Let’s start planning! For this first planning meeting of 2025, there are three big items on the agenda, one decision and two new proposals including one new piece of planning policy. From a new way to streamline planning processes, to a big new development in the east end, and a heritage demolition that might be substantially less controversial than other recent events, let’s dig into what’s being planned for planning this January.
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 January 17. 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.
56-58 Glasgow St. S.: Intention to Demolish a Cultural Heritage Resource – A demolition application for this property came to the City last fall, but there was a dilemma: It’s on the heritage list. Now, the property isn’t designated, but for the demolition project to proceed, it will need council approval. According to planning staff, the property “does not meet any of the prescribed criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest, according to Ontario Regulation 9/06” so it’s okay to tear it down.
Public Meeting Report Draft Official Plan Amendment and Draft Community Planning Permit By-law – This is another item coming out of the Housing Accelerator Funding grant received by the City last year. What is a CPPS? According to the report it’s a “land-use planning tool that municipalities can use to streamline the planning approval process for some specific planning applications, and to help support local priorities such as affordable housing, urban design and active transportation.” In Guelph, the pilot phase will focus on two areas: Downtown and the Stone/Edinburgh area, which have both been previously identified as “strategic growth areas” meaning a focus on high density, mixed use, and transit improvements. Nothing will be approved on this night because this the statutory planning meeting for the plan, and no formal decision will be made about it at this time.
Public Meeting Report 115 Watson Pkwy N Proposed ZBA File OZS24-015 Ward 1 – This is a property just north of York Road and surrounded by Watson Parkway North on the west and north and Watson Road North on the east. There’s nothing there now, but a developer wants to build 1,120 units including four mixed use buildings with 928 dwelling units and ranging in height from 9 to 14 storeys plus 31 on-street townhouse units, 170 back-to-back townhouse units. The plan also calls for 2,818 square metres of at-grade commercial space, a neighbourhood park and conservation of natural heritage system lands. So it’s a pretty big project, but this is only the statutory planning meeting for this development, and no formal decision will be made about it at this time.
Guelph Politico 