As you may have heard, this week’s planning meeting of city council was called off on account of a bad Webex connection. But what about all those very important matters that city council had to discuss? Well, all the work that needed finishing at that meeting has now been spread out between the next four meetings of city council, and they are spread out as follows…

Monday June 20 at 3:30 pm.

15 Forbes Avenue Heritage Permit (HP22-0002) for Detached Additional Residential Dwelling and Detached Garage – Staff is recommending that council approve the permit to construct an additional detached residential unit and detached garage at this address, which is also supported by Heritage Guelph. Since this property is in the area of the Brooklyn and College Hill Heritage Conservation Area, this small project requires that extra level of approval. This was on the consent agenda for the planning meeting.

*This is a specially scheduled meeting of council.

Monday June 27 at 6:30 pm.

Decision Report 12 Poole St Proposed Official Plan Amendment File OZS22-002 – “The proposed high density residential land use designation with a site-specific policy represents a significant deviation from the existing permissions in the ‘Low Density Greenfield Residential’ land use designation.” That’s City staff’s polite way of saying that council should pass on approving the proposed 500 units development with 308 stacked townhouses, and one 185-unit apartment building on this property. This was on the consent agenda for the planning meeting.

Decision Report City Initiated Official Plan Amendment, Emma to Earl Pedestrian Bridge – The statutory planning meeting for this long in the works bridge project was received by council in February 2021. Now, staff are telling council that it’s time to proceed. They’re satisfied that the Official Plan Amendment (OPA 81) is consistent with Natural Heritage System policies, and the the 2020 Provincial Policy Statement that says, “natural features and areas shall be protected for the long term and that development and site alteration is not permitted unless it can be demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the natural features or their ecological functions.” There were three delegates on the agenda for this item at the planning meeting.

*These items will be discussed as part of the regular meeting of city council.

Monday July 11 at 6 pm.

Public Meeting for 785 Gordon Street Proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments File OZS22-005 – If this project is approved, say goodbye to the Days Inn on Gordon Street near the University of Guelph, and hello to a 10-storey mixed-use building containing 389 residential units and 600 square metres of commercial space on the first floor. This is the statutory planning meeting for this development; no final decision will be made and council will vote only to receive the report.

*This item will be discussed as part of the July planning meeting of city council.

Wednesday July 13 at 6 pm.

Public Meeting for 1563-1576 Gordon Street Zoning By-law Amendment (OZS22-006) – Nine plots of land with nine single-detached dwellings in the area of Gordon and Lowes could become 154 unit stacked townhouse development as well as eight single-detached dwelling units facing the Dawn Avenue side of the properties. The project will be testing the limits of some of the present zoning limits including units per hectare, and building height. Still, this is only the statutory planning meeting for this development; no final decision will be made and council will vote only to receive the report.

*These items will be discussed as part of a previously scheduled special meeting of city council.