(1) The MPC consists of seven (7) members as follows:
(a) three (3) members of Council, one of whom is the Mayor;
(b) four (4) Citizen Representatives;
(2) Council will also appoint one councillor as an alternate member of the MPC, who, if the regular councillor is unable to participate in a meeting, will serve in his/her place.
(3) The Mayor is chairperson of the MPC.
(4) In the absence of the Mayor, a Councillor will act as chairperson. If a member of Council is not present or must leave the meeting, one Citizen Representative member will assume the position of chairperson in the interim.
(5) The MPC shall not be bound to follow any formal rules of evidence.
(6) The Development Authority of The City will be:
(a) the Development Officer and any employee of The City to whom the City Manager has delegated authority to carry out the duties or functions of a Development Officer;
(b) the Municipal Planning Commission in respect of any matter assigned to it under the Land Use Bylaw, by Council or referred to it by the Development Officer.
(7) MPC is the subdivision authority for The City.
(8) The Director of Planning Services or designate is authorized to sign decisions of MPC on subdivision applications and is the signing authority for subdivision instruments and amendments to them.
(9) When a registerable instrument is submitted for endorsement, the Director of Planning Services or designate is authorized to accept minor modifications to lot lines, provided:
(a) no more than one additional lot is created;
(b) municipal, school or environmental reserve does not change;
(c) roadway standards of The City are not compromised; and
(d) such adjustments comply with City bylaws with the exception that minor changes to the Land Use Bylaw standards may be included as provided for in section 654(2) of the Municipal Government Act.
(10) The Subdivision Authority has the power to:
(a) extend the time within which a Plan of Subdivision is required to be submitted to the Subdivision Authority for endorsement; and
(b) following endorsement, extend the time within which a plan of subdivision or other instrument pertaining to a subdivision is required to be submitted to the Registrar of Land Titles for registration.
(11) The MPC has the following responsibilities pertaining to subdivision and development issues:
(a) act in an advisory role to Council on policy issues;
(b) act in an advisory role to City administration on issues that may impact the implementation or administration of policy;
(c) have the powers and perform all the duties prescribed for it in the Municipal Government Act and City bylaws;
(d) decide on all matters referred to it by the Development Officer;
(e) decide on all proposed wells/pipelines/facilities within the Intermunicipal Development Plan boundary referred to The City by an oil and gas company.
(12) Decisions of the MPC and any reasons given will be mailed to the applicant and to other persons the MPC considers are affected.
(13) After hearing all applicable submissions to any meeting of the MPC, it may deliberate and reach its decision in private, meeting as committee of the whole.
(14) The Administrative Liaison(s) for the MPC are:
(a) the Director of Planning Services or designate; and
(b) a representative from Inspections & Licensing.
