‘We do our due diligence’ says Winsor

By Mark Squibb

Citing inquiries that have come into Holyrood Town Hall in recent days, councillor Steve Winsor took a few moments during the March 4 public council meeting to explain how decisions on development applications are made.

“I think it’s very important to ensure that all the residents that are out there listening, and everybody, are aware of what the processes and procedures are of council,” said Winsor. “And there are procedures. It’s not a fly by night, knee jerk reaction to things as they come up. We do our due diligence, and there is a process and procedure to everything that’s done here in the Town of Holyrood.”

Winsor said development applications are handled by the Planning and Development committee, with input from the Infrastructure and Public Works committee when needed. Once applications have been discussed at the committee level, a recommendation is brought forward to council and put to a vote.

“There are times when applications for development come into the town and they need more work,” said Winsor. “Due diligence of staff and of council might require gathering information from professional resources, third-party experts such as the town planner we engage from time to time and our retained legal council. And on the occasion when a decision is not made or a recommendation brought forward to council, it’s because we’re waiting on more information to make an informed recommendation so that council can make an informed decision. That does not mean that a decision has been made behind the scenes to not move the application forward; it means the committee does not have all the information they need to make a fair and reasonable recommendation to council.”
Winsor said in all cases, the goal of council is to encourage development, and in doing so, to do it right.

Winsor added the current strategic plan, adopted in 2024, will remain in affect until 2027. That plan, said Winsor, was built upon input from the public and recommendations made in the Curran Report.

Meanwhile, council approved two new home building applications at the meeting, one on Ridge Road and one on North Side Road, along with a handful of site work, occupancy and accessory building applications.

Councillor Laura Crawley later added that all committees follow the same process as the planning and infrastructure committees.