January 28, 2025, at 1:00 PM

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1.   Disclosures of Pecuniary Interest

That it BE NOTED that no pecuniary interests were disclosed.

2.   Consent

Moved by S. Lewis

Seconded by S. Hillier

That Items 2.1 to 2.5 BE APPREOVED.

Motion Passed (4 to 0)

2.1   1st Report of the Ecological Community Advisory Committee

2024-12-17 ECAC Report 1

Moved by S. Lewis

Seconded by S. Hillier

That the 1st Report of the Ecological Community Advisory Committee, from its meeting held on December 17, 2024, BE RECEIVED.

Motion Passed

2.2   2nd Report of the Ecological Community Advisory Committee

2025-01-16 ECAC Report

Moved by S. Lewis

Seconded by S. Hillier

That the following actions be taken with respect to the 2nd Report of the Ecological Community Advisory Committee, from its meeting held on January 16th, 2025: 

a)    that K. Moser BE APPOINTED to the Environmental Management Guidelines Working Group; it be noted that E. Williamson, Manager, Environmental Planning, K. Edwards, Manager, Community Planning and M. Shepley, Ecologist Planner, provided verbal presentations on the Environmental Management Guidelines status;

b)    that the Committee Clerk BE REQUESTED to include a discussion on potential matters that should be incorporated in the Terms of Reference for the Ecological Reference Group on the next agenda; it being noted that the Ecological Community Advisory Committee (ECAC) received the Environmental Planning Work Plan appended to the ECAC Added Agenda and heard an overview of the Environmental Planning Work Plan from E. Williamson, Manager, Environmental Planning, K. Edwards, Manager, Community Planning and M. Shepley, Ecologist Planner, provided verbal presentations on the Environmental Management Guidelines status; and,

c)    clauses 3.1 and 3.2 BE RECEIVED.

Motion Passed

2.3   2nd Report of the Community Advisory Committee on Planning

2025-01-08 CACP Report

Moved by S. Lewis

Seconded by S. Hillier

That the 2nd Report of the Community Advisory Committee on Planning, from its meeting held on January 8, 2025, BE RECEIVED.

Motion Passed

2.4   Amendments and Additions to the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Program Guidelines

2025-01-28 - Staff Report (2.3) - Amendments and Additions to the Affordable Housing CIP Guidelines

Moved by S. Lewis

Seconded by S. Hillier

That, on the recommendation of the Deputy City Manager, Housing and Community Growth, the following actions be taken with respect to the amendments and additions to the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Program Guidelines:

a)       the proposed by-law appended to the staff report dated January 28th, 2025, as Appendix “A” to this report BE INTRODUCED at the Municipal Council meeting to be held on February 11, 2025, to amend By-law No. C.P.-1545-41, being “A by-law to establish financial incentives for the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Project Area”, by:

i)     deleting Schedule “2” and replacing it with a REVISED Schedule “2” to

the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan – Financial Incentive

Program Guidelines – Additional Residential Unit Loan Program;

ii)    adding a NEW Schedule “3” to the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan – Financial Incentive Program Guidelines – Detached Additional Residential Unit Program;

iii)    adding a NEW Schedule “4” to the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan – Financial Incentive Program Guidelines – Dollars to Doors Affordable Units Program;

iv)    adding a NEW Schedule “5” to the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan – Financial Incentive Program Guidelines – Highly Supportive Housing Units Program;

v)    approving the following loan agreement templates;

i)         adding the Additional Residential Unit Loan Agreement template;

ii)    adding the Detached Additional Residential Unit Forgivable Loan Agreement template;

iii)    adding the Detached Additional Residential Unit Loan Agreement (Affordable) template;

iv)    adding the Detached Additional Residential Unit Loan Agreement (Indigenous) template;

v)    adding the Dollars to Doors Affordable Units Loan Agreement template;

vi)    adding the Highly Supportive Housing Units Loan Agreement template;

