City of Peterborough

04/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/29/2024 18:27

Council overview package for April 29, 2024

City Council approved the following items during its meeting on Monday, April 29, 2024:

Council agenda

Video recordings of Council meetings are posted at peterborough.ca/agendas following the meeting.

Zoning By-law amendment - 1113 Clonsilla Ave.

Council approved changing the zoning for 1113 Clonsilla Ave. to allow the property to be used for a four-storey stacked townhouse with 28 units.

The property is on the north side of Clonsilla Avenue between Goodfellow Road and Sherbrooke Street. It is currently zoned R.1, 1m, 2m - Residential District and is developed with a single-detached dwelling that was previously used as a chiropractic office prior to the property being sold to the current owner. The surrounding area consists of a wide range of land uses - there are commercial uses to the west along Clonsilla Avenue, Kinsmen Civic Centre and Park to the north, existing and approved multi-residential development to the east and west along Clonsilla Avenue and low-density residential. The neighbouring property to the west, 1107 Clonsilla Ave., was rezoned in 2021 to permit a four-storey apartment building containing 25 dwelling units. The subject property is a large, underutilized property located within a Strategic Growth Area.

The proposal is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and conforms with the Growth Plan and Official Plan. The proposed development conforms with the Major Mixed-Use Corridor designation polices of the City's Official Plan. With the Zoning By-law Amendment, the development will be subject to Site Plan Control prior to construction taking place.

Zoning By-law amendment - 1509, 1529 and 1533 Sherbrooke St.

Council approved changing the zoning for 1509, 1529 and 1533 Sherbrooke St. to allow part of the properties to be used for a three-storey, 93-unit residential apartment building.

With Council approval of the rezoning, there is a holding symbol on the new zoning designation that would be removed after certain conditions are satisfied.

The subject properties are comprised of 1509 Sherbrooke St., the location of Westdale United Church, as well as 1533 and 1529 Sherbrooke St., two City-owned vacant parcels of land. These properties sit west of the intersection of Woodglade Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street. 1509 Sherbrooke St. also has frontage along Lynhaven Road on the south side of the property. The property is surrounded by low-rise residential dwellings along Lynhaven Road to the south, Mountland Drive to the West and Woodglade Boulevard to the East. École catholique Monseigneur-Jamot is north east of the subject lands.

The development will be constructed on an underutilized and vacant portion of serviced urban land within an existing neighbourhood. This development will utilize existing infrastructure, provide additional housing, and introduce a housing form that is underrepresented in the area.

Existing municipal services and infrastructure will be utilized and improved, where necessary, to ensure the development has adequate infrastructure to support the proposed use.

Staff require additional clarification and details at the site plan stage relating to the proposed access point from Sherbrooke Street. Additionally, the subject lands are presently being assembled from two independent parties. It is intended that following Council approval, the developer will proceed with the next stage of their land assembly which includes obtaining a consent for severance in accordance with their Agreement of Purchase and Sale with the Trustees of Westdale United Church Congregation and consolidating those lands with the City owned parcels in accordance with a separate Agreement of Purchase and Sale. The Holding Symbol will require these details and transactions to be satisfied.

Peterborough Organics Facility

Council approved amending the contract for consulting services for the Peterborough Organics Facility to increase the value to $1,667,812 plus tax from $1,238,460 plus tax to reflect changes required in the planning and regulatory approvals, design changes for value engineering, extended construction, and commissioning contract administration.

This project is the culmination of several projects over the last decade to process leaf and yard waste and source separated organics. One continuity with each of the project iterations has been the specialized support provided by D.M. Wills Associated Limited (Wills). Wills has provided efficient delivery of consulting services to support the engineering and design, planning and regulatory approvals, as well as tendering, design and construction administration through commissioning. The contract amendment is required to support additional work and costs.

Little Lake fireworks barge

Council approved decommissioning and disposing of the Little Lake fireworks platform and approving the use of the T Wharf or other approved sites.

The Little Lake fireworks platform has failed or broken free from its mooring several times over the past decades, most recently on January 18, 2023. When it breaks free from its mooring there is risk to catastrophic damage for critical infrastructure.

The July 1, 2023 fireworks display was launched from the "T" Wharf at a lower cost than previous fireworks platform shows. It is expected that the "T" Wharf will continue to be the most economical, lowest risk location for City supported fireworks shows.

There are multiple costs, risks and liabilities associated with returning the fireworks platform to Little Lake. If returned to Little Lake the fireworks platform will incur significant cost, and continued liability to the City's Fountain, as well as other assets on the Trent Severn waterway.

Draft Plans of Subdivision - 4571 Guthrie Dr., 2006 and 2011 McNamara Rd.

Council approved receiving an information report on a request from AON Inc. to reinstate Draft Plans of Subdivision for 4571 Guthrie Dr., and 2006 and 2011 McNamara Rd. in the Coldsprings Planning Area that were originally approved in 2006 and granted extensions of the Draft Plan Approval in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2017.

Council added to the recommendations to request that an information report be presented to Council by January 2025 on the newly approved Official Plan, the secondary plan, prevailing provincial policies, county and township planning documents, Urban Design Guidelines, and inclusive and affordable housing opportunities.

The applicant has asked that the draft plans of subdivision be re-instated for a 15-year period.

Report IPGPL24-010 recommended that the report be received for information. Receiving this report for information means that Council is not making a decision on the Applicant's request for draft plan of subdivision approval re-instatement at this time. With Council receiving the report for information, Council would still have opportunity to issue a decision at any time prior to March 2, 2025 (the 5-year anniversary of the date that plans of subdivision 15T-05503 and 15T-10504 lapsed). While not rendering a decision at this time does not directly respond to the Applicant's request, it does leave that option available while also affording time to monitor progress on the completion of a Coldsprings Secondary Plan and changes in provincial legislation and policy, which have been rapidly evolving in recent years.

