LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for June 12, 2017

Published on by Adam A. Donaldson

Get ready to plan at this month’s planing meeting of council. 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
Tue, Jun 13 2017 01:11:58

Guelph City Council Meeting – June 12, 2017

Live blog from the meeting starting at 6:30 pm

  1. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Das agenda:  http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2017/06/live-blog-city-council-meeting-for-june.html …

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:24:37

  2. #Guelph Council begins in about 8 minutes. Follow the developments live here. https://t.co/Dq7dHTKkCP

    #Guelph Council begins in about 8 minutes. Follow the developments live here. pic.twitter.com/Dq7dHTKkCP
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:26:24

  3. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Closed meeting items: City of Guelph OPA 48 Appeals – Proposed Partial Settlement; and, Potential Disposition of the Baker Street Properties

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:27:47

  4. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Mayor Guthrie calls the meeting to order.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:29:40

  5. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    On closed meeting items: direction given to stand on OPA 48 Appeals and Baker St Properties Disposition.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:30:20

  6. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No disclosure of pecuniary interest tonight.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:32:46

  7. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    First up, presentation of a medal to Aime MacNeil who won silver and bronze at the Ontario Prov. W’s Gymnastics Championship. btw she’s 10.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:33:47

  8. Aime MacNeil gets her medal from @CamGuthrie. She trains 25 hours a week, and dreams of making the national team. https://t.co/ZUiZFxmrIY

    Aime MacNeil gets her medal from @CamGuthrie. She trains 25 hours a week, and dreams of making the national team. pic.twitter.com/ZUiZFxmrIY
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:36:26

  9. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Now to boring city business…

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:37:12

  10. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Heritage Guelph’s Terms of Reference passes by consent 12-0 (@DanGibsonCllr sends regrets tonight).

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:38:40

  11. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Next: Public Meeting – 1159 Victoria Road South Proposed Common Element Condominium. Michael Witmer, Development Planner II presenting.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:39:49

  12. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Common Element Condominium = townhouse cluster development.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:40:30

  13. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    This report is for receive, no final decision will be made on this development tonight.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:40:56

  14. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The app calls for a new development of 98 townhouses on land south of the Victoria Park East Guelph Club and north of Arkell Rd

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:41:34

  15. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No questions from council for staff. Tracy Tucker from the IBI Group (the developer) will now address council

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:45:27

  16. This is what the development would look like. https://t.co/4bawkQdRgB

    This is what the development would look like. pic.twitter.com/4bawkQdRgB
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:47:05

  17. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    1 Question about retaining wall from Cllr Salisbury. Guthrie asks if the roads will be able to accommodate City waste collection. (it Will)

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:48:34

  18. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Salisbury wants to be sure that city garbage collection can use so-called stub roads. Is looking for assurances.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:50:21

  19. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: Site plan been submitted to waste management. They will make sure public pick-up will be accommodated.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 22:50:50

  20. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Bell asks who will be developing the park in the complex. Answer: the city. Bell concerned about proposed trail thru north of develop.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:09:04

  21. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: that will be discussed with Parks Dept. There are some strict guidelines for the OMB approved ground plan

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:10:01

  22. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Salisbury asks why this isn’t coming back for future approval.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:10:25

  23. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: Been to council already on several occasions, mostly previous council, due to so many appeals for the ground plan.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:11:03

  24. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    “I stepped out of the room for 4 years,” says Salisbury.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:11:41

  25. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie asks for clarity about why this report is “for approve”.
    Staff: It’s a statutory public meeting. So approval/disproval

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:12:34

  26. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Report received unanimously.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:12:45

  27. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Next: Q from Bell on Paisley/Imperial Node – Proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:13:36

  28. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bell’s question confuses a previous meeting about the Loew’s site, which is different from this retail block being discussed.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:14:28

  29. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Now Bell is complaining about why there’s more commercial development on west end, and none in the east.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:14:58

  30. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Armel did market analysis to increase floor plan by 4,000 m2. Either way, there was a commercial development going here. already.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:15:49

  31. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    City has a very efficient site plan process, says staff. Can be a quick approval if all the paper work’s order.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:17:59

  32. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Last item up is review of City Development Application fees.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:19:50

  33. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Todd MacDonald, a consultant from Performance Concepts Consulting presenting. Says this is the 33rd review of DC fees his firm’s handled.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:23:18

  34. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    MacDonald says Guelph’s fee calculations are among the most accurate of any Ontario municipalities.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:30:12

  35. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Simpler, and more transparent is the name of the game to recover develop costs targets, says MacDonald.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:38:03

  36. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No developer is making choices on where to build because of development fees, says MacDonald.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:42:45

  37. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    MacDonald also advises that the City not go 12 years again without re-examining DCs. Should be done with every term.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:45:24

  38. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Billings asks if MacDonald has worked with Milton b/c sometimes they’re coming in high with DCs. Take them out, peers average would drop

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:46:54

  39. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    MacDonald: High values in Hamilton, Milton & Brampton driving average, Guelph in middle compared to Wateroo & Cambridge

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:47:37

  40. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Downer is concerned about developers not going with cost recovery, thus falling on taxpayers to make up difference.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:51:55

  41. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Downer asks if there’s way to get input from the community about cost recovery.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:52:14

  42. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    MacDonald says cities are aware of fixed costs, and in 30-some other times, cities have agreed “hands on the file” deserves to be paid for.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:53:28

  43. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    MacDonald adds this 3 years of hard work on processes, evidence based.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:54:36

  44. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Wettstein notes this report is for receive, there will be opportunity for developer feedback.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:55:16

  45. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Wettstein adds that its not developers that pay the cost, it’s the purchasers.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:55:49

  46. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The city does need to cover these fixed costs, and someone must pay, says MacDonald. Council can be assured that due diligence been done

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:57:27

  47. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie asks if fees have ever been phased in.
    MacDonald: Seen it, not recommended it.

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:58:11

  48. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie asks what if the city finds efficiencies and drives fees down versus raising them with rate of inflation?

    Mon, Jun 12 2017 23:59:51

  49. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    MacDonald: Such things could be captured by reviewing fees once every term.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:00:27

  50. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Has a municipality never taken MacDonald’s advise? Nope.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:01:15

  51. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    What about peer municipalities, do they have fee reviews pending? They’ve all gone through modernization reviews since 2006. Maybe even 2.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:04:28

  52. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie praises MacDonald for methodology. Thanks staff and asks for a phased in approach. Hopes to hear from public.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:10:27

  53. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Bell notes there are objectives other than cost recovery, like in-fill, which some developers might be dissuaded from b/c of new fees.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:12:59

  54. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    DCAO Stewart also praises staff, and the fact they were able to document this information as well as they can.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:13:54

  55. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Report received: 12-0

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:14:05

  56. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The evening’s bylaws pass 12-0.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:14:43

  57. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Announcement from Stewart: July 10 a celebration and thank you event following the meeting.

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:15:53

  58. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Meeting adjourned. That’s it for tonight, but, but but….

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:16:18

  59. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    There’s a special meeting tomorrow night on Guelph Hydro.  http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2017/06/city-council-preview-whats-on-agenda.html …. Live blog will be in progress at 6:30!

    Tue, Jun 13 2017 00:17:21

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