vi)    authorizing the Deputy City Manager, Housing and Community Growth, or their written designate, to amend, enter into and execute the above-noted agreements provided the terms of the agreement conform with the applicable Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan Financial Incentive Program Guidelines;

vii)    authorizing the Deputy City Manager, Housing and Community Growth, or

their written designate, to approve, enter into and execute amending agreements; and,

viii)    authorizing the Deputy City Manager, Housing and Community Growth, or

their written designate, to approve an agreement or amend existing agreements that incorporates two or more grants or loans for programs under the Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan, where practicable, and to authorize the Deputy City Manager, Housing and Community Growth, or their written designate, to enter into and execute these agreements;

b)    that the proposed by-law appended to the staff report dated January 28, 2025, as Appendix “B” BE INTRODUCED at the Municipal Council meeting to be held on February 11, 2025, to repeal By-law No. C.P.-1561-107 “A bylaw to approve and authorize the use of the Additional Residential Unit Loan Agreement template between The Corporation of the City of London (the “City”) and the Registered Owner of a property providing affordable rental units ( the ‘Borrower”) to provide for a loan to address affordability of home ownership and to create more long-term, stable rental

housing supply to help address low rental vacancy rates, and to delegate the

authority to enter into such Agreements to the City Planner or delegate”; and,

c)    that Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to review and report back on Schedule 1

of By-law No. C.P.-1545-41, being the existing Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan – Financial Incentive Guidelines – Affordable Housing Development Loan Program.

Motion Passed

2.5   Monthly Housing Update

2025-01-28 - Staff Report (2.4) - Monthly Housing Update 2025

Moved by S. Lewis

Seconded by S. Hillier

That, on the recommendation of the Deputy City Manager, Housing and Community Growth, the following staff report dated January 28, 2025, BE RECEIVED.

Motion Passed

3.   Scheduled Items

3.1   Demolition Request and Heritage Alteration Permit Application at 66 Blackfriars Street

2025-01-28 - Staff Report (3.1) - Request to Demolish 66 Blackfriars Street

Moved by S. Hillier

Seconded by E. Peloza

That, on the recommendation of the Director, Housing and Community Growth, the application under Section 42 of the Ontario Heritage Act seeking approval for the demolition of the existing building and approval for a proposed building, as described, herein, and appended in Appendix “E”, on the property at 66 Blackfriars Street, within the Blackfriars/Petersville Heritage Conservation District, BE PERMITTED with the following terms and conditions:

a)    Regarding the trees:

i)    that a permit to injure or destroy a tree (including but not limited to the northeast oak tree and northwest oak tree), pursuant to the Tree Protection By-law, is required prior to any work commencing on the property;

ii)    the northeast oak tree shall be protected and preserved;

iii)    the northwest tree should be removed before the demolition of the existing building on the property;

iv)    the owner is encouraged to be creative in reusing of any of the felled wood;

v)    that the compensation tree planting will be reviewed and required as part of the

required Tree Permit(s), with an appropriate compensation rate determined by Forestry Operations;

vi)    that the Tree Protection Fencing shall be installed around the northeast oak tree

prior to demolition of the existing building and must be re-installed prior to construction of the proposed building; The Tree Protection Fencing shall be maintained in good repair for the entire duration of any activity on site;

vii)    that the use of mechanized equipment, for demolition and/or construction,

shall be prohibited within 14.8m (48’7”) of the trunk of the northeast oak tree (“critical root zone”). The use of mechanized equipment may be permitted from Albion Street or the rear of the property;

viii)    that the crawl space of the existing building shall be left in place at the front (north) and east and west sides, to the maximum extent possible. No less than 100% of the front (north) wall and 10m (32’7”) of the west side wall and 6.8m (22’3”) of the east side wall are to be left in their current condition. The crawl space walls can be removed to a maximum of 10 cm (4”) below the existing grade. The remainder of the area must be filled with good quality topsoil (in compliance with Chapter 12, Section 12.2.3 of the

