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Peterborough, ON - City Council approved the following items during its meeting in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 500 George St. N., on Monday, February 24, 2025:
- Zoning By-law amendment and site plan control exemption for the Brock Mission transitional housing project at 738 Chemong Rd.;
- Amending the Zoning By-law to allow a single unit on partial municipal services with two additional residential units at 997 Armour Rd.;
- Providing the necessary approvals to complete the legal transfer of the Peterborough Utilities Commission water system and the Riverview Park & Zoo to the City of Peterborough, which Council approved in June 2024;
- Maintaining the current insurance requirements for Downtown Patio Program participants at $2 million Commercial General Liability, except for patios that are licensed to serve alcohol, which would be required to have $5 million Commercial General Liability;
- Allowing the City to work with Activa Holdings Inc. to confirm the planning application, technical study, and public consultation requirements to consider urban development on a future expansion of the Heritage Park Subdivision, with staff reporting back to Council on options for advancing a Carnegie Secondary Plan, including options for financing the plan and community consultation for further development of the Carnegie Secondary Planning Area;
- Advising Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada that the proposal for a telecommunication structure by Rogers Communications Inc. at 780 Argyle Street has been circulated in accordance with the City of Peterborough's Telecommunications Structures Policy and Procedure;
- Motion - That Council requests the Provincial Government to consider redistributing a portion of the Land Transfer Tax collected on property transactions to municipalities and that Council calls on the Federal Government to allocate a percentage of the GST collected on property sales to municipalities to provide predictable, sustainable funding to municipalities to support long-term planning and investment in infrastructure projects;
- Motion - That the City of Peterborough supports Team Canada and the provincial and federal governments on measures they have put in place in response to the proposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, that the federal and provincial governments remove any impediments to municipalities preferring Canadian companies and services for capital projects and other supplies, that the provincial and federal governments take action to remove trade barriers between provinces, and that the Commissioner of Finance and Corporate Support Services be directed to bring back a report detailing a temporary procurement policy that integrates and addresses these concerns to the greatest extent possible;
- Report of Closed Session - That staff be authorized to proceed as outlined in closed session report of the City Solicitor regarding litigation concerning title to lands;
- Report of Closed Session - That staff be authorized to proceed as outlined in a closed session report from the Commissioner of Community Services related to an agreement; and
- Report of Closed Session - That the verbal update regarding a plan as outlined in closed session by the Commissioner of Community Services be received for information.
City Council meetings are broadcast live at peterborough.ca/WatchCouncil. Recordings of meetings and agendas are posted at peterborough.ca/agendas.
Transitional housing project - 738 Chemong Rd.
Under Strong Mayor Powers, Council approved a Zoning By-law amendment and site plan control exemption for the Brock Mission transitional housing project at 738 Chemong Rd.
The Zoning By-law amendment will adjust zoning requirements related to design elements such as lot area per unit, lot width, building setback from side and rear lot lines, and parking area.
The site plan control exemption specifies that it relates to a 52-unit, six-storey apartment building, which would be the new building built by, or on behalf of, the Brock Street Mission Peterborough, at 738 Chemong Rd., and the existing building containing eight units. The property owner will need to obtain a building permit for the planned new building by February 24, 2026.
Zoning By-law amendment - 997 Armour Rd.
Council approved amending the Zoning By-law to allow a single unit on partial municipal services with two additional residential units at 997 Armour Rd.
The property currently supports a single unit dwelling serviced by municipal water and a private septic system – similar to other residential properties in the vicinity. The property is on the west side of Armour Road, immediately south of Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School and north of a condominium located on Paddock Wood.
The applicant proposes to build two additional residential units on the property - one in the lower level of the existing dwelling and one in a detached accessory structure. To facilitate the development, the applicant applied to amend to the Zoning By-law to allow the additional dwelling units to utilize private services.
It is expected that through the building permit approval process that the applicant will provide drawings and require approval for a new septic system to support the additional use at the property.
The nearest connection to the sanitary sewer is at Paddock Wood, approximately 170 metres to the south of the subject property.
Water system and zoo transfer legal requirements
Council approved providing the necessary approvals to complete the legal transfer of the Peterborough Utilities Commission water system and the Riverview Park & Zoo to the City of Peterborough, which Council approved in June 2024.
On June 24, 2024, Council provided a series of directions related to the transactions associated with the transfer to the City of water assets and operations, information technology assets and operations and the Riverview Park & Zoo.
The City of Peterborough is the sole shareholder of City of Peterborough Holdings Inc. (CoPHI). PUG Services Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CoPHI. Peterborough Utilities Commission (PUC) is a local board of the City and currently own substantially all of the assets related to water treatment and distribution and related to the operation of the Riverside Park & Zoo. PUG Services Corp. undertakes the operation of the water utility and Zoo on behalf of PUC and owns certain related assets.