Not making a decision at this time maintains conformity with the Official Plan.

The lapsed plans of subdivision do not conform to the current Official Plan which identifies the lands as a Special Study Area and requires completion of a Secondary Land Use Plan to establish an appropriate urban structure, delineate land use boundaries, and provide urban design guidelines and development policies to support the establishment of employment land and compatible development. Staff is planning to complete a Secondary Land Use Plan for the Coldsprings area as soon as possible pending budget approval and anticipate that the process may take up to two years once it has started.

Significant infrastructure improvements are required to support the proposed plans of subdivision and the broader Coldsprings area. Future capital budgets and development charge studies will need to reflect the area's infrastructure needs. Consequently, the planned housing units in these subdivisions are unlikely to contribute to the City's 4700-unit Housing Pledge as evidenced by the applicant's request for a 15-year lapse date.

Official Plan implementation strategy

Council approved receiving an information report on the Official Plan Implementation Strategy.

The Official Plan Implementation Strategy is a high-level work plan that provides guidance and confirms priorities for the policy commitments of the Plan. The strategy identifies short-term, medium-term, long-term and on-going initiatives based on budget availability, staff resources, legislative requirements and government directives.

The City's new Official Plan includes a series of policy commitments and initiatives to support the achievement of the vision and objectives that guide the long-term growth and development of the City.

It is intended that the Official Plan Implementation Strategy will be reviewed and updated annually concurrent with the annual budget preparation process.

Council adopted the new Official Plan for the City of Peterborough on November 29, 2021.

Pursuant to the Planning Act, the approval authority for the new Official Plan is the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. On April 11, 2023, the Minister issued a Notice of Decision approving, with 61 modifications, the City's new Official Plan. In particular, the Minister's modifications revised policies pertaining to growth management, land use compatibility, housing supply, cultural heritage resources, natural heritage and source water protection as required to conform with updated legislation. All municipal decisions related to planning and land use are required to conform with the City's Official Plan.

On November 16, 2023, the Province introduced Bill 150, the Planning Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023, to reverse the official plan decisions made in November 2022 and April 2023 affecting 12 municipalities, including the City of Peterborough, except in circumstances where construction has begun or where doing so would contravene existing provincial legislation and regulations or to protect public health and safety. The City submitted feedback on Bill 150 to the Province on December 5, 2023. Bill 150 received Royal Assent on December 6, 2023, and reversed all the modifications made to the City's new Official Plan, save and except for modifications numbered 9, 10 and 42 pertaining to land use compatibility and source water protection.

On February 20, 2024, the Province introduced Bill 162, the Get It Done Act, 2024. Bill 162 proposes further modifications to the City of Peterborough's Official Plan based on the City's feedback on Bill 150. The changes to the Official Plan introduced through Bill 150 and proposed through Bill 162 have no impact to the policy commitments identified in the Official Plan; however, the timing of initiatives may be impacted by future legislative changes, funding announcements and directives under Strong Mayor Powers.

Canada Day celebrations

Council approved continuing with providing the traditional Canada Day event with a parade in 2024 and to report back to Council later in 2024 so that Council can make a decision on the future of the parade for 2025.

City staff had considered creating new Canada Day celebration events and discontinuing the Canada Day parade due to a decline in float entries over the past five years.

The number of float entries has declined over the past five years. There were 25 float entries in 2023, 21 in 2022, and 16 floats participated in 2019. The parade was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ontario Energy Board decision on Enbridge - Bill 165

Council approved a notice of motion that the City of Peterborough expresses its support for the December 21, 2023 decision of the Ontario Energy Board and asks the Ontario Government to withdraw further carriage of Bill 165 in the legislature.

Council directed that its resolution be circulated to the President of Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Colin
Best, Premier Doug Ford, the Minister of Energy, Todd Smith, the Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy and all regional municipalities requesting support of the proposed changes.

The motion reads:

Reverse OEB Decision on ENBRIDGE - Bill 165

Whereas residents are struggling with energy bill increases and need relief;

And whereas natural gas is no longer the cheapest way to heat homes because alternatives such as heat pumps are available;

And whereas natural gas is methane gas, which is a fossil fuel that causes approximately one-third of Ontario's GHG emissions, and must be phased out because it is inconsistent with all climate targets, while heat pumps result in the lowest GHG emissions and are consistent with a zero-carbon future, and other alternatives such as solar, and wood also lower GHG emissions;

And whereas the Ontario Energy Board ("OEB") decided to end a subsidy for methane gas pipelines to be built in new construction developments, effective 2025, finding that this would lower energy bills for existing gas customers and improve affordability for new homebuyers, and also cut an additional $1.25 billion in pipeline costs, but this decision is at risk of being overturned by the provincial government;

And whereas the OEB decision will help lower energy bills and encourage heating systems that are consistent with climate targets and plans;

And whereas the construction of new methane gas pipelines, which have 60-year lifetimes, should not be subsidized because they are inconsistent with the municipal climate targets and will result in higher carbon emissions, higher energy bills, higher future decarbonization retrofit costs to get off fossil fuel heating, and a continued financial drain as dollars leave the province to pay for fossil fuels extracted in other jurisdictions.

Now therefore be it resolved that the City of Peterborough expresses its support for the December 21, 2023 decision of the Ontario Energy Board and asks the Ontario Government to withdraw further carriage of Bill 165 in the legislature.

And further that this resolution be circulated to the President of AMO, Colin Best, Premier Doug Ford, the Minister of Energy, Todd Smith, The Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy and all regional municipalities requesting support of the proposed changes.

-30-