal, the objector should state their interest in objecting.

(i) That Council staff prepare a policy on how incomplete and deficient DAs should be dealt with by Development Assessment staff as a matter of policy having regard to balancing customer service and efficiency and timeliness of the of the process.

(j) That a report be presented to Council in 6 months which outlines the progress of the changes proposed in this report and improvements to processing times and identification of any further changes required.

(k) Further, that monthly reports be prepared for Council identifying number of DAs in the system, median processing times, trends over time and other statistics that will keep Council informed of key statistics in DA processing and administration.

AMENDMENT (Finn/Barber)

(a) That Council note the following improvements to processes proposed within the Development Services Unit:

1 Fast tracking of minor DAs

2 Expediting internal referrals

3 Improving the “clearing house” process

4 Performing a “blitz” on determining DAs that have been in the system for over 80 days

5 Improving responsiveness associated with pre lodgement meetings

6 Commencing a process of defining a policy position on how to proceed with incomplete or deficient DAs.

(b) That the Chief Executive Officer be delegated the functions of Council to:

1 Approve development applications (including section 96 applications) provided:

1.1 There are not more than 3 objections to the development; or

1.2 The development application does not relate to land in which Council holds, or has recently held, a direct pecuniary interest; or

1.3 The development application does not fall within the terms of reference of the Central Parramatta Planning Committee; or

1.4 The development application is not known to have been made, or relate to a property owned by a member of staff or Councillor; or

1.5 The development application does not seek a variation of more than 10% to a standard under the Parramatta City Centre LEP 2007; or

1.6 The development application does not relate to a heritage item;

1.7 The development application does not relate to waterways or environmentally sensitive land;

1.8 The development application does not relate to a brothel, massage parlour, sex services premises, restricted premises or tattoo parlour.

1.9 The application does not seek a review of determination under section 82A.

1 Approve complying development certificates.

2 Exercise the assumed concurrence of the Director-General in relation to objections made pursuant to State Environmental Planning Policy No.1 – Development Standards.

3 Refuse development applications and complying development certificates.

(d) That site meetings be held for the following Development Applications prior to a determination being made:

1 Where 5 or more objections have been made.

2 For all other DAs where 2 Councillors request that a site meeting be held.

(k) That monthly reports be prepared for Council identifying number of DAs in the system, median processing times, trends over time and other statistics that will keep Council informed of key statistics in DA processing and administration.

The amendment was put and lost.

The motion was put and carried.

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