Owen Sound Council Meeting - Special Meeting Transcript — November 24, 2025

00:00:24 Speaker 01: We're calling the meeting to order; asking for declarations of interest.

00:00:28 Speaker 01: None from council are declared in interest.

00:00:33 Speaker 01: Councillor Farmer, I believe, has the motion.

00:00:35 Speaker 01: So, move that city council now be moved into committee of the whole to consider a public meeting and a working session.

00:00:40 Speaker 02: Moved by myself, seconded by Deputy Mayor Greig, that City Council now moves into Committee of the Whole to consider a public meeting and a working session.

00:00:49 Speaker 02: Thank you.

00:00:49 Speaker 01: In all favour; so it is carried.

00:00:57 Speaker 01: Yes, I do note: All council are present, with the exception of Councillor Hamley, who we see dead centre on our screen, working from his office and participating by Zoom or remotely.

00:01:13 Speaker 01: Number 4A.

00:01:14 Speaker 01: Number four A. We have public meetings at 4A.

00:01:18 Speaker 01: We have the Official Plan Amendment (OPA) number fourteen; official plan update, section twenty-six of the Planning Act.

00:01:30 Speaker 01: So I want to thank everyone for attending today's public meeting.

00:01:34 Speaker 01: The purpose of this meeting is to receive input from the public respecting the proposed amendment to the Official Plan, as per Section 26 of the Planning Act.

00:01:44 Speaker 01: In a few moments, Dave Aston of MHBC Planning will present background information regarding the proposed amendment.

00:01:53 Speaker 01: Following the presentation, we will open the floor for comments, questions and feedbacks from the public.

00:02:01 Speaker 01: Number two here: Every person who attends a statutory public meeting required under the Planning Act will be given an opportunity to make representations respecting the proposed bylaw.

00:02:14 Speaker 01: All submission materials for this application are available on the City's website and at the Planning Division counter at City Hall during regular business hours.

00:02:22 Speaker 01: If a specific person,

00:02:22 Speaker 01: registered owner of land in the City of Owen Sound or public body would otherwise have an ability to appeal the decision of the City of Owen Sound to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the person

00:02:38 Speaker 01: or public body does not make oral submission at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of Owen Sound prior to the approval or refusal of this proposal,

00:02:49 Speaker 01: the person or body is not entitled to appeal the decision.

00:02:53 Speaker 01: If a person or public body does not make oral submission at a public meeting or make written submissions to the City of Owen Sound before the bylaw is passed,

00:03:02 Speaker 01: the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of the appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless in the opinion of the tribunal there are reasonable grounds to do

00:03:14 Speaker 01: so.

00:03:14 Speaker 01: In accordance with the Planning Act, there is no appeal related to additional residential unit policies.

00:03:22 Speaker 01: This meeting is an essential part of the decision-making process.

00:03:26 Speaker 01: Feedback received will be considered in the decision of the City of Owen Sound Council.

00:03:31 Speaker 01: An explanation of how public and agency comments factored into the decision will be included in the notice of adoption of the bylaw.

00:03:40 Speaker 01: Where a change is made to a proposed bylaw after the holding of the public meeting, council will determine whether any further notices are to be given respecting the proposed bylaw;

00:03:52 Speaker 01: and the determination of council as to giving further notices final, not subject to review in any court no matter the extent of the change made to the proposed bylaw.

00:04:05 Speaker 01: So that I will hand it over to Ms.

00:04:08 Speaker 03: Bloomfield: Through your worship, notices of this public meeting were published in the Sun Times newspaper, circulated to the prescribed persons and bodies, and posted on the city's website on October 18th and October 25th.

00:04:23 Speaker 03: All comments received in advance of the agenda publishing deadline were attached to the agenda.

00:04:28 Speaker 03: One comment from Graceville Conservation Authority was received after the publication of the agenda and before the public meeting; it has been circulated to council and will be attached to the republished agenda following the meeting.

00:04:40 Speaker 03: One person registered to attend the meeting electronically.

00:04:44 Speaker 03: For anyone here for the public meeting, please sign the sign-in sheet located on the table just outside of council chambers.

00:04:50 Speaker 03: Personal information collected at this public meeting is collected under the authority of the Planning Act,

00:04:55 Speaker 03: and the information collected will be used to complete the official plan amendment process and will form part of the public record.

00:05:01 Speaker 03: Questions about this collection should be addressed to myself, the city clerk.

00:05:05 Speaker 03: If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Corporation of the City of Owen Sound on the proposed official plan amendment, you must make a written request to the City of Owen Sound,

00:05:12 Speaker 03: care of the city clerk.

00:05:18 Speaker 03: Good.

00:05:19 Speaker 01: So we'll now hear the presentation from Mr. Aston of MHBC Planning.

00:05:25 Speaker 01: Welcome.

00:05:26 Speaker 01: Good afternoon, Mayor, members of Council, public.

00:05:36 Speaker 04: We have a brief presentation here this afternoon.

00:05:42 Speaker 04: First of all, I'd just want to acknowledge everyone that we've been working with on this official plan review, including city staff, Pam and Margaret and Sabine.

