Item - 2017.PG17.4

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Deputy City Manager, Cluster B, the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A, the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and the Interim City Solicitor to:

a.  conduct an end to end development process review and report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee by September 7, 2017 on the results; and

b.  report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee at its April 5, 2017 meeting on the steps for conducting the review, including information on which divisions involved in the Development Application Review process have Key Performance Indicators.

2.  City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to:

a.  implement a time tracking system which will formally document staff time spent on development review matters and report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee no later than the second quarter of 2018 on Division's Key Performance Indicators and Planning Act timeline improvements arising from the recommended additional staff resources and any implemented process changes; and

b.  report to Planning and Growth Management Committee at its February 23, 2017 meeting with an implementation plan, including the procurement process, for the proposed time tracking system.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee recommends to the Budget Committee that:

1.  City Council approve an increase to the 2017 Preliminary Operating Budget of $1,805,750 gross and $0 net, and an increase of 17 temporary positions, fully funded by the City Planning Development Application Review Reserve Fund (Account XR1307), between the following City Programs:

 -   City Planning - An increase of $890,000 gross and $0 net for the 2017 part year funding of 8.0 new planner and 1.0 new support assistant positions;
 

-   Legal Services - An increase of $656,250 gross and $0 net for the 2017 part year funding of 5.0 new solicitor positions; and
 

-   Parks, Forestry and Recreation - An increase of $259,500 gross and $0 net for 2017 part year funding of 2.0 new Park Planner and 1.0 new Senior Landscape Architect positions.

The Planning and Growth Management Committee:

2.  Requested the Deputy City Manager, Cluster B, the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A, the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and the Interim City Solicitor to report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee at its February 23, 2017 meeting:

a. on the 2015 and 2016 Key Performance Indicators relating to the Development Application Review process for all the divisions involved in this process;

b. with an analysis, previously requested by City Council as part of Item PG16.1, on a Division by Division basis, of additional staffing resources required to meet each Division's Key Performance Indicators, Planning Act timelines and current and anticipated application volumes; and

c.  on the list of proposed staffing increases from each of the divisions involved in the Development Application Review process.

3.  Requested the Deputy City Manager, Cluster B, the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A, the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and the Interim City Solicitor to report to the Planning and Growth Management Committee, on a quarterly basis, on all of the Key Performance Indicators for staff working on Development Application Reviews, including the KPI target and performance.

As directed by City Council, this report is being submitted concurrently to the Budget Committee for consideration as part of the 2017 Budget Process and to the Planning and Growth Management Committee. At its meeting of December 13, 14 and 15, 2016, City Council directed the Deputy City Manager, Cluster B, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the City Solicitor to report to the Budget Committee through the 2017 Budget Process and concurrently to the Planning and Growth Management Committee at its January 11, 2017 meeting with an analysis, on a Division by Division basis, of additional staffing resources required to meet each Division's Key Performance Indicators, Planning Act timelines and current and anticipated application volumes, and that the report include options that may be required to cover the cost of any additional staff resources to meet those timelines, volumes and Key Performance Indicators including potential impact on the tax base and the Development Application Review Fees.

In response to City Council's direction, this report recommends adding 9.0 new City Planning staff on a temporary two year basis to address the service issues outlined in this report. This report also recommends that 5.0 additional staff be added to Legal Services and 3.0 additional staff be added to Parks, Forestry and Recreation, all on a temporary two year basis. These temporary positions would be funded through a draw from the City Planning Development Application Review Reserve Fund that receives contributions in years that Planning Application revenue surpluses arise.

The 17.0 new temporary positions recommended in this report will be in addition to 17.0 new permanent positions added as part of the 2017 Preliminary Operating Budget to support the development application review within City Planning (1.0 position); Toronto Building (12.0 positions); and Legal Services (4.0 positions).

This report was prepared in consultation with all Divisions involved in the development application review process. Legal Services and Parks, Forestry and Recreation input has been included in the report.