Providing proper notice is a key step in ensuring participation before a decision is made.

Brad was concerned because he didn’t receive a notification about an application for a Development Variance Permit (DVP) for a building to be built on a property near his. Believing this was contrary to the village’s notification requirements, Brad contacted us for assistance.

We contacted the village to determine whether it provided adequate notice to residents regarding the application for a DVP. The village’s Development Approval Process guide required the village to notify residents within 50 metres of the land in question, by mail, at least 10 days before the adoption of the resolution by council. The village acknowledged that Brad wasn’t sent a notification letter due to an unintentional error in the regional district’s mapping system. Brad’s property was not shown as having a civic address, therefore he was not notified.

The village took steps to rectify its error by contacting the regional district to ensure Brad’s address was correctly entered into its mapping system. It also agreed to write a letter to Brad accepting responsibility for its error and explaining what had happened.