Council will consider actions related to the transfer, including passing a bylaw to dissolve the Peterborough Utilities Commission, authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to pass an Asset Transfer By-law, approving the Operation Plan for the Peterborough Municipal Drinking Water System, and endorsing the Water System Financial Plan.
Once endorsed by Council these documents become part of the authority’s commitment and confirmation of compliance that is reported to the province.
The transfer of the water system and zoo aligns with the City’s commitment to ensuring efficient service delivery, infrastructure investment, and long-term sustainability of the water supply system and zoo operations. The transition will be managed to ensure a seamless continuation of services for residents and businesses, with no disruption to water quality or availability, and to provide the necessary operating licences and approvals for the zoo.
Downtown patio program
Council approved maintaining the current insurance requirements for Downtown Patio Program participants at $2 million Commercial General Liability (CGL), except for patios that are licensed to serve alcohol, which would be required to have $5 million Commercial General Liability.
In February 2024, Council directed that the insurance requirements remain the same for the 2024 patio season and that staff report back to Council with information on a tiered approach for the patio program in 2025.
The recommendation to increase the insurance requirement for licensed businesses reflects the increase level of risk to the City when there is alcohol being served on city-owned lands. While there is still a level of risk associated with non-licensed businesses, staff are supportive of maintaining current insurance requirements in an effort to balance the risk management needs with the social benefits of the patio program. Staff note that the proposed $5 million CGL requirement for licensed businesses is consistent with the City’s requirements for public Special Events held at City facilities (both indoor and outdoor spaces) and for Temporary Use of Right of Way permits.
There are many factors to consider when establishing a municipal patio program including patio size and location, design, installation and maintenance, accessibility, proximity of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, emergency response, safety, inspections, enforcement, noise, insurance, and administration fees. As such, no two municipal programs are identical but there are some common elements including liability insurance coverage, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards to ensure an inclusive environment for all patrons, and ongoing safety monitoring and inspections.
Out of 18 municipalities surveyed: 33% require $2 million CGL insurance, 33% require a combination of $2 million and $5 million of CGL insurance, and the remaining 33% require $5 million in CGL coverage.
In 2024, the City issued 15 patio permits, down from 21 permits in 2023. The reduction in permits was due to downtown road reconstruction which meant some on-street patios could not be approved due to conflicts with construction scheduling. Businesses that could not obtain a patio license in 2024 have expressed their eagerness to participate in 2025.
In spring 2025, micro surfacing (pavement) works are planned for Hunter Street West pending procurement results and internal approvals. Staff have been working to ensure minimal impact to businesses and the patio program, specifically those located in the Hunter Street West café district, between George Street and Aylmer Street. It is anticipated that lane closures in the café district, which have been implemented in recent years to facilitate the patio program and an expanded pedestrian realm, will not be installed until the road works are completed. Weather pending, currently the projected completion for the café district micro surfacing is early June. Staff are committed to working with affected businesses to ensure that patios can be permitted and installed once the proposed construction works are completed.
Heritage Park subdivision
Council approved allowing the City to work with Activa Holdings Inc. to confirm the planning application, technical study, and public consultation requirements to consider urban development on a future expansion of the Heritage Park Subdivision, with staff reporting back to Council on options for advancing a Carnegie Secondary Plan, including options for financing the plan and community consultation for further development of the Carnegie Secondary Planning Area.
A development prohibition was previously placed on the remainder of their lands until certain road network improvements are made.
All of the Heritage Park subdivision phases that were approved between 1999 and 2014 have been fully built with 382 single detached dwellings, a stormwater pond and a park. As described in the MHBC letter, Activa is unable to pursue development of their remaining lands in the Carnegie Area totalling approximately 45.8 hectares (113.2 acres) based on development restrictions that have been previously imposed by Council and secured in development agreements.
The Transportation Master Plan does not contemplate road improvements within the Parkway corridor and instead only contemplates, for new road capacity in the Carnegie area, protection of an arterial and/or collector road corridor within the area from Carnegie Avenue to Hilliard Street, generally consistent with an area road network concept considered by Council in 2003 when the area development restrictions were established. Similarly, the Official Plan (adopted in 2021, approved in 2023) does not illustrate road network improvements within The Parkway corridor and instead identifies protection for a future collector and arterial road within the Carnegie area, between Carnegie Avenue and Hilliard Street.
Activa has requested that the development restriction affecting the Heritage Park subdivision be lifted such that their three vacant blocks within the subdivision can proceed to development. Additionally, Activa has requested that the development restriction be lifted to permit consideration of planning applications for the balance of their land in the Carnegie area. In staff’s opinion, both scenarios will require new community consultation and technical studies to establish the feasibility of development.
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