City’s Design Specifications and Requirements Manual). This must happen within one week (seven days) of the demolition of the existing building. Any exposed roots that are discovered must be covered immediately with topsoil;

ix)    that monitoring by a Certified Arborist is required for any demolition or construction with notification for any work occurring to Forestry Operations in writing via ; and,

x)    that demolition work and any ground-disturbing activities associated with the

construction of the proposed building (e.g. foundation) must only occur prior to April 1, 2025, and subsequently in accordance with Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s guidance on limiting the spread of oak wilt;

b)    Regarding the proposed building:

i)    that the horizontal painted wood or fiber cement board be used for the exterior

cladding of the proposed building;

ii)    that the details for the design features in the north gable and south gable be

submitted to the Heritage Planner prior to installation;

iii)    that front yard parking is prohibited;

iv)    that the Heritage Planner be circulated on the Building Permit application drawings to verify compliance with this Heritage Alteration Permit prior to issuance of the Building Permit; and,

v)    that the Heritage Alteration Permit be displayed in a location visible from the

street until the work is completed;

c)    Regarding the commemoration:

i)    that an interpretive plaque be installed by the owner on the property in a location visible from the sidewalk that celebrates the natural and cultural heritage of the property and area following the demolition of the existing building (Contributing Resource);

it being pointed out that the following individuals made verbal presentations at the public participation meeting held in conjunction with these matters:

  • H. Garrett, Zelinka Priamo Ltd., and;

  • M. Betancourt.

Motion Passed (4 to 0)

Additional Votes:

Moved by S. Hillier

Seconded by E. Peloza

Motion to open the public participation meeting.

Motion Passed (4 to 0)

Moved by E. Peloza

Seconded by S. Hillier

Motion to close the public participation meeting.

Motion Passed (4 to 0)

4.   Items for Direction

None.

5.   Deferred Matters/Additional Business

5.1   Deferred Matters List

Moved by S. Hillier

Seconded by E. Peloza

That the Deferred List BE RECEIVED.

Motion Passed (4 to 0)

6.   Adjournment

That the meeting BE ADJOURNED.

Motion Passed

The meeting adjourned at 1:22 PM.

Full Transcript

Transcript provided by Lillian Skinner’s London Council Archive. Note: This is an automated speech-to-text transcript and may contain errors. Speaker names are not identified.

View full transcript (40 minutes)

Good afternoon, everyone. I’d like to welcome you to the meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee. I’d just like to make note that our eScribe stream is not available today, but our YouTube stream is alive and well. Please check the City website for additional meeting detail information.

The City of London is situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabak, Haudenosaunee, Luna Peiwok, and Adirondron. We honor and respect the history languages and culture of the diverse indigenous people who call this territory home. The City of London is currently home to many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit today. As representatives of the people of the City of London, we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and live in this territory.

The City of London is committed to making every effort to provide alternate formats and communication supports for meetings upon request. To make a request specific to this meeting, please contact PEC@london.ca or 519-661-2489, extension 2425. At this time, I’ll look for any disclosures of community interest. Seeing none, before we get to the consent items, I understand we’re losing a valued member of the team to retirement, so I’d like to just go to Peter Couchack right now for his thoughts.

Thank you, Chair, for allowing me to take some time today to celebrate and recognize Bruce Page, this guy sitting right next to me, who’s retiring this Friday after an incredible 33 years dedicated to our City. Bruce’s journey with the City began on a cold January 7th, 1992, where he started in City Planning Implementation. From there, he spent time working on parks planning, planning implementation, and policy, and most recently on the subdivision planning team as the manager. Some of his significant projects, most recently, include leading the Byron gravel pit secondary plan, the large development and guiding that at Oxford and Prowfoot, as well as guiding the London psych hospital lands, the rezoning of subdivision files, and coordinating enterprise-wide to make sure that that corridor, a major project is designing, works with the development.

