It’s a packed agenda for this November planning meeting, covering a lot of bases and requiring some pretty big decisions. Whether your jam is development charges, heritage protection, affordable housing, or student residences, there is something on this agenda for everyone and it is surely going to generate a big number of delegations. So, fair warning, this may be one of those “pack your sleeping bag” council meetings.
NOTE #1: Delegates will be able to appear at this meeting in-person or via tele-presense but you do have to register with the clerks office before 10 am on Friday November 8. You can also submit written delegations and correspondences for agenda items.
NOTE #2: In addition to meeting in-person, this meeting will also be live-streamed on the City of Guelph’s website here.
NOTE #3: This meeting will take place on Wednesday due to the observance of Remembrance Day on Monday.
Development Charges By-law Update for Bill 185 – The Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act received Royal Assent in June, which was bad timing for Guelph because we approved the new DC bylaw in March. So what’s changing? Not much. The bill allows growth studies to be covered by DCs again, and the the six-month phasing provision has been removed. In fact, the changes are so minor that this is part of the consent agenda.
Development Charge Interest Policy Update – The City collects interest on DCs if there’s a rate freeze or if the developer is paying those fees in instalments. There are four changes to this policy including a definition of the maximum interest rate, removing a two per cent premium on non-secured DCs being paid in instalments, clarifying the amount charged when the frozen rate with interest exceeds the rate in effect when the permit is issued, and a 14-day grace period for the payment of DCs and interest when a DC rate freeze applies.
22 James Street East: Notice of Intention to Designate – This being a “rare example of the functional Beaux-Arts style in Guelph” and also a “rare extant example of a building associated with the Toronto Suburban Railway” are just two of the reasons that this building meets five of the nine prescribed criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest. Heritage Guelph approved this one for designation in September.
19 Fountain Street West: Notice of Intention to Designate – Also approved by Heritage Guelph back in September, this house was the primary residence of William Dyson and was in close proximity to the Red Lion Inn and his carriage shop. It meets four of the nine prescribed criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest.
Decision Meeting: 601 Scottsdale Drive Proposed Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments File OZS24-007 – Presented to council back in June, this is an application for 489 residential suites in two, 7-story towers on the site of the old Holiday Inn on Scottsdale, which has since been transformed into The Alma, a privately-run student resident. Staff are recommending that council approve the project.
Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan Public Meeting – Staff are proposing three new incentives funded through the Housing Accelerator Funding from the federal government to create new affordable units. First, there’s the Vacant Residential Unit and Vacant Space Conversion grant, which will allocate $3.5 million to convert uninhabited residential space and/or vacant commercial and office space into affordable units. Second, the Affordable Residential Unit grant will offer funding to develop new purpose built affordable homes and rentals. And third, $2 million will be made available to create either new additional dwelling units or additional ADUs. This the statutory meeting for this policy, which means that council will only vote to receive the report. A final decision will be made at a future meeting.
37 Christie Lane: Notice of Intention to Designate – Back in September, Heritage Guelph approved designation of this greenhouse structure just west of the University Centre on the University of Guelph campus. It meets eight of the nine prescribed criteria, and might even be one of the last structures of it’s kind in all of North America. Having said that, the U of G Board of Governors recently voted to proceed with the demolition of the building with claims that it’s unsafe and prohibitively expense to repair. Council will vote on proceeding the designation, which then could be appealed by the U of G.
Ontario Reformatory Heritage Conservation District: Draft Plan and Guidelines – This is the second and final part of the heritage conservation district process; the borders have been established and now staff will outline what all will be permitted inside those borders. The Plan and Guidelines portion confirms the approved boundary, describes in detail the various pieces of cultural heritage value and interest, and provide recommendations for a consistent approach to managing change, alteration and maintenance. Council will only be receiving these guidelines as a draft, and after their refined through feedback here and from Heritage Guelph they will come back to council for final approval. Stay tuned for further public consultations in December.
Guelph Politico 