The county is trying once again to get an exemption from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
Haliburton County’s Director of Planning, Charlsey White, got the okay from the county council to once again apply for an exemption from the province. According to White, the exemption would mean that the county would not have to consult with the Ministry for amendments to the official plan.
White explained in her report to the council that the county had applied for the exemption twice in the past, once in 2008 and again in 2017. She says the county was contacted on January 17th of this year asking if the county was still interested in pursuing the exemption, which council emphatically supported continuing to pursue.
Also in White’s report was the suggestion that the exemption is beneficial because the Ministry recently upped the cost of amendments to $12,534, as well White says that is in addition to the county’s $1,300 application fee. Another benefit, White says, is the reduced amount of time it takes to process the amendments. The other benefit according to White, is the autonomy of decision making stays within the county.
White is expected to write a letter to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing asking for the exemption.
