Notice of Intention to Develop Land

December 10, 2018

To better serve the public the Department of Planning wishes to improve its advertising of planning applications by requiring Agents (and in the absence of an Agent the Applicant) to display a notice of the proposed development on site.
There are a number of benefits that this initiative will bring:-

• It addresses an objective to have more information placed in the public domain as a matter of routine.
• It addresses the concerns of the Public and NGOs that newspaper advertisements alone are insufficient to properly notify the public of proposed developments across the Island. This was identified through E‐Government’s customer survey feedback as key measures to improve the Department’s customer service.
• It meets the Department of Planning’s objective of providing a more efficient and customer friendly planning regime, our mission of “Responsibly serving the people of Bermuda”. In addition it addresses one of the Department’s core values “Communication” and its objective to provide information to the public in a helpful manner and provide excellent customer service.
• At times it is difficult to ascertain exactly where the property subject to the application is located as no map is provided with the advert; and some properties do not have municipal street numbers, in particular in the case of vacant lots. Signs will make it easier for the public to know where parcels of land are subject to planning/subdivision applications.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is the Department requiring notification signs?
The Public Access to Information Act 2010 requires as much information as possible to be readily available to the public. Signs will make it easier for the public to know which parcels of land are subject to planning/subdivision applications.
What will the sign look like?

• • The sign should be 11”x17” in size
  • Processed on RED paper with BLACK wording
  • Printed on firm paper that is laminated or otherwise made suitably waterproof/water resistant
  • Posted in a visible location on site using a stake in the ground, approximately 4’ high
  • If there is no soft surfacing along the street frontage of the property the sign can be placed on the
    building face or in a window
  • The sign must be clearly visible to the public and clear of any obstructions.
  • More than one site notice may be required depending on the lot configuration ‐
    • Regular Lot with 1 street frontage ‐ 1 sign is required
    • Corner Lot with 2 street frontages ‐2 signs required (one on each street frontage)
    • Through Lot with 2 street frontages ‐ 2 signs required (one on each street frontage)
  • Note: The Agent is responsible for processing the sign(s) in conformance with the sign specifications

Where, When, and How should the sign be installed?

• Sign placement will depend on the property but the sign must be placed in a location that is visible to the general public.
• Once the application has been registered and assigned a file number, an acknowledgement letter will be provided to the agent. At this time the Agent will also be given the wording for the sign by the Department to avoid errors and ensure consistency of information. The Agent must install the sign as soon as possible.
• The sign may be placed on a stake placed in the ground, or in a window, or on the building face. On corner lots or through lots with more than one street frontage, two signs may be required.
• Note: The Agent is responsible for posting the sign(s)

What information will the sign contain?

• Applicant Name
• Application Number
• Location of Proposed Development
• Description of Proposed Development
• Zoning of the land
• General notation of how to obtain more information about the application

Where can I get the sign produced?
Any company that has access to red paper, can print on 11” x 17” paper, and laminate, can produce the sign. Estimates are approximately $5.00.

How will the Department of Planning know the sign is installed on the property?
The Agent must provide photographic proof to the Department of Planning that the notice has been installed on site. The photos can be forwarded to the respective area Planners:‐

The Planner will ensure that the sign is displayed on the property when they undertake their site visit. Agents will be advised that failure to erect the sign may result in the delay of the processing of the application.

What is the Period of Time that the Notice has to be Displayed?
Once the planning application has been determined (approved or refused) there is a period to appeal the decision (21 days from receiving notice of the Development Application Board’s decision – via Acknowledgement Letter). The sign should be removed no earlier than one week after the appeal period has ended. This means that most signs should be removed no earlier than one month after the Board’s decision has been made.

Won’t this delay the processing of the application?
Applications will be received and advertised in the usual manner. The sign is an additional notification step that is already identified in the Development and Planning (Application Procedure) Rules 1997, section 13. However, failure to erect the sign could result in a delay of the processing of the application.
For more information contact the Senior Applications Officer at 295‐5151 x1220

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