00:05:55 Speaker 04: And with me this afternoon is Aaliyah Clark, who's an associate with our office.

00:06:01 Speaker 04: And we've all been working hard on this review to gather information, review background, and bring forward a draft for public presentation today, trying to move this forward.

00:06:23 Speaker 04: Here we go.

00:06:24 Speaker 04: So just overall, as far as the project timeline goes, we're nearing the end of the project.

00:06:31 Speaker 04: Although today is kind of the official public meeting as it relates to the Planning Act requirements, a draft has been prepared and was posted on our CityOnSound,

00:06:48 Speaker 04: something that we've used as a consultation platform throughout the process.

00:06:55 Speaker 04: Just stepping back a little bit, this process kicked off with envisioning, which was informed by a report from council that identified the scope for the official plan review at this point in time.

00:07:13 Speaker 04: So, the official plan review now is more of an update to the comprehensive municipal official plan that was approved by this council a few years ago.

00:07:25 Speaker 04: It's not a reopening or a whole new official plan; it's taking a look at updates and primarily updates related to changes associated with provincial legislative changes, namely, as an example, the Provincial Policy Statement.

00:07:44 Speaker 04: So we've been working through those updates in late June.

00:07:49 Speaker 04: There was notice of an open house that was public notice, which included draft official plan amendment and draft zoning bylaw amendment.

00:08:00 Speaker 04: So there are three things happening: the official plan amendment, the zoning bylaw amendment, and preparation of urban design guidelines.

00:08:10 Speaker 04: This afternoon is more focused on the special meeting for the official plan amendment, and then there'll be a public meeting following a little bit later today for the zoning bylaw amendment.

00:08:23 Speaker 04: There's different requirements in the Planning Act for notices and meetings for each of those amendments.

00:08:33 Speaker 04: In phase four, the public engagement included the open house held at the arena in July; it included boards and stations with copies of the draft documents for people to review.

00:08:52 Speaker 04: We have received comments throughout the process.

00:08:55 Speaker 04: As mentioned, we received comments from some members of the public, Graceville Conservation Authority, and we've also received comments from Grey County, which were a result of meetings and discussions that we've been having with them.

00:09:12 Speaker 04: So the official plan is a long-term vision for the city.

00:09:17 Speaker 04: It's one of the tools or documents that the city uses to make decisions regarding land use planning and development.

00:09:27 Speaker 04: It's part of a suite of many documents you would refer to, such as your strategic plan or master plans and your zoning bylaw.

00:09:36 Speaker 04: But it is the vision document and policy framework that looks to give direction on how to build your community.

00:09:47 Speaker 04: Under the official plan, it's required to be updated every five years, and it's also required to stay in conformity with provincial plans.

00:09:58 Speaker 04: So the official plan was updated comprehensively in 2021 and approved in 2022; that's the new document I was referring to.

00:10:10 Speaker 04: This update would meet the requirements of the five-year review cycle.

00:10:17 Speaker 04: You're ahead of the five-year requirement, but it is at a time where there have been changes to provincial policy.

00:10:25 Speaker 04: There are changes to the Planning Act occurring, and there were changes to Grey County Official Plan.

00:10:31 Speaker 04: So this is a good opportunity to update it to implement those changing circumstances.

00:10:41 Speaker 04: Key areas where the official plan is changing: I would say probably the largest change people would see if reviewing the official plan and its mapping relates to employment lands.

00:10:56 Speaker 04: The province has changed how employment lands are defined, which means how you identify them also has to change.

00:11:08 Speaker 04: They've been very specific on what employment uses are or how employment areas are defined; so this official plan is implementing the direction of the Planning Act and provincial policy on employment areas.

00:11:25 Speaker 04: That's not to suggest that we are losing employment areas or employment uses; it's just changing how those areas are defined and what uses will be in them.

00:11:38 Speaker 04: The update is also looking at retail market study requirements for East City Commercial as that area continues to build out.

00:11:47 Speaker 04: We have continued to review, understand, and monitor how the policies have been working relative to build-out in East City Commercial, with consideration of how those policies are implemented relative to downtown or the River District.

00:12:08 Speaker 04: There's also minor policy updates on affordable housing policies, environmental policies, and some of these come from Grey County official plan changes.

00:12:19 Speaker 04: Updates to servicing policies in Sydenham Heights Planning Area really just reflect what has happened over time since the plan was approved.

00:12:31 Speaker 04: Looking at permissions for different types of uses and designations—for example,

00:12:37 Speaker 04: schools and daycare centres in residential designations allowing those as-of-right—reviewing and making changes associated with what I'll call the administrative or implementation section of the official plan,

00:12:52 Speaker 04: again due to changes to the Planning Act that changed how municipalities do business regarding development applications.

00:13:02 Speaker 04: So removing the requirement for pre-consultation but continuing to encourage proponents to engage in it; referencing minor zoning bylaw amendments; looking at parkland requirements and making sure that the plan references appropriate provincial planning documents.

00:13:29 Speaker 04: As I was mentioning, the main schedule change of the official plan is employment areas, and you'll see that overall area has not changed; it's just how the plan will delineate them.

