St. John's Urban Region Agriculture Appeal Board

Department

Authority

Remuneration

Purpose:

The St. John’s Urban Region Agriculture Appeal Board (the Appeal Board) has a mandate to hear appeals of the decisions of the St. John’s Land Development Advisory Authority (the Authority) and make recommendations in writing to the Minister of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands on appeals under the St. John’s Urban Region Agriculture Development Area Regulations (the Regulations) of the Lands Act (the Act).  

The Authority was established to consider applications for development activities in the St. John’s Urban Region Agriculture Development Area (ADA) as defined by the Act and the Regulations.  There are 12,166 hectares of land within the St. John’s ADA that fall within seven municipalities on the North East Avalon: St. John’s, Conception Bay South, Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove, Portugal Cove-St. Phillips, Flat Rock, Torbay and Pouch Cove. 

The Authority established under the Regulations considers applications for land development, approves and issues permits or notices of approval, and exercises all other powers and duties conferred and imposed upon the Authority under these Regulations. Through the appeal process, the Appeal Board ensures that plans for development within the St. John’s ADA conform to the provisions of the Regulations.

Structure:

The Appeal Board is made up of at least three members. 

Competency Profile:

Those who make up the Appeal Board should collectively possess the following core competencies:

• experience in a regulatory environment (natural resources preferred); 
• experience in the agriculture industry;
• experience with land use planning;
• experience with municipal planning or development; 
• experience interpreting and applying legislation and standards; 
• previous board or committee experience.

Qualifications:

The following are considerations when selecting members:

• high ethical standards and integrity;
• appreciation of the responsibilities to the public;
• appreciation of the role and importance of agriculture in urban areas;
• flexible, responsive and willing to consider others’ opinions;
• capable of a wide perspective on issues;
• no direct or indirect conflict of interest (ie: not an active NL farmer, active NL municipal council member, current member of an agricultural organization, or have interests in a construction or land development company); and
• sound judgment and reasoning skills.

Time Commitments:

Members of the Board should be available to meet six times per year. Board members may also be expected to spend additional time to review materials and prepare for Board and Committee meetings. Meetings take place within the St. John’s ADA.

Term:

No statutory requirements or restrictions exist; however, appointments have traditionally been for a period of three years.

Vacancy Profile:

The St. John’s Urban Region Agriculture Appeal Board is seeking to fill up to three member positions. Expressions of interest are being sought from individuals who possess the background, experience and skill-set identified above, and who can bring unique persepctives to the table. Consideration will also be given to a variety of demographic factors to ensure the board is representative of the population they serve.