City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 30 Meeting?

If one planning meeting this month isn’t enough for you, get ready for number two. At a special Wednesday meeting of city council, the horseshoe will look at the completed update to the Official Plan. The culmination of months and months of staff work, research and public engagement will lay out the growth and development strategy for the city for the next five years. So what does it look like? Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 30 Meeting?”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 28 Meetings?

The agenda for this month’s regular meeting of council is a short one. The horseshoe will review the sometimes controversial decisions of Committee of the Whole, before finding some volunteer councillors to form a special and rare committee. Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 28 Meetings?”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 21 Meeting?

After a pause for March Break, city council will be back for the monthly planning meeting, which this month will feature just one statutory planning meeting , and the return of someone who previously applied for a sign bylaw exception with another new application that council might have to turn down. Remember, this will be a semi-in-person planning meeting though the delegates will still have to phone it. Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 21 Meeting?”

Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 7 Meeting?

March comes in like a lion at city council as next month’s Committee of the Whole will tackle a variety of fairly contentious issues including the fallout from a heritage property demolition last fall and the compensation for the next iteration of city council to be elected later this year. At the same meeting, committee will aim to add some oversight to those groups receiving Community Benefit Agreements. Continue reading “Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the March 7 Meeting?”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 28 Meetings?

After a week off for Family Day, council is going to come back strong for the last Monday of the month with back-to-back meetings. One meeting is dedicated solely to a rare matter of administration, but in the second meeting, look for council to potentially rip the lid off and tackle a couple of controversial issues, which might make good fodder for next year’s integrity commissioner’s report (hint). Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 28 Meetings?”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 14 Meeting?

This month’s planning meeting at city council contains a lot of good news if you’re a developer or property owner that’s been waiting a while to get going on a project. There are three decision reports in February planning matters, plus one statutory meetings for, of all things, a new car wash in the west end. Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 14 Meeting?”

Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 7 Meeting?

February at city council kicks off with money matters. Committee of the Whole will finally get a chance to chew on the new Municipal Accommodation Tax, and they will also look at the possibility of licensing short-term rentals, and whether they will implement the PACE program that will help Guelph homes get more environmentally friendly. Also, how are things going with that Smart Cities money we won? Continue reading “Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the February 7 Meeting?”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the January 31 Meeting?

After a surprisingly busy January at city council, we come to the last meeting of the month. On the agenda is one last crack at the economic plan for the next four years, a couple of new appointments to local boards, and what will surely be an interesting discussion about whether the City of Guelph should stick its nose in Quebec’s business even if it’s in the cause of human rights. Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the January 31 Meeting?”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the January 24 Meeting?

Since city council approved the draft Transportation Master Plan last summer, the City of Guelph has initiated automated speed enforcement, installed new red light cameras, built several new pedestrian crossings, and committed to a 10-year investment in improved transit. What’s next? Well, for this special January meeting, council will approve (or not, potentially) the completed version of the Transportation Master Plan. Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the January 24 Meeting?”

City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the January 17 Meeting?

The first planning meeting of the year only has one item on the agenda, but it’s kind of consequential when you consider that it covers all matters of Guelph land use planning over the next three decades. After many meetings in the last year looking at growth issues in the Royal City, council will finally consider the finished document and determine how Guelph will grow over the 30 years (28 years technically). Continue reading “City Council Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the January 17 Meeting?”