00:13:48 Speaker 04: We've broken down different employment areas a little bit differently than in the current official plan, calling them Employment 1 and Employment 2 designations, where Employment 2 designation is a new added designation.

00:14:10 Speaker 04: So this makes the difference between defined employment areas under provincial policy and other employment uses within your official plan; it covers all schedules.

00:14:30 Speaker 04: Really, where there are employment areas within the official plan, we're picking up appropriate designations in each of various community areas.

00:14:49 Speaker 04: To really understand differences in employment areas, we did an analysis of uses in each designation and a comparison of what the province defines as employment areas or what uses constitute them: primarily manufacturing, warehousing;

00:15:10 Speaker 04: only ancillary retail and commercial uses are permitted.

00:15:16 Speaker 04: One change is how that definition removes some uses previously permitted in employment areas,

00:15:27 Speaker 04: like office uses or other standalone uses that might have been commercial in nature but still related to employment use—they ultimately remain removed from a defined area of employment.

00:15:47 Speaker 04: So that's really the official plan amendment and changes proposed as it relates to the official plan review process.

00:16:04 Speaker 04: That's all I have.

00:16:07 Speaker 04: Questions, Council?

00:16:11 Speaker 05: Councillor Farmer: Through the Mayor... just glad you're here.

00:16:17 Speaker 05: Nice to be able to have this conversation.

00:16:22 Speaker 01: Sorry, my mistake; this was supposed to be a public meeting.

00:16:25 Speaker 01: I jumped in with council and should not have.

00:16:30 Speaker 01: Pam wondered what I was doing.

00:16:32 Speaker 01: Thank you very much for your presentation.

00:16:37 Speaker 01: Now we will go to public comments.

00:16:49 Speaker 01: Someone in the room going to the microphone?

00:16:51 Speaker 01: Go ahead.

00:16:54 Speaker 01: Hello, my name is Ann Finley Stewart.

00:16:56 Speaker 06: I'm a resident of Owen Sound, and I'm here to stand in support of some things that people who couldn't be here have written documentation from—specifically the written comments of David McLeish and Marilyn Struthers.

00:17:14 Speaker 06: So I've lived in Owen Sound for 30 years and watched changes in population and demographics.

00:17:20 Speaker 06: I was also a crew leader in Owen Sound for both the 2016 and 2021 Canadian censuses, so Statistics Canada numbers are very interesting to me.

00:17:30 Speaker 06: The theory that more housing of any type will automatically create more affordable housing has been proven false over and over again.

00:17:39 Speaker 06: If I move out of my $900 rent-controlled apartment because I can somehow suddenly afford the newly built $1,500 apartment, the landlord of my old apartment can now legally raise the rent for a new tenant;

00:17:51 Speaker 06: the affordable apartment is not released—it's eliminated.

00:17:55 Speaker 06: We are the slowest-growing municipality in Grey-Bruce as of 2021, and we might ask: Are we not growing because we have inadequate housing?

00:18:04 Speaker 06: Or are builders slow to build here because our growth is so slow?

00:18:09 Speaker 06: Without question, employers like Bright Shores, our largest single employer, has told this council that the single biggest impediment to staff recruitment and retention is lack of appropriate housing.

00:18:22 Speaker 06: Workers like PSWs are in short supply in Owen Sound, and we're increasingly dependent on agency staff from away at a higher cost to every Ontario taxpayer because they cannot afford to live here.

00:18:36 Speaker 06: Another non-resident owner of a local business—relatively new of the kind that we've seen grow on East Hill—said he had rented a three-bedroom apartment next to his business for three staff members because they could not

00:18:49 Speaker 06: find housing.

00:18:50 Speaker 06: Now these people are in the precarious position of having to live and work with their co-workers, dependent on their employer both for paychecks and housing.

00:19:00 Speaker 06: And we're not a fixed closed population as many other Ontario municipalities have discovered.

00:19:06 Speaker 06: Commercial, institutional, and industrial growth means money coming into the community to purchase and rent available housing, leaving long-time residents on modest incomes competing for few affordable units.

00:19:19 Speaker 06: I am not talking now about homelessness; but the obvious end result of that is people fall off that cliff.

00:19:26 Speaker 06: I'm using the accepted definition of affordable housing: housing costs being less than 30% of a household's gross before-tax income.

00:19:37 Speaker 06: So for half of Ontario or Owen Sound households with a gross income below median—that is, maximum $1,152 per month, or in most cases less—my question is simply:

00:19:51 Speaker 06: What is the plan within the official plan for growing supply of affordable housing and ensuring that it stays affordable?

00:19:59 Speaker 06: Thank you.

00:20:02 Speaker 07: Thank you for your input.

00:20:04 Speaker 07: Is there anyone else?

00:20:06 Speaker 07: Please go ahead.

00:20:07 Speaker 07: In the room?

00:20:14 Speaker 07: It's alive.

00:20:14 Speaker 07: Ted Stewart from Owen Sound...

00:20:18 Speaker 07: I hope this is the proper point to talk about Section 3.1, 0.5, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.8 in the official plan amendment.

