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"OWEN SOUND CHAMBER MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW..." 

Dear Mayor Lovell-Stanners and Council, 

     The Owen Sound and District Chamber of Commerce would like to applaud Council's efforts on receiving funding for many worthwhile projects including the rebuild of the City Sewage Treatment Facility and the imminent construction of a Regional Recreation Center.  These certainly are good news stories that received a lot of play and are fully supported by this Chamber.  It was also City Hall that requested letters of support from the Chamber and other stakeholders to help provide additional ammunition for the applications and we believe Mr. Miller, when announcing funding for the sewage treatment project,  indicated that the Chamber was a key partner in helping with the decision making process.
     The Owen Sound and District Chamber of Commerce has been actively involved in following City affairs for a long time now and at a recent meeting of our Advocacy Committee a number of questions/concerns were raised in which you may be able to provide insight.

Land Development Approvals 
      We have been following with great interest the recent proposals for development on the City's Eastside and the length of time it takes for the development approval process.  We watched as a City initiated proposal (Rec. Facility) was crafted and submitted to the province for approval in short order to meet Government imposed deadlines for funding and construction.  Yet private sector developers are faced with a mountain of bureaucracy in order to move forward.  Will there not be questions which need to be addressed during the construction phase of the recreation center project that were unforeseen?

With respect to the Land Development Approval process:
1.  What policies and procedures has the City implemented to insure prompt and efficient processing of a development proposal?
2.  Are there review dates and times to help a development proceed?
3.  Who is responsible for coordinating the overall development approval process?
4.  Where does the Economic Development Officer fit in this process?
5.  How does a project that generates no tax revenue receive almost immediate approval whereas a  potential tax revenue generator is held in limbo for what seems like years?

     Delays in the development approval process are not always someone else's fault, (another level of government, unforeseen circumstances, additional information required by staff).  If a developer is presented with clear direction as to what is required at the beginning of the development approval process and the rules are not changing during the process, developers can move swiftly.  As with any business, time is money.  Council approvals (or denials) should be expedited to encourage growth and prosperity within our community.  If council is more decisive, then citizens, developers, investors and business will benefit.

Heritage Policies
     The Chamber recognizes the value of  a physical heritage and an emotional heritage, both of which are very strong in this community.  What we don't understand is the perceived lack of any heritage policy within this community.  Over three years ago, a building was torn down (Queen's Hotel).  While we are not here to debate the merits of Council's decision, this would have been an opportune time to establish a CLEAR policy to provide direction to the development industry and property owners alike.  We have heard information that the city is completing a heritage registry and the province is changing the rules.  These excuses have provided no direction for the proponents of heritage preservation or developers looking to do work in our community.  We applaud you for your work on the facade improvement program and its potential expansion but again no action has been taken.  It is time for Owen Sound to take a leadership role and not wait for someone else to set policy and hide behind them. 

With respect to Heritage Policy:
1.  Where are they?
2.  What are they intended to do?
3.  Who is responsible to interpret them?
4.  When will they be complete?
5.  Why does it seem that no one understands what heritage is? Does the City know?

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