ST. PAUL – Integrated Signs Solutions, who applied to allow electronic signs in Institutional Districts, asked the Town of St. Paul council to return its application fee back.
The application was approved on Sept. 9.
On Sept. 23, during the Town of St. Paul’s regular council meeting, council discussed if they should return the money.
Garry Perry, an independent development permits agent with Integrated Signs Solutions, suggested in his July 16 letter to council that this type of amendment could have been made by the Town on its own.
He reasoned in his letter that other municipalities across the province have already updated their bylaws to allow similar changes in their communities.
The changes allow schools to communicate with students and parents more effectively.
Perry also reasoned the amendments will benefit students and parents of all St. Paul schools located in Institutional Districts, allowing these schools “equal opportunity” to access digital signage technology.
Perry suggested that since the proposal to allow electronic signs in Institutional Districts is something that would help the community, he believes the application fee should be waived.
“We believe the support of administration for this application acknowledges this amendment might normally be one brought forward by administration for the reasons detailed above. As a result, we therefore respectfully ask the mayor and members of this council to consider waiving the associated $1,000 application fee,” concluded Perry in the letter.
During discussions, Coun. Ron Boisvert asked if the fee had been paid already, which Aline Brousseau, Director of Planning & Legislative Services, confirmed.
“So, why is there a claim to waive the fee?” further questioned Boisvert.
“This had always been in their mind to file, and we received it shortly around the time of their application for the amendment,” said Brousseau. “We thought it best to go through the amendment part first, so not to confuse the process and then bring it back once the process was finished.”
Coun. Nathan Taylor asked if the reimbursement would go back to Integrated Signs Solutions, or if it would go to the Conseil Scolaire Centre-Est (CSCE), since Perry submitted the application on behalf of CSCE.
Brousseau was unable to confirm.
“I feel that any money we can keep within our school boards is money that can be spent on education, and that is a good thing,” said Taylor. “However, I am not prepared to vote in favour of the motion because of not knowing clearly that the money would go back to the school board itself.”
Mayor Maureen Miller also said that doing so would set a precedent.
“It would be no risk then to the developer, [or for] whoever’s asking for the change,” she said.
Council denied waiving the $1,000 application fee.