00:20:34 Speaker 07: In each of these sections there are words used to indicate the city might, could, if it wants to, maybe.

00:20:47 Speaker 08: I would like to see more momentum going forward in the city's resolution to create affordable housing for workers, people at risk of losing their housing, and move forward with purpose to create and facilitate better,

00:21:16 Speaker 08: more worker-based level housing.

00:21:22 Speaker 08: In each section there is a word such as "will" or "may."

00:21:30 Speaker 08: The city will work towards achieving county goal of 30%.

00:21:42 Speaker 08: "Will"—it gets to it.

00:21:44 Speaker 08: I propose using the word "shall" in these places which indicates responsibility, obligation to act and make this thing happen and see it through.

00:21:57 Speaker 08: So in each section—3.1, 0.5, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.8—there are words that are "will" or "shall" to indicate what the city may do literally;

00:22:14 Speaker 08: and I would like discussion about using word "shall" to create more obligation and purpose.

00:22:26 Speaker 08: Thank you.

00:22:28 Speaker 08: Now is there anyone in room who also wishes to speak?

00:22:34 Speaker 01: Okay, we can come back to that.

00:22:36 Speaker 01: I understand there's somebody on screen.

00:22:39 Speaker 01: I'll hand that over to you, Brianna.

00:22:47 Speaker 01: Hi, it's Christy Hempel.

00:22:49 Speaker 01: I'm a resident of Owen Sound.

00:22:50 Speaker 09: I'm just out of town at the moment.

00:22:53 Speaker 09: I support the previous speakers in that we need more very specific policies that state how we'll accomplish some of these affordable housing goals.

00:23:03 Speaker 09: I work part time for an affordable housing consultant, and my job often is to review official plan policies and zoning bylaw policies, mostly in other communities,

00:23:16 Speaker 09: but to see how we can help nonprofit and sometimes municipal housing providers get housing built.

00:23:26 Speaker 09: I don't know if you've had a chance to digest the most recent Build Canada Homes funding announcement.

00:23:33 Speaker 09: We're looking at that now in our company to look at what our clients can expect and what we need to do to be prepared.

00:23:41 Speaker 09: It's really interesting because there are two streams that we need to look at.

00:23:45 Speaker 09: One is, if land planning is in place—in other words, planning permissions are in place—you can make a faster-streamed application.

00:23:57 Speaker 09: If land use planning is not in place, it means either an official plan amendment or a zoning amendment is needed.

00:24:05 Speaker 09: Minor variances—we can often get away with those—but a zoning amendment is the tricky one.

00:24:10 Speaker 09: And so I just want to mention that there's some places here in the Official Plan and in the Zoning Bylaw where if we tweak them,

00:24:17 Speaker 09: we could save our nonprofit housing providers from huge amounts of time and money in order to get those amendments in place,

00:24:25 Speaker 09: so that they can submit applications and know whether they may have access to funding.

00:24:32 Speaker 09: So, for instance, regarding community living projects: one of the most important ones is looking at institutional sites.

00:24:39 Speaker 09: For example, churches where maybe the congregations are shrinking and want to repurpose their church or use an underused parking lot to put up some apartments.

00:24:50 Speaker 09: Or other faith-based groups are looking at trying to build housing for their residents.

00:24:57 Speaker 09: Legions that may have enormous parking lots might do housing for veterans,

00:25:03 Speaker 09: or existing care facilities that might want to add something like more independent apartments for people with more independence who aren't qualified as nursing home patients.

00:25:14 Speaker 09: I see in the Official Plan there's some wording around "may be allowed," you know, if Council deems so.

00:25:21 Speaker 09: But this is the kind of language that isn't clear sailing from an application point of view.

00:25:26 Speaker 09: So I'm just wondering if that language around being able to do residential support or affordable housing on underused lands in some of our institutional properties could be clearer from a zoning perspective,

00:25:45 Speaker 09: so that when we work with a community group who applies to do affordable housing here in Owen Sound, we have a greater chance of saying "yes," planning is in place.

00:25:56 Speaker 09: We don't need to go through the process; we can create this application.

00:26:00 Speaker 09: So I think there's still some hiccups in the Zoning Bylaw,

00:26:04 Speaker 09: and I wonder if there's a way for Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw thinking that can make that more concrete for people who might use institutional lands—one of the very common places where we can put

00:26:18 Speaker 09: supportive housing—often because there are staff already on those locations.

00:26:23 Speaker 09: So that's what I wanted to tune in and let you know how important it is from a feasibility point of view for getting housing created.

00:26:34 Speaker 09: Good.

00:26:34 Speaker 09: Thank you very much.

00:26:38 Speaker 09: Is there anyone else who has any comments?

00:26:44 Speaker 09: No. Okay.

00:26:57 Speaker 07: So, with that, we thank everyone for coming in or zooming in to make your comments known.

00:27:04 Speaker 07: We appreciate the feedback.

00:27:07 Speaker 07: Seeing no one going to the microphone, I'll now declare the public meeting closed, and that ends the public portion of it.

00:27:16 Speaker 07: Now, on our agenda item number five, we're moving to the Council Working Session.

00:27:26 Speaker 07: I'm not sure if I'm going back to Dave, Mr. Aston.

00:27:49 Speaker 04: Hit the button again, and maybe just a couple things.

00:27:54 Speaker 04: Listening to the public comments, I think those are all really good comments that we'll take back and provide some information to move forward.

00:28:06 Speaker 04: Made just a couple comments when we look at Official Plans and Zoning Bylaws: if we look at the words "will" and "shall," or "may," or "recommend" or "suggest."

00:28:21 Speaker 04: We generally treat the words "will" and "shall" as being the same.

00:28:24 Speaker 04: So, for example, "the City will do this" is just as binding as "the City shall do this."

00:28:30 Speaker 04: Just a general comment: I wanted to make that clear, and we'll review it relative to the Official Plan and the comments on institutional uses.

00:28:45 Speaker 04: The Official Plan does have policies already where there is recognition of lands in an Institutional designation, and if that Institutional use ceases, what it may become.

00:29:01 Speaker 04: If it's in a residential area, it may move forward to a Residential Use without amendment to the Official Plan.

00:29:10 Speaker 04: But in most cases, it probably needs a change via Zoning Bylaw Amendment because those areas have been zoned Institutional.

00:29:19 Speaker 04: So that's a comment; something we can take a look at as well as how it relates to the Official Plan.

00:29:27 Speaker 04: I just wanted to point out that your plan already gives consideration to these areas and how they can have some flexibility to accommodate future residential uses.

00:29:49 Speaker 04: Okay, I have to make sure I have the right presentation.

00:30:00 Speaker 04: So what we want to try and cover off in the Working Session is: as mentioned earlier, there are two parts to the review being integrated—the Official Plan Review and the Zoning Bylaw Review.

00:30:20 Speaker 04: There's a little more detail on how we're dealing with the Zoning Bylaw, but what I wanted to cover off in this session is an overview of major changes, comments,

00:30:37 Speaker 04: and then there will be a question-and-answer component.

00:30:43 Speaker 04: So this is more my understanding; maybe for the Mayor or Council,

00:30:50 Speaker 04: it's a more informal type—formal yet fluid approach to a meeting than normally where I'm standing here talking at you and you're talking back at me.

00:31:00 Speaker 04: So I'm open to dealing with comments and questions as we move through.

00:31:09 Speaker 04: Can you change the slide?

00:31:14 Speaker 04: As mentioned, there is the process I went through.

00:31:18 Speaker 04: If we could move forward to employment policies, I think these first few slides are just an overview of the process itself and the purpose of the Official Plan, which I covered off,

00:31:33 Speaker 04: and then general changes.

00:31:34 Speaker 04: So the next slide is really where we get into how we're dealing with Employment Areas, Employment One Uses, and Employment Two Designation.

00:31:46 Speaker 04: As mentioned:

00:31:48 Speaker 04: Employment One Permitted Uses: These are the uses allowed within that area under the Planning Act.

00:32:06 Speaker 04: Employment Two: This covers all other general employment uses permitted or having been permitted in the Official Plan over time, providing a broader range of different types of uses.

00:32:26 Speaker 04: So you still have Employment Areas and Employment Uses; it's just how they're categorized and identified on the Official Plan.

00:32:35 Speaker 04: With the highest priority for protection being areas of more intense type of employment use that might previously be called heavy manufacturing or heavy industrial versus general or light industrial,

00:32:56 Speaker 04: which would be your Employment Two permitted uses.

00:33:03 Speaker 04: Maybe I'll pause there, and we can work along each of the uses and changes to see if there are any questions or comments on how the employment uses and policies are being modified.

00:33:19 Speaker 04: Questions?

00:33:20 Speaker 05: Councillor Farmer: Thank you.

00:33:22 Speaker 05: Through the Mayor, we see in different places that a mix of uses in different zones or designated areas is a benefit.

00:33:32 Speaker 05: Can you just speak to why we continue to separate uses with very specific definitions in those areas rather than adding more diversity to the fabric of particular areas?

00:33:52 Speaker 04: Through the Mayor: We still have to look at other policies and provincial policy direction as it relates to employment uses and how they may locate near sensitive land uses.

00:34:11 Speaker 04: So, Grey County guidelines, City Official Plan, and generally in planning, we want to try and avoid land use incompatibilities.

00:34:23 Speaker 04: When looking at different designations, we're still providing means of land use separation between uses based on the types involved and having an understanding of what impact those uses may have on surrounding areas.

00:34:44 Speaker 04: In provincial policy, there is a distance of 300 metres regarding employment areas; let's make sure we look at what's happening in those areas to ensure some level of compatibility.

00:35:01 Speaker 04: It does allow for consideration of mixed use subject to study showing no impact on your employment uses.

00:35:10 Speaker 04: You want to protect those employment uses from any uses that could encroach and otherwise have an impact on the function of those employment uses.

00:35:22 Speaker 04: So that's why you still see separation, and why we don't see a wide-open ability to allow sensitive uses into close proximity to Employment Areas or targets.

00:35:46 Speaker 04: Thank you, through the Mayor.