Bruce embarks on this new chapter of his life. We want to wish him all the best today for the years he’s dedicated to planning and development, but also this committee, whether it was through his leadership or his mentorship, to his staff, Bruce has always gone above and beyond. Bruce, thank you for 33 years of outstanding service, your impact to our City, and all of us is immeasurable, and we wish you all the best in your retirement. Thank you, Mr.

Kavjak, and 33 years ago, that snowy day, holy smokes, that’s almost like now. You know, it’s a challenge as certain very valued members of our team move on to the next phase of their life, and with them goes a tremendous knowledge base that we will definitely miss. I’ll miss seeing you personally across the aisle here, and thank you so much for your service. That was a tremendous recollection of the most very important high profile files that you handled over your career.

And for that, I want to say thank you very much, and I wish you well in the next chapter. Moving on to consent items. I haven’t heard of anyone who wants any polls, so I’ll look for a motion to pass them all. Moved by Deputy Mayor Lewis, seconded by Council Hillyer, and I’ll open the floor now for any questions or comments.

Deputy Mayor, I just want to second, you know, we’ll hold the vote off until we get through that. I’ll ask the clerk to just take that off, please. Okay, please go ahead, Deputy Mayor. Thank you, Chair, and through you, I’d like to take the opportunity.

We’ve had a couple of communications, and so you, through you, perhaps, Mr. Mathers, can address, and I think it’s just basically a templating error with things that weren’t changed, but in fact, the ARU CIP that’s referenced in here for creating those units would not, in fact, preclude a proprietor for renting to a family member so long as they qualify it under the eligibility status for an affordable unit. I saw a number of emails going back and forth this morning, so I’m just wondering if Mr. Mathers can clarify that.

Mr. Mathers? Through the Chair, thank you very much. So, yes, there’s no intention to limit this program to any specific groups, especially ones that people who want to rent to a family member at an affordable rate, so we are making a small edit to the template agreement, and that will be bringing forward to Council, but that for the most part, so I just want to highlight, this is a really exciting new program, and we’re hoping that we get a lot of new affordable housing and new residential units throughout the community, so thanks for the opportunity to just mention that and to make that small correction.

Deputy Mayor? Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. I just thought that was important, as I know a couple of questions had been raised and answered by email, but just for the public record, because we’re approving this today, but the $45,000 forgivable loan to create additional units would, in fact, be available to family members where the eligibility criteria otherwise line up to, so just wanted to make that clear for the record.

Thank you. Other comments or questions from, could any members are visiting Councilor Frara? Okay, I’ll just, Committee will permit, I just have a couple of questions, disregarding that item with the CIPs to promote additional units on a personal home. When you’re applying for the affordable unit funding, which I believe is 80% of market rent, is that correct?

And depending on, you know, if it’s to the Indigenous package or the other, at what point or how much oversight is there, because I believe it’s for 25 years, so will folks that sign up for this expect to have visits from city staff to seeing if they’re fulfilling their end of the mandate? Through you, Mr. Chair, the intent will be an annual occupancy report that will have something that’s sent to the homeowner every year. There will be no city visits, it’s just a report like an assetation that they would sign off on, and for 10 years.

Okay, all right, okay. Not for 25. Okay, thank you. And I just like to comment briefly in a monthly housing report.

Last year we continued, well, exponential spike in the number of units zoned through terrific work by your team, Mr. Mathers. That is only helpful to when we see shovels in the ground as you, we hear constantly that phrase, and building permits are a big part of that. So for me personally, as Chair, I’m looking to see, like in the next two years, the results of those planning numbers to transition into the building permits, because that’s where we can actually look at getting our targets for the provincial targets that are set before us.

So great work on handling the immense in the last year, the number of units. I think that speaks a lot to your team and the improvements that have been made in the efficiencies of getting applications through now within our 90 day limit. And I’m glad to see that that work is being done in the building permits side, because I expect we will see fingers crossed with, you know, I know the economy and, you know, governments are up in the air right now. So there’s a lot interest rate, who knows, a lot of uncertainty, but let’s hope that builders build in the next coming year for the much needed housing.

