LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for May 8, 2017

Published on by Adam A. Donaldson

A heritage update, street reconstruction, affordable housing, and building standards are all on the docket for the agenda of this planning meeting. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico’s preview of tonight’s meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight’s council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

by
Adam A. Donaldson
Mon, May 08 2017 23:58:05

Guelph City Council Meeting – May 8, 2017

Live blog from the meeting starting at 6:30 pm

  1. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    #Guelph City Council meeting starts in 10 mins. Here are the four big items on the agenda:  http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2017/05/city-council-preview-whats-on-agenda.html …

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:19:57

  2. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Lift-off for the planning meeting.

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:30:13

  3. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Regrets for this meeting: @thatjamesgordon @ward5guelph @JuneHofland

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:32:18

  4. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No discolure of pecuniary Interest and general nature thereof.

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:32:42

  5. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    First official item: Medal presentation to the Guelph Buns Master Special Olympics Floor Hockey Team

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:33:26

  6. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    They won the Silver medal at the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2017 in Graz, Austria.

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:33:47

  7. @mayorcamguthrie gives out medals to players for the #Guelph Buns Master Special Olympics Floor Hockey team for winning the Silver medal at the Special Olympics World Winter games 2017 in Graz, Austria.

    @mayorcamguthrie gives out medals to players for the #Guelph Buns Master Special Olympics Floor Hockey team for winning the Silver medal at the Special Olympics World Winter games 2017 in Graz, Austria.
    Adam A. Donaldson
    ·

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:38:15

  8. Team shot. https://t.co/KnjUiQFXpF

    Team shot. pic.twitter.com/KnjUiQFXpF
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:40:01

  9. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Update to Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Properties passes 10-0

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:41:22

  10. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Contract Award for Metcalfe Street Reconstruction passes 10-0. That’s half the agenda done!

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:41:58

  11. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Next up: a presentation on Preliminary Design Directions Built Form Standards for Mid-rise Buildings and Townhouses

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:42:50

  12. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    This document will provide the basis to develop draft Built Form Standards for Mid-rise Buildings and Townhouses in the city.

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:44:14

  13. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Fun fact: there are 2 types of townhouse developments: on-street and cluster.

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:46:22

  14. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Downer asks about the goal of the document. Will it give staff “more teeth”?

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:50:33

  15. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    David de Groot, Senior Urban Designer, says it’s about compatibility and predictability in terms of the development of these buildings

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:51:03

  16. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Gibson asks about giving options for buildings to add character.

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:52:06

  17. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The document aims to give guidance about how a new project can fit in with a neighbourhood’s pre-existing character.

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:52:41

  18. Murr brought copies of her prepared remarks. pic.twitter.com/RTo5hkJCAH
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:57:10

  19. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Murr concerned that middies development in some areas would be committing “Theft of public views” in areas @ Hanlon Creek Conservation Area

    Mon, May 08 2017 22:59:47

  20. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No questions for Murr from council.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:00:00

  21. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie calls the vote on the recommendation. It passes 10-0.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:03:31

  22. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Last item up: Affordable Housing Strategy: Review of the Affordable Housing Target and Secondary Market

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:04:00

  23. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Council approved the strategy last fall with the exception of the financial commitment.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:05:01

  24. Important definition: https://t.co/2T9dXGDMtj

    Important definition: pic.twitter.com/2T9dXGDMtj
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:07:41

  25. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    2ndary rentals go under ownership b/c when they’re bought, we don’t always know if a house is being used for rental income by owner.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:09:26

  26. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr MacKinnon wonders what the city is doing right to get 120 accessory apt’s per year on average.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:10:46

  27. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    #Guelph has had a permissive program for awhile and other municipalities are just now catching up at urging of province.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:11:48

  28. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    This according to Melissa Aldunate, Manger of Policy Planning and Urban Design.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:12:18

  29. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Primary rentals target were only met through the early years of review, and only possible b/c of fed & prov money to St. Joes.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:18:15

  30. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Primary rentals target were only met through the early years of review, and only possible b/c of fed & prov money to St. Joes.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:18:15

  31. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Accessory apartment numbers are coming in higher than outlined, Aldunate confirms.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:22:22

  32. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Wettstein struggles with the chicken/egg of targets and incentives. If we can’t afford incentives, what does that mean for targets?

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:25:50

  33. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Targets required by province, incentives are 1 way of achieving this targets says Aldunate.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:26:27

  34. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Wettstein: What happens if this council decides not to have incentives?

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:27:30

  35. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: Approving these targets to not automatically follow that it has a financial incentives program. It’s 1 tool, others already approved.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:28:16

  36. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    If city wasn’t meeting 1% rental target, they they’ll have to review incentives. These are not provincial targets either, they’re Guelph’s

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:29:50

  37. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No more Qs for staff. On to comments.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:31:25

  38. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Gibson says this is a good news story that the City is exceeding targets.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:31:54

  39. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Gibson adds that city got it right with exclusionary zoning. Avoided the problems of other municipalities with accessory apt’s.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:32:54

  40. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Gibson says the amendment is setting up council to have to provide a million dollars per year to incentivize primary rental construction w/$

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:42:55

  41. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Wettstein notes that this motion doesn’t mean that council is committing to spending $1 million.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:44:34

  42. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff notes that in the report last fall, they recommended that only 50% of the target be incentivized. $40k/unit instead of $80K/unit

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:47:50

  43. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: the target is one way of deciding what the priorities are. Funding would be available for a variety of opportunities.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:49:50

  44. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Vote on the amendment fails 4-6.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:52:38

  45. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Gibson asks if it would be a good idea to have this come back with the financial info.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:53:57

  46. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    DCAO Stewart says it feels like council is punting this down the road. Gotta get policy in place, then move to budget.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:54:36

  47. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Treasurer was asked to review all incentive programs, this is a tool, and voting this down loses measurables, says Stewart.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:55:17

  48. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Vote to approve recommendation passes 7-3. (Billings, Gibson and Guthrie against).

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:56:22

  49. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bylaws pass 10-0.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:56:55

  50. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Meeting adjourned. That’s a wrap till May 23.

    Mon, May 08 2017 23:57:15

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