00:35:49 Speaker 02: If I understand appropriately: you don't want to legislate my ability to put in a sleep meditation centre beside a tire grinding factory because if I go there and say "Hey,

00:36:02 Speaker 02: this factory is ruining my business," that's a conflicting land use.

00:36:08 Speaker 02: Can you speak to why we have the waterfront mixed-use area though?

00:36:11 Speaker 02: In a neighbourhood that historically mixed heavy industrial uses with residential lands because folks who worked at BCK needed to be able to get there.

00:36:36 Speaker 02: Why do we continue this here or are we not allowing it?

00:36:38 Speaker 02: If we knew it worked before, through the Mayor:

00:36:43 Speaker 04: The mixed use in the Waterfront has been recognized as the Official Plan and special policy areas have been reviewed; there is already integration and interaction between those uses.

00:37:04 Speaker 04: So Mixed-Use Areas provide recognition that you may see historic employment uses adjacent to the harbour redeveloped, occurring where existing employment uses are present.

00:37:20 Speaker 04: But specific studies would be done in those mixed-use areas to ensure consideration of land use compatibility factors: noise, dust, odor.

00:37:33 Speaker 04: There is ability in those areas to look at mixing uses with appropriate studies, which differs from looking at focused or defined Employment Areas where you just want to protect them as such.

00:37:55 Speaker 10: Councillor Merton, through the Mayor: First off, Dave and Ali (Olya), I thank you very much for the time offered to meet and answer my list of questions.

00:38:05 Speaker 10: In this Employment Two category, you allow sleeping for custodians or maintenance persons but there's no reference around worker quarters or employment housing as a component of this Employment Two.

00:38:30 Speaker 10: As we move forward with combinations of initiatives that may have housing and smaller light manufacturing, can you speak to the restrictions around that?

00:38:45 Speaker 10: I think worker housing is a critical issue in many areas.

00:38:54 Speaker 04: Through the Mayor: When talking about what we call things—there are so many different ways to name them—worker housing, employer housing, home occupations, live-work opportunities.

00:39:14 Speaker 04: One of the comments and discussions with the County was on this concept of worker or employee housing meaning someone like a janitor or site manager living onsite with an employment use;

00:39:33 Speaker 04: that's a little bit different than a home occupation or live-work scenario which I'll speak about in a minute.

00:39:43 Speaker 04: In Employment Areas, based on comments received from the County, what we're trying to do is remove potential incompatibilities with employment uses and remove "as of right" residential use from those areas.

00:40:00 Speaker 04: The idea of housing within Employment Areas will continue not be permitted; we are not looking to introduce new Residential Use into Employment Areas.

00:40:19 Speaker 04: However, home occupation where someone may craft something or be an accountant,

00:40:31 Speaker 04: or the concept of live-work—where a dentist or creator has space with their residential use in their backyard or lives above it—that's evolving as other municipalities deal with this.

00:40:58 Speaker 04: We're going to look at language to encourage and permit live-work in commercial and residential areas but trying to avoid introduction of new Residential Use that may impact Employment Areas.

00:41:13 Speaker 04: Others: Councillor Hamley, you are on the screen; I keep forgetting about you.

00:41:25 Speaker 04: Do you have any questions?

00:41:28 Speaker 04: Not on this part.

00:41:29 Speaker 04: Thank you.

00:41:30 Speaker 04: Okay thanks.

00:41:38 Speaker 04: By the end of the night I might figure it out, but no promises.

00:41:44 Speaker 04: Update retail market study requirements as mentioned: eCity Commercial or all commercial lands developing throughout the city—policies have evolved over last few years.

00:42:00 Speaker 04: Certainly with the last OP there was some change made to policy.

00:42:06 Speaker 04: What we're finding is current policy when someone proposes development—for example including a restaurant or hotel in that area—the policy, as written now, would catch it for a retail market study.

00:42:30 Speaker 04: We think intent of retail market study is really just to look at retail and commercial uses that could have direct impact on same or similar retail/commercial uses in the Downtown.

00:42:47 Speaker 04: So we're trying to be more prescriptive about where that study is required and how it will look at implications/impacts of new development relative to River District or Downtown,

00:43:07 Speaker 04: scoping it further for real analysis of impact between function of East City (or other commercial) and function of River District.

00:43:25 Speaker 11: Councillor Dodd: Thank you Worship.

00:43:31 Speaker 11: This has been in place close to 15 years maybe more.

00:43:39 Speaker 11: During that time we've seen Walmart built, Home Depot built, Winners built, PetSmart built,

00:43:52 Speaker 11: new grocery store—all tested retail market study saying why they were required on East Side development where they weren't eligible or able to go into Downtown core.

00:44:07 Speaker 11: One key point: is there suitable intended scale for development not available in River District?

00:44:15 Speaker 11: When talking about larger spaces like those mentioned, I don't think they'll ever be going into Downtown—one because of spacing; downtown won't get any larger to hold a Winners or 35,000 square foot grocery store.

00:44:33 Speaker 11: My question: why do we still maintain requirement for retail market study for these large box stores when instantly one of our own rules basically tells them land is probably not there for them?

00:44:51 Speaker 11: Can you give me background on that?

