General Information
What happens once an application is submitted?
The Committee of Adjustment staff then prepares a Notice of Hearing, which among other things describes the details of your requested variance and the date, time and place of the Public Hearing. A public notice sign is placed on the subject lands, as well the notice is mailed to every owner within 30m (100 ft.) of the subject property for single unit residential properties and within 60m (200 ft.) for any other zoning designation at least ten days in advance of the Committee Hearing.
A notice is also distributed to various City Departments, Members of Council, other outside agencies, the property owner and the authorized agent (if any).
What happens at the hearing?
At the hearing you or your authorized agent will be required to make a verbal presentation of your case to the Committee. Presentations may also be made by any other interested parties in support of or in objection to your application. The Committee considers all presentations for and against your proposal and renders a verbal decision in the presence of all interested parties at the time of the Public Hearing. An approval of your application may be subject to such conditions and/or restrictions, as the Committee deems appropriate.
If an individual wishes to receive a copy of a Committee decision their request must be in writing. A form titled Request for a Copy of Decision is available at the Hearing or in the Committee of Adjustment office. To find out more about a particular application, call for an appointment to visit the office and review the application with the Secretary-Treasurer.
What happens after the hearing?
A formal record of the Committee's decision will be sent to the applicant or authorized agent and all persons that requested a copy of the decision within ten days from the date of the hearing. At the end of the twenty-day appeal period, if there has been no appeal filed, the decision will become final and binding and a notice to this effect will be issued. (note: if a permit is not issued while the referenced by-law is in effect the approval expires).
Appeal Provisions
The decision of the Committee of Adjustment is subject to appeal within twenty days from the date that the decision is made. During the appeal period any person having expressed an interest in the application may file an appeal of the Committee's decision to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). This procedure is initiated through the Secretary-Treasurer of the Committee of Adjustment.
To appeal the Committee of Adjustment decision to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT), Appellant Forms must be completed and submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer, Committee of Adjustment together with the appeal filing fee ($300) payable by certified cheque or money order in Canadian funds, to the Minister of Finance. An administration fee of $150 + HST made payable to the City of Sault Ste. Marie is also required.
To obtain a copy of the Appellant Form Appeal Guide B and other information about the appeal process please visit the Environmental and Land Tribunals website at
http://elto.gov.on.ca and search Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT).