Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To review, assess and investigate permit and land development applications by municipalities, utility companies, developers, general public etc., to ensure the equitable administration of the ministry's policy with respect to corridor control procedure policies and regulations.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Under the general direction of the Manager, a permit officer may be assigned to the Corridor Management Area, Encroachment Area or Utilities Area. Is assigned to any of the above areas, a permit officer will be responsible for: - Implementing methods and procedures to improve production and operation of the section; - Attending OMB hearings as a representative of the Ministry when subpoenaed, to provide technical and policy information pertaining to the case being heard regarding severances, zoning, etc.; - Maintaining an up-to-date comprehensive cross-referenced filing system to ensure ready access to documentation; - Liaising with applicants, their solicitors and/or real estate agents, Federal and Provincial Ministries, local authorities and the public to explain MTO policies and decisions; - Acting for supervisor and/or peers in their absence. Is assigned to the Corridor Management Area assumes responsibilities to: Administer Corridor Control Procedures on the Provincial Highway system by: - Maintaining a working knowledge of corridor control procedures and policies; - Inspecting on a regular basis the highway system within the Region to ensure compliance by the public to the Ministry's policies and procedures; - Correcting infractions by utilizing progressive measures up to and including legal action; - Maintaining the ministry's permit system within the Region to accommodate permissible development and activities within the scope of the Corridor Control policies and guidelines, the system includes receiving applications and fees and accounting for same, reviewing application details, referring complex applications to supervisor or other Ministry offices or officials for resolution as required, meeting applicants or their agents to resolve discrepancies or suggest alternative designs or options, recommending approval or rejecting permit applications, logging all approved permits in ledgers, monitoring the annual fees and initiating corrective procedures for overdue accounts; - Ensuring that applications for access to the highway meet ministry standards for correct stopping sight distances and that the density of distance between access points meet the requirements of the highway classification; - Liaising with applicants, their solicitors and/or real estate agents, Federal and Provincial Ministries, local authorities and the public to explain MTO policies and decisions. Reviews, investigates, assesses and determines the acceptability of proposed land severances, land zoning and access requirements in relation to Legislative Acts, Ministry policy and directives in respect to proposals submitted by Committees of Adjustment, Land Division Committees and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for development adjacent to present and future Highway rights-of-way by performing such tasks as: - Assembling and studying all data relative to the specific proposal, including Official Plans, directives and Legislative Acts (e.g. Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, the Planning Act and the Road Access Act), as they apply to land severances and subdivision proposals, access requirements, etc., and clarifying discrepancies; - Maintaining liaison with committees, advising and recommending approval, disapproval or amendments where appropriate; - Conducting, when required, on site field inspections and meetings with the general public, developers, etc. to review development proposals adjacent to provincial highways; - Clarifying and answering applicants' or their agents' inquiries with respect to the Ministry's position by acting as their window to Central Region concerning their specific application; - Co-ordinating results and supplying Regional concerns to Head Office to ensure all pertinent issues are communicated to the originator in the official ministry response; - Maintaining ledgers and files of all proposals submitted and reviewed as a data base for future; - Responding to general inquiries from the public, elected municipal officials, civil servants and MPP's by telephone, letter and personal contact; - Maintaining liaison with Patrol staff to assist in reporting of development and adjacent to the King's Highways within patrol boundaries, applicants' compliance with conditions specified on approved permits, attending on-site meetings with the public as requested and to
Duties:
