Victoria will resume public hearings for development projects next month with people participating by telephone or pre-recorded video.
The city has ruled out in-person participation for now, so as to meet physical-distancing protocols and comply with health directives that prohibit large gatherings during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Councillors agreed at a committee of the whole meeting Thursday to bring back evening meetings twice a month in order to hold public hearings and allow people to address council remotely.
Eight development applications are ready for a public hearing, while 11 more are in the works, a staff report shows.
Mayor Lisa Helps said it’s important to resume the hearings to keep developments moving, including a number of rental and affordable-housing projects.
Helps said the system will get a trial run at a Recovery Town Hall tentatively set for June 9, prior to public hearings resuming on June 11.
Council suspended public hearings and evening meetings in March to comply with provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s ban on gatherings larger than 50 people in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Solicitor General Mike Farnworth subsequently issued a ministerial order on May 1 allowing local governments to hold electronic public hearings during the provincial state of emergency.