00:44:56 Speaker 04: Through the Mayor: Policies have been here as long as I've worked here; like said, we've been working on them over time to try and reflect reality exactly pointing out.

00:45:13 Speaker 04: As new uses developed, we monitored and studied how they reflect what we're really trying to capture/protect in River District.

00:45:23 Speaker 04: It's fair question maybe explore how we deal with large stores—what is a large store?

00:45:34 Speaker 04: What is impact of that?

00:45:37 Speaker 04: At the time, in consultation with Jamie Tate who'd been working on retail studies gave direction: here's small store, here's mid-sized store or something similar thought might have implications.

00:45:57 Speaker 04: Another example not just stores—we found requirement was for restaurant and generally most restaurants in East City Commercial had drive-throughs.

00:46:15 Speaker 04: So immediately we said "I can't locate [drive-through] in River District because they aren't permitted; I have no other place to go."

00:46:22 Speaker 04: So going to East City Commercial.

00:46:28 Speaker 04: We're trying limit that aspect too: why study when use isn't permitted in River District anyway?

00:46:37 Speaker 04: Think something we could explore—do we look at just having size threshold, say up to 5,000 square feet (465 sqm) then it's the study; beyond that no study rather than range.

00:46:59 Speaker 11: Thank you and I appreciate because I agree with you.

00:47:05 Speaker 11: When looking through list of new development happened in northwest quadrant especially new section—multiple different whether fast food or tahini shop—that is space smaller storefront, doesn't have drive-through.

00:47:23 Speaker 11: Maybe should test to say "hey maybe you'd be more successful downtown opposed up there."

00:47:28 Speaker 11: But again that's market probably; will depict that.

00:47:35 Speaker 11: So how do we move forward?

00:47:36 Speaker 11: Easiest way for me: Do you want me make motion requesting change provided to Council or next Community Services meeting on that, or is that takeaway?

00:47:53 Speaker 11: Again highlight exactly what noted: why asking retail market study from large box store when immediately drive-through restaurant ticks off one thing saying it's not really required.

00:48:06 Speaker 11: Ms. Coulter hand went up.

00:48:09 Speaker 12: Thank you Your Worship.

00:48:14 Speaker 12: Subject to your concurrence, may be helpful for staff if there motion.

00:48:18 Speaker 12: So perhaps Councillor Dodd would make motion that in follow-up report to public meeting and Council Working Session options or alternatives with respect to retail market study brought back.

00:48:33 Speaker 12: If want say specifically exclude requirement for retail market studies for stores/retail/commercial uses larger than 465 square metres, that would be helpful too.

00:48:45 Speaker 12: As much detail as you could add, but a motion would be helpful.

00:48:51 Speaker 11: I like that.

00:48:52 Speaker 11: I'm not going to repeat that by any means, but I definitely think that's something we should be taking a look at for the next discussion.

00:49:00 Speaker 11: So I would move that motion.

00:49:03 Speaker 11: Sorry, Travis has moved the motion.

00:49:05 Speaker 11: Hopefully, Brianna's got it written down.

00:49:10 Speaker 11: Discussion around that?

00:49:14 Speaker 11: Go ahead.

00:49:15 Speaker 13: Thank you, Erisa.

00:49:20 Speaker 13: I would expand on why we require these market studies at all.

00:49:24 Speaker 13: I think anyone coming to the city to do any sort of commercial enterprise should be undertaking their own market analysis if they see fit.

00:49:34 Speaker 13: I wasn't on council when Mastermind Toys came to town, but I know that the rocking horse was in existence since 1977 downtown.

00:49:46 Speaker 13: So I don't know what a market study would have told you about the need for another toy store, but it's gone now.

00:49:54 Speaker 13: So I don't know what the use of these market studies is.

00:49:58 Speaker 13: I think the market determines the market, and I question the need for us to pick winners and losers and to have any say in that.

00:50:10 Speaker 13: Frankly, I think, like, for instance, behind the grocery store, the new development going in will be residential buildings with commercial space in the middle; so we've already allowed there to be commercial space there.

00:50:30 Speaker 13: So are we now going to ask for market studies for what's going into that space?

00:50:34 Speaker 13: Is that what we're suggesting we would do?

00:50:48 Speaker 12: The Sydenham Square properties are subject to policies and zoning, which was approved by council, subject to an appeal and dealt with through the Ontario Land Tribunal.

00:50:57 Speaker 12: But their zoning was actually one of the first where less than 465 square metres needed a study; between 465 and 1,400 didn't need a study, and then the really bigger stores needed a study.

00:51:15 Speaker 12: The requirement for retail market studies goes back to the provincial policy statement that has been changed now and is a bit different.

00:51:27 Speaker 12: But it talked about the well-being of downtowns and main streets.

00:51:32 Speaker 12: And council has noted that the River District will be the sort of heart or primary commercial retail business area of the city.

00:51:44 Speaker 12: Those policies were there to protect the downtown really, in 2021 when we did the official plan update.