Under the general direction of the Manager, a permit officer may be assigned to the Corridor Management Area, Encroachment Area or Utilities Area. Is assigned to any of the above areas, a permit officer will be responsible for: - Implementing methods and procedures to improve production and operation of the section; - Attending OMB hearings as a representative of the Ministry when subpoenaed, to provide technical and policy information pertaining to the case being heard regarding severances, zoning, etc.; - Maintaining an up-to-date comprehensive cross-referenced filing system to ensure ready access to documentation; - Liaising with applicants, their solicitors and/or real estate agents, Federal and Provincial Ministries, local authorities and the public to explain MTO policies and decisions; - Acting for supervisor and/or peers in their absence. Is assigned to the Corridor Management Area assumes responsibilities to: Administer Corridor Control Procedures on the Provincial Highway system by: - Maintaining a working knowledge of corridor control procedures and policies; - Inspecting on a regular basis the highway system within the Region to ensure compliance by the public to the Ministry's policies and procedures; - Correcting infractions by utilizing progressive measures up to and including legal action; - Maintaining the ministry's permit system within the Region to accommodate permissible development and activities within the scope of the Corridor Control policies and guidelines, the system includes receiving applications and fees and accounting for same, reviewing application details, referring complex applications to supervisor or other Ministry offices or officials for resolution as required, meeting applicants or their agents to resolve discrepancies or suggest alternative designs or options, recommending approval or rejecting permit applications, logging all approved permits in ledgers, monitoring the annual fees and initiating corrective procedures for overdue accounts; - Ensuring that applications for access to the highway meet ministry standards for correct stopping sight distances and that the density of distance between access points meet the requirements of the highway classification; - Liaising with applicants, their solicitors and/or real estate agents, Federal and Provincial Ministries, local authorities and the public to explain MTO policies and decisions. Reviews, investigates, assesses and determines the acceptability of proposed land severances, land zoning and access requirements in relation to Legislative Acts, Ministry policy and directives in respect to proposals submitted by Committees of Adjustment, Land Division Committees and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for development adjacent to present and future Highway rights-of-way by performing such tasks as: - Assembling and studying all data relative to the specific proposal, including Official Plans, directives and Legislative Acts (e.g. Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, the Planning Act and the Road Access Act), as they apply to land severances and subdivision proposals, access requirements, etc., and clarifying discrepancies; - Maintaining liaison with committees, advising and recommending approval, disapproval or amendments where appropriate; - Conducting, when required, on site field inspections and meetings with the general public, developers, etc. to review development proposals adjacent to provincial highways; - Clarifying and answering applicants' or their agents' inquiries with respect to the Ministry's position by acting as their window to Central Region concerning their specific application; - Co-ordinating results and supplying Regional concerns to Head Office to ensure all pertinent issues are communicated to the originator in the official ministry response; - Maintaining ledgers and files of all proposals submitted and reviewed as a data base for future; - Responding to general inquiries from the public, elected municipal officials, civil servants and MPP's by telephone, letter and personal contact; - Maintaining liaison with Patrol staff to assist in reporting of development and adjacent to the King's Highways within patrol boundaries, applicants' compliance with conditions specified on approved permits, attending on-site meetings with the public as requested and to assist in compliance matters as necessary; - Assisting in the preparation of quarterly reports to Head Office; - Maintaining of various records, plans and an up-to-date comprehensive cross-reference filing system to ensure ready access to documentation pertaining to corridor protection and access control. Is assigned to the Encroachment Area assumes responsibilities to: -Ensure utility relocation prompted by ministry projects involving Bell, Hydro, Cable, TV, Gas, Watermains, etc., are carried out by: - Identifying utilities and deciding which must be relocated by reviewing plans and performing on-site inspection to verify locations; - Reviewing and discussing applications with Highway Engineering; - Dealing with utility companies to ensure work completed is acceptable to the ministry; - Checking relocation estimates to establish or determine the accuracy of the recommended ministry cost sharing amount; - Reviewing preliminary plans with Highway engineering staff for special provisions requirements; - Notifying contractors of utility relocation conflicts; - Attending meetings to co-ordinate simultaneous utility relocations; - Scheduling various moves in areas where timing is critical to the construction program; - Seeking assistance in location design, i.e. laying out property lines and arranging to on-site inspection during construction as required. Ensures that utility relocation or new installations or other works encroaching on the Highway Right-of-Way as requested by outside agencies i.e. utility companies, municipalities, etc., are properly completed by: - Reviewing the applications on-site and at meetings to ensure they are in compliance with ministry policy and guidelines; - Checking with Highway Engineering for future projects that would impact on the proposed location; - Meeting with representatives on-site to review potential problem areas and recommend alternate solutions; - Reviewing the plans or encroachment permit