Ballarat City Council will vote on setting up a Planning Special Committee at its June 12 meeting to help deal with its large planning workload.
The committee would provide for better consultation when dealing with all planning matters, including planning permit applications, planning amendments and policy development’s strategic planning phase.
Currently, liquor licensing matters, a planning permit application where a senior Council officer is the applicant, planning scheme amendments, major planning policy initiatives and Cultural Heritage Management Plan matters are heard in the Council chamber.
Two councillors can also request a planning permit application be heard in the chamber if they feel it warrants further debate.
However, the significant amount of planning work across Council is now believed to warrant a special committee of its own.
Full council meeting rules only allow limited time for the public to present their case and is particularly difficult when there are a large number of submitters.
A Planning Special Committee would be a less formal environment, allow for more detailed submissions and provide for councillors to ask more questions of applicants and objectors.
It is recommended ultimate decisions about planning matters that would be heard in chamber still be decided by the full Council.
The Committee would include all nine councillors, with public meetings to be held once a month.
It is also recommended liquor licensing matters be dealt with by Council officers to reduce assessment times and help facilitate growth, economic development and tourism within Ballarat.
