It’s another busy planning meeting for city council with this time only three statutory planning meetings, plus an additional bit of city planning. If you like supportive housing, high density, and the layout of employment lands in the eastern end of the city, then this is a good meeting for you, and you will definitely want to tune in, or follow along with the tweets.

NOTE #1: Delegates will be able to appear at this meeting via telephone, but you do have to register with the clerks office before 10 am on March 5. You can also submit written delegations and correspondences for agenda items.

NOTE #2: The meeting will be closed to the public, though it will be live-streamed on the City of Guelph’s website here.

NOTE #3: For all statutory planning items, council only votes to receive the report. No final decisions about these projects are made at this meeting.

Statutory Public Meeting Report 85 and 89 Willow Road Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment File: OZS21-001 Ward 3 – Following up on last month’s meeting about Grace Garden, the supportive housing project at the Parkview Motel, the March planning meeting brings the plan for a 32-unit, five-storey project sponsored by the Kindle Community and Skydev. The site is on the north end of 85 and 89 Willow behind two apartment buildings that are already on the site. There will only be a handful of parking spaces at the new building, and people will be able to access it via Shelldale Crescent.

Statutory Public Meeting Report 304 Kathleen Street Proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendment File: OZS20-014 Ward 3 – This is a simple plan that’s unlikely to generate too much controversy (but you never know). The property owner wishes to replace the demolished single detached dwelling with a new duplex.

Statutory Public Meeting Report 111-193 Silvercreek Parkway North Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment File: OZS20-017 Ward 3 – The Starlight Group, which owns Willow West Mall and the surround property, is proposing to build two, six-storey apartment buildings at the corner of Willow and Silvercreek. There will be a total of 70 units in one building and 78 units in the other with 605 square metres of commercial space on the ground floor in the second building. The plan also calls for 960 total parking spaces between the proposed residential and commercial units with 166 being built underground. There will also be some adjustment to the commercial property with the demolishing of the Beer Store that’s located at the southern strip mall end of the mall.

York Road/Elizabeth Street Draft Land Use Strategy – This is the draft plan for adjustments to how this part of the city might be developed and redeveloped in the years to come. There’s not going to be too many radical alternations to the area, as it will remain a commercial and industrial sector, but the Mixed Business land use designation will be redefined to encourage small and medium entrepreneurial start-ups. There will also be improvements to the active transportation networks, and improved links to downtown. In addition, the City is now planning a park for 106 Beaumont Crescent, and a potential re-examination of the intersection at Cityview and York Road. Once council approves the draft plan, staff will go back out for one last round of community consultation before final approval by council in May.