WCEL > Issues > Urban Growth and Development > Smart Bylaws Guide > Part 8 > Assessing the Merits of Development

Smart Bylaws Guide – Assessing the Merits of Development

To ensure that development clearly meets official plan goals, many municipalities are using checklists and impact assessment processes.  Staff and council weigh development applications against objective and subjective criteria to determine the degree to which the development furthers community goals.  Rating or formally assessing the details of proposed development assists a municipality to more clearly identify priorities and specifications for future development, and will provide more specific direction to developers as they meet municipal requirements.

Checklists

Several municipalities and non-profit organizations have developed smart growth scorecards and checklists.  One of the earliest, most comprehensive of these is from the City of Austin, Texas.  City staff developed a Smart Growth Matrix to assist City Council to analyze development proposals within the Downtown Development Zone. It is designed to measure how well a development project meets the City’s Smart Growth goals such as: 1) the location of development; 2) proximity to mass transit; 3) urban design characteristics; 4) compliance with nearby neighbourhood plans; 5) increases in tax base, and other policy priorities.  The Matrix allows local governments, developers and citizens to generate a comprehensive snapshot of the impacts and benefits of the proposed development.

British Columbia local governments are increasingly turning to using Checklists to assist local government politicians, staff and developers bringing development proposals to converge on what the community really means when it says it wants "sustainable development" for the community.  A Checklist tool may serve an important communications, educational and evaluative function for all of the participants in the development process.

• Smart Growth Matrix (City of Austin, Texas)
• Smart Growth Scorecard: Proposed Developments (New Jersey Future)
• Sustainability Checklist (James Taylor Chair, UBC)
• Gibsons Smart Development Checklist
• New Westminster Smart Growth Development Checklist
• Port Coquitlam Sustainability Checklist
• Vernon Smart Growth Development Checklist
• Local Index of Transit Availability (Local Government Commission)

Impact Assessments

Approving officers and municipalities may require applicants to conduct studies to assess the potential environmental and social impacts of a development, and to outline mitigation measures. When used as part of the development application process, impact assessments often result in better developments as staff or council clarify municipal requirements for developers and will work with them to improve project design.  The level of detail of impact assessments depends on both how big the project is, and the type of process adopted by a local government.  They can be as simple as providing information under a development permit designation to hiring a consultant to conduct studies and write a report.

• Kelowna (development information as part of development permit review)
• Nanaimo (environmental impact assessment)
• Saanich (impact assessment for a range of community goals)
• Whistler (impact assessment for a range of community goals)
• Central Okanagan Regional District - Terms of Reference for Professional Reports for Planning Services

For More Information

Community Guide to Development Impact Analysis (Mary Edwards)