This is not going to be a laidback kind of planning meeting that will allow council to coast before the start of Christmas holidays. Get ready for a look at some major planning policy including affordable housing, fourplexes and the height of buildings downtown. Also, there will be more heritage drama and the approval of at least one new development. So with a lot of ground to cover, let’s preview the last planning meeting of 2024!
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 September 6. 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 at the special time of 4 pm!
106 Carden Street: Objection to Notice of Intention to Designate – The Royal Inn building on Carden was approved for heritage designation back in September, but there’s an objection. The building owner says that they were not made aware that the building was being sent to council for designation aside from one phone call prior to an earlier Heritage Guelph meeting. Staff note that that his building has been listed on the registry for more than 10 years and efforts were made to send notice to the owner’s lawyer after the first Heritage Guelph meeting, and in advance of the council meeting in September too. The owner is looking to defer the designation until they’ve had a conversation with staff, but staff are ready to designate now.
Decision Meeting: 8 Mitchell Street Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment File OZS24-011 – After coming to council for a first look back in October, staff are recommending approval of this new project and its four semi-detached dwellings and eight ADUs.
37 Christie Lane: Application to Deconstruct a Cultural Heritage Resource – After last month’s meeting to merely approve the steel structure of the old Rutherford Conservatory for heritage designation, the University of Guelph has moved quickly to file this application to demolish the conservatory and retain a structural engineer to prepare a plan to save the salvageable steel. Staff are recommending approval.
Decision Report Permitting Four Dwelling Units on a Lot City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment 2024-405 – The decision here is that the City of Guelph will allow fourplexes and four units as of right with this bylaw amendment, which will define a fourplex, require three parking spaces for every four units, and introduce new configurations to allow four units on one property. According to staff, this will open up 40,000 lots to allow four units, but don’t expect developers to go crazy for four given the uptake on triplexes. Remember: Passing a bylaw that allows four units as of right is one of the conditions for receiving the federal Housing Accelerator Funding, and there are no proposed changes to height restrictions and lot coverage.
Final Recommended Housing Affordability Strategy – In the finished update of the Housing Affordability Strategy there are about 40 different recommendations, and they are divided in three categories from high to medium to low priority. But above all else, there are the things that Guelph needs to do to fulfil our commitment to the Housing Accelerator Fund, like a community planning permit system, more flexible development policies, and a City-owned land strategy. There are three goals: That the community can access affordable housing throughout the city, that the community can contribute diverse and inclusive housing options, and that the community understands and promotes the need for long-term affordable housing solutions. You can check out the full strategy here.
Special Meeting of Council for Downtown Heights Study under Section 26 of the Planning Act – Staff will formally kick-off the process to pass a new Official Plan amendment that will encompass this height study. The plan will look at the entire downtown area, but special consideration will be given to the area south of the Metrolinx tracks, large parcels of land, land that has below average topography, and the main streets like Norfolk, Gordon, Wyndham and Macdonell. Natural and cultural heritage protections will be a consideration, as will view corridors of the Basilica of Our Lady, as well as shadow impacts, wind impacts, and the relationship with surrounding buildings and the streetscape as a public space. Following this meeting there will be a public open house and statutory planning meeting in February with a plan to pass the finished amendment by April.
Guelph Politico 