So such things as, you know, I walk by on the second floor, and I see the help desk there, which I think is just terrific. I think it’s great for small builders, as well as big developers, to get the needed assistance to get them going as quickly as possible. And I know the number of changes that you’ve made and your team has made. So thanks everybody, and hopefully here’s looking at a busy 25.

If there’s any other comments or questions, we have a motion moved in the second, and I’ll call the vote. Sorry, it didn’t open for me. Yes. Closing the vote, the motion carries 4 to 0.

Thank you. Moving on to our only scheduled item, and this is regarding a demolition request at 66 Blackfire Street. So I’ll look for motion to open the public participation meeting. Councilor Hellier, seconded by Councillor Palazzo, and I’ll call that vote.

Closing the vote, the motion carries 4 to 0. So I’ll look for the applicant is here, and would like to address the committee. Please, ma’am, give us your name, and you have five minutes. It is on.

Yep. Okay. Hi, my name is Heather Garrett. I’m with Zalinka Premo Limited, and I just wanted to take the opportunity to explain this rather unique situation.

We have two heritage attributes that one has essentially been destroying the other. The root system of the tree has been growing into the structure for several, several years. So we basically had to look at the health of the tree, and then the structure of the house. So we’ve had two engineers review the structure to confirm that it is — it basically is falling down.

If there is — you cannot — we don’t have an option to move it. Even if we were going to try to restore it, it would mostly be built with new material because there’s been so much damage, not only from the tree, but there was a previous fire. The tree, an arborist said, is one of the most rarest tree that they’ve ever seen. It’s a very good health, so that’s why we came to the conclusion to remove the structure in order to save the house, or in order to save the tree.

In addition, we’ve been looking at the — through the heritage authorization permit. We will be doing — building a new house on the property, but it will be well back. The tree will be protected, and the roots won’t grow into that structure at all. So I’m just basically here.

If we have any more questions, I’m happy to answer them. Thank you. Thank you. I’ll look for the next speaker.

I’d like to address the committee on this item. I understand there’s someone online. Please give us your name, and you have five minutes. T, on Zoom.

Are you able to speak to this item? There we go. Sorry. Couldn’t unmute.

Okay, we can hear you. Please give us your name, and you have five minutes. My name is Monte. I am the owner of 60 Blackfire.

I’m not a post of them. I’m building back or knocking on the house. The only thing is that I was — I’m kind of concerned of just a concern of the parking facility, because we have a mutual driveway in the back. If that’s going to impact my tenants, brought it up at the last meeting.

But the other thing is, are they going to be tearing down the garage as well? And are they rebuilding the garage? Those are the only two questions I really have. Okay.

Thank you. I’ll ask after we end our public participation meeting. Those questions. Thanks, Mike.

I’ll look for any other speakers. Let’s clerk if there’s anyone online. I don’t see anyone else. So I’ll look for motion to close the public participation meeting.

Councilor blows a second by Councilor Hill here. I don’t call that vote. Closing the vote. The motion carries 4-0.

Okay. We did have that one question. I’ll start with staff, and maybe I’ll go to the applicant, but it’s regarding the shared driveway in the garage. Thank you for the question.

And through the chair, the existing garage will also be demolished, and regarding the laneway, if I could refer to figure 4 of the staff report, it clearly shows that the laneway at the very south end of the property at 66 Blackfires is being maintained, no alteration, no building in there. And that laneway does provide access to the adjacent parcel at 60 Blackfire Street, which was the question asked. Okay. Great.

Thank you very much. Okay. I’ll put this on the floor for committee and for questions or motions. Councilor Hill here.

I’ll move the staff recommendation. Okay. I guess seconder, please. Councilor Palosa second.

I’ll look for we got motion movement. Second. I’ll look for questions. Councilor Ferrer, I saw your hand pop up there.

Thank you, Chair. I’m assuming committee members have said that they are not going to be commenting. I don’t want to get in front of you. So I just wanted to make some comments myself.