application and recommending approval by the Manager, Corridor Management Office; - Inspecting work to review safety, ensure good construction practices and compliance with agreed location and design; - Attending final acceptance meetings and recommending approval or additional work required in the absence of Permits Officer - utilities; - Providing authoritative advice to utility companies, consultants, property owners, contractors, municipalities and maintenance staff on utility matters; - Preparing legal agreements in conjunction with gas and pipeline installations in concert with Head Office Permit Administration and Compliance Section. Organizes, administers and co-ordinates functions of the Encroachment Area resulting in a recommendation on approval of permits by performing tasks such as: - Reviewing detailed design plans, estimates, etc., for technical applicability and providing comments as required; - Maintaining accurate field supervision records of all encroachments/legal agreements for retention of administrative office; - Defining the proper classification of encroachment permits, i.e. commercial, municipal, residential, statutory and recommending the same for classification change; - Instructing municipalities, utility companies, consultants, etc. in order to ensure that the provisions under the Construction Safety Act, 1973 and construction regulations are not contravened; - Writing correspondence to municipalities, utility companies, consultants, etc., performing work under approved encroachment permits; - Arranging and attending meeting with municipalities, utility companies, consultant, ministry construction staff, etc.; - Supervising and inspecting contractors, consultants, etc., during the course of construction phases on such matters as design plans, specifications, standards, geometric designs, etc., in order to comply with ministry policies and procedures and enforce same, as required; - Ensuring that permission to encroach is given to utility companies, municipalities and individuals in the form of permits, agreements and letter of consent subject to MTO policies and other imposed conditions, with special emphasis directed towards the safety of the travelling public. Is assigned to the Utilities Area assumes the responsibilities to: Organize, administer and co-ordinate the development of utility projects dealing with Ministry Capital Construction Contracts by: - Attending and representing the MTO at various utility meetings leading up to the actual relocation of utilities prior to road construction; acting as recorder at such meeting to ensure that various items are followed up; formulating utility status information for presentation at work project, technical review and contract meetings; ensuring through Project Manager that environmental clearance have been given before utility relocations for Capital Construction projects commence; - Initiate, co-ordinate and monitor the progress of utility relocations to ensure minimal interference with proposed highway construction schedule various utility move in congested areas where timing is critical; maintaining close liaison with Highway Engineering Office, Resources management, Property Section, utility Companies, Municipalities, Construction and Maintenance staff; - Determining the ministry's share of costs in accordance with the Public Service Works on Highways Act and MTO policy and arrange funding of ministry's share of cost; - Initiating and carrying out permit searches to verify the cost share commitments; - Providing authoritative advice to utility companies, consultants, property owner, contractors, municipalities and maintenance staff on utility matters; - Issuing utility moving orders for authorization by the Manager, Corridor management Office; - Liaising with Property Section on status of property acquisitions, deletions or additions affecting utility moves; - Reviewing utility plans and submissions for possible conflict with design proposals and/or design changes to ensure pre-determined conflicts have been dealt with. Submitting data to Highway Engineering Office following review to include on final contract drawings - Initiate, organize and coordinate multi-year program with utility companies, municipalities, regions government agencies and the private sector; - Represent the ministry at municipal, consultant and utility companies' meetings, etc., in order to assess and consider submissions and ensure that they adhere to ministry policies and regulations.

Staffing and Licencing :

Ontario Driver's Licence, Class 'G'

Knowledge :

Knowledge of corridor control policies, procedures, and provincial legislation to interpret, apply and provide explanations of ministry policies and procedures regarding the issuance of permits; - The work requires knowledge of surveying, design practices, tender preparation, engineering terminology and relevant ministry standards, specifications and policies. Knowledge of various quality control testing procedures and skills to utilize a computer to perform a variety of standard word and data processing tasks; - Knowledge of relevant provisions of various legislative acts as they pertain to the provincial highway systems; - Oral and written communication skills to liaise, consult, mediate, resole problems and provide information to internal and external clients. This knowledge is normally acquired through the completion of a Community College Civil Technologist Course and/or several years experience in Construction/Maintenance/Design fields.