This month’s planning meeting is going to be a difficult one, and perhaps even a lengthy one. On the agenda are a tonne of new heritage designations, which should not be controversial, so the controversy will inevitably begin with the return of new planning permissions that might make it easier to get more units built on some select properties in the city and a difficult staff decision on a major development project there’s a lot of eyes on. Let’s get into the preview!
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 May 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.
CLOSED MEETING:
Council Update: Outcome of Authority to Commence Legal Claim – This involves council talking to a lawyer, so that means this is covered under section 239(2)(e) and (f) of the Municipal Act for justification to meet in-camera.
144 Dublin Street North: Notice of Intention to Designate – Approved last month by the Heritage Advisory Committee, this home built by Guelph carpenter Mark Tovell in 1873 meets two of the nine prescribed criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest, according to Ontario Regulation 9/06. Now it’s council’s turn to endorse the designation.
140 Suffolk Street: Notice of Intention to Designate – Approved at the March meeting of the Heritage Advisory Committee, this regency-style cottage constructed of locally quarried
limestone meets three out of nine criteria for designation according to the staff report, and now council is being directed to designate.
245 Dublin Street North: Notice of Intention to Designate – This early 20th-century Queen Anne Revival/Edwardian style meets three of the nine prescribed criteria, and it was approved by the Heritage Advisory Committee last month.
115 Nottingham Street: Notice of Intention to Designate – As the oldest surviving building in the block of Nottingham Street between Birmingham Street and Glasgow Street South, this property also meets three out of nine criteria. It was approved in March by the Heritage Advisory Committee.
221 Arthur Street North: Notice of Intention to Demolish a Cultural Heritage Resource – Staff recommended removal of this property from the heritage registry – it’s listed not designated – at last month’s Heritage Advisory Committee meeting. The home in question is “not significant enough” historically or stylistically to save so the owner can proceed with the demolition.
Decision Report 115 Watson Parkway North Proposed Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision – This report was deferred at last month’s planning meeting because it seems like there was some last-minute negotiating. Now, some changes to the final plan including smaller townhouse dimensions, simplified parking, and a smaller side yard setback seems to have allowed this plan to finally move forward at this month’s meeting.
Exploring the Potential for Five Plus (5+) Units in Guelph – Back in December, council heard the initial investigation into allowing five or more units as of right on select properties in the city, and the feedback from council was rather mixed. At council direction, staff paired down number of potential properties to just the corner lots along arterials, so now only 530 from the nearly 6,000 original properties could be allowed between five and eight units as-of-right. So now what? Staff estimate that these lots could accommodate between 2,650 and 4,240 housing units, which represents a net gain of 530 to 2,120 additional units beyond existing four-unit permissions but more study is needed on infrastructure, parking, access, neighbourhood compatibility, and financial impacts before a bylaw is written and approved. Staff are recommending continued study and consultation before a final report comes back in 2027.
Decision Report for Proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications for 328 Victoria Road South and 588 Stone Road East (also referred to as the Guelph Innovation District (GID) Block 1 and 2 lands) – Request denied. The full report and recommendation was delayed when the agenda was originally posted, but since this was first presented to council back in March, staff have list several significant concerns, including expanded encroachment into the Natural Heritage System, stormwater and flooding risks, groundwater management issues, road network and trail feasibility problems, conflicts with Official Plan policies, unresolved land-use compatibility concerns with nearby industry, incomplete archaeological work, risks to protected bird species, and concerns about parkland configuration. Staff also say that there was not enough time in the prescribed timelines to render an informed decision on all these elements so their asking council reject the plan but continue working with the applicant offline to get to a solution they can all live with.
Multi-Residential Accelerator Grant – The City of Guelph is looking to launch this new $2 million grant, funded through the Housing Accelerator Fund, to encourage developers to speed up housing projects and obtain building permits by this coming October 16. Issues with the market have created less than favourable building conditions, which are putting Guelph’s housing targets at risk, so this grant would offer up to 20 per cent funding for eligible units for projects with five units or more. Staff estimate roughly 1,117 housing units in already site-plan-approved projects could potentially be advanced quickly enough to qualify. If approved, applications could open on June 1.
Guelph Politico 