I do want to kind of point to staff and say thank you for engaging me so early on on this one. Just your thoughtfulness and just letting me know and answering all my questions greatly appreciated definitely had me leading up to this point, very aware of what’s going on. Going through the report itself, you know, I do see that there was a lot of work done, especially at the community front itself. Right in Blackfires, you know, I do see that there’s an understanding there were concerns, you know, with respect to like a potential demolition by neglect.

And I do know the community had that and I obviously have those concerns for any type of heritage attributes that we have. But I do see that this specific case has a lot of aspects to it that kind of, you know, have other aspects that are not necessarily within that component, especially what I heard from the proponent itself with the tree roots kind of going into the foundation and just kind of that kind of hurting the structural integrity of the building. I understand that and then with the fire that we had. And I do really appreciate the proponent being so open to working with us and with working with maintaining any type of heritage attributes that we can have.

Like I understand that this property is not specifically individually designated. It’s part of the Heritage Conservation District. But at the same time, it’s one of the last examples of our Ontario cottage style housing, affordable housing that we have in the area. So I’m really big to protect that kind of stuff.

I really would like to see those physical heritage attributes maintained. But I do understand that this specific situation is a very off ball. So I really appreciate that the fact that the proponent was able to kind of maintain those heritage attributes as much as they could. Really like how staff has really looked into the tree on the north east side, the 200 year old tree and just kind of making that critical root zone really kind of out there and really kind of known so we don’t have that heavy machinery work in there.

And then, you know, with the hand work that we’re going to have, you know, just kind of working on the foundation and keeping that maintained and just ensuring as much as we can to maintain that 200 year old tree. I really appreciate that. So it’s interesting, you know, we have one heritage attribute in the neighbourhood affecting another heritage attribute. In this case, I would say with there’s some other aspects to that too.

But you know, I think it’s pretty clearly laid out of the situation that we’re in. And I’m really, you know, I’m really proud of Blackfriars, Preetisville, the whole the whole neighbourhood on how everyone was able to come together with a reasonable understanding of being aware of just kind of the case that we’re in. And I’m really also appreciative of the type of new structure that we’re proposing with that with the wraparound porch. And I’m really appreciative of that.

And I just wanted to kind of point that out. The heritage commemoration plaque that we’re going to have at the corner there. Also something that I think is very good. You will see me trying to protect as many heritage attributes as possible in my ward all the time.

This case, you know, like I said, I, you know, I have mixed feelings all around with it. But I do understand just kind of where we’re at in the situation that we’re in. We are going this way. But I think that the outcome is a very good one.

So, you know, I wanted to make those comments. Thank you to the neighbourhood. I understand that a lot of groundwork went on in there. And I really, really am proud of, you know, something like this.

Usually when you see a heritage demolition come up, it’s, you know, it can go way off the rails. But this one has been very good because, you know, the neighbourhood itself, they’re very aware, they’re very engaged and they’re looking for a reasonable approach. So with that, you know, I just wanted to say thank you to staff, thank you to the community. And moving forward, you know, I will be protecting as many heritage attributes as I can.

This one, we’re able to protect the tree. I understand that the neighbourhood is very big on protecting that tree. And the new structure that we’re going to build will fit in with the, with the whole component of the heritage conservation district. So those will be my comments for here.

And, well, I guess we’ll see you at council. Thank you, Councillor. Any other comments, committee members? Motion moved in, seconded.

I’ll call the vote. Closing the vote. The motion carries 4-0. Okay, moving on.

We don’t have any items for direction. Moving on to deferred matters. There has been an added with revised deferred matters list that I hope everyone has seen in the committee. So all of our motion on receiving that, Councillor Hillier, seconded by Councillor Palosa.

Any comments or questions? Call that vote. Closing the vote. The motion carries 4-0.

That concludes the business of the committee. I’ll look for motion for a German. Councillor Hillier, seconded by Councillor Palosa. All in favor.

All in favor. The committee meeting is closed.