00:51:53 Speaker 12: As Mr. Aston mentioned today,

00:51:56 Speaker 12: we engaged Jamie Tate to give council at that time some advice on how we could modernize studies and tests to try to make it less onerous for developers but still have a balance of protection

00:52:10 Speaker 12: for the River District.

00:52:11 Speaker 12: So we made changes at that point.

00:52:15 Speaker 12: We're suggesting further changes now, and it sounds like Council wants to maybe go a bit further with that.

00:52:22 Speaker 12: But that's some of the background.

00:52:25 Speaker 13: Okay, thank you.

00:52:27 Speaker 13: I'm hoping one of the options coming back as part of the report is to remove all market studies entirely.

00:52:38 Speaker 13: Go ahead?

00:52:43 Speaker 13: Is that through Mayor?

00:52:46 Speaker 04: Maybe what we do—if I can make a suggestion—is: let us take a look at this policy further; there could be three options.

00:52:58 Speaker 04: One is what we have now.

00:53:00 Speaker 04: Two is let's look at reducing it, kind of zero to 465 square metres.

00:53:09 Speaker 04: Three is let's look at eliminating the retail market study altogether.

00:53:14 Speaker 04: And I think that gives us enough direction to come back with those options and a recommendation versus a motion this evening.

00:53:25 Speaker 04: That's what I might recommend, Councillor Dodd.

00:53:32 Speaker 11: So you would require the motion to be amended as Dave said, opposed to Pam said?

00:53:37 Speaker 11: Correct.

00:53:40 Speaker 07: I think that'd probably be best.

00:53:41 Speaker 07: We do have a motion that gives direction but opens it up to what Mr. Aston has suggested.

00:53:49 Speaker 11: Thank you, Your Worship.

00:53:49 Speaker 11: Then I'd be comfortable making that change to my...

00:53:51 Speaker 11: Well, I guess I have to withdraw my motion.

00:53:56 Speaker 11: Correct.

00:53:59 Speaker 11: Yeah.

00:54:00 Speaker 11: Okay.

00:54:00 Speaker 11: And then I'll just modify it to say we will bring back three different options regarding the retail market study: removing them altogether or having a minimum standard for lower amounts.

00:54:17 Speaker 07: Good.

00:54:17 Speaker 07: If I can go to Councillor Hamley; I see his hand up on screen.

00:54:24 Speaker 14: I think the new motion captures my position.

00:54:27 Speaker 14: I agree with Councillor Middlebrooks.

00:54:28 Speaker 14: Like, I've been on council for seven years and I don't think retail market studies have changed one outcome.

00:54:35 Speaker 14: So you have to ask yourself: why are we studying something that we already know is going to happen?

00:54:46 Speaker 14: It just adds time—months—and while we've had a pretty good year-and-a-half in terms of development, we can't stop moving forward.

00:54:56 Speaker 14: And I think removing this particular piece of the official plan could be important moving forward.

00:55:05 Speaker 14: Thank you, Councillor Koepke.

00:55:06 Speaker 14: Councillor Kapkey, thank you, Worship.

00:55:08 Speaker 15: Through to the presenter: I don't know if this fits into the conversation or not, but I'm curious to know—I know the trend is no longer so much putting stores in our malls anymore,

00:55:21 Speaker 15: but rather box stores.

00:55:23 Speaker 15: How can we encourage more development into our mall area?

00:55:27 Speaker 15: Is it through market studies or not?

00:55:40 Speaker 04: Through Mayor to Councillor: I don't think that's what the market studies are about; it really is the market deciding whether they want to be downtown in the mall or in East City commercial.

00:55:56 Speaker 04: What we're looking at in policy is, if there's an element of the planned function for each area that Council wants to see and protect—that's what we're trying to do.

00:56:08 Speaker 04: So, if the planned function of the River District is to host small stores where people come down as a hub, then that's why that policy is in place.

00:56:17 Speaker 04: If it's just to allow everything everywhere, then that's where the policy could be removed.

00:56:26 Speaker 04: I would just make a comment regarding my time with retail studies...

00:56:33 Speaker 04: Having been done, there have been instances where the results and recommendations of the retail study have resulted in direction to the development,

00:56:46 Speaker 04: insofar as the type of store or the size of store or the cumulative amount of square footage for certain types of retail and commercial.

00:56:57 Speaker 04: So it's done that well; it has worked.

00:57:00 Speaker 04: It is just a question of how you want to see it continue to be part of the planning process versus letting the market decide where to go,

00:57:16 Speaker 04: and using other aspects of your tools to encourage investment in the downtown or investment elsewhere.

00:57:29 Speaker 16: Go ahead, Deputy Mayor Greig.

00:57:31 Speaker 16: Thanks.

00:57:32 Speaker 16: The question to the director here: You referenced the PPS, and you said years back that it was essentially a catalyst for requiring these market studies, and it's a little bit different now.

00:57:43 Speaker 16: Can you inform me of how different it is now?

00:57:49 Speaker 16: Does it require them at all?

00:57:50 Speaker 16: What is the current PPS in terms of guidance?

00:57:55 Speaker 12: I don't have the provincial planning statement here, but...

00:57:58 Speaker 12: I think that clause that said the well-being of downtowns and main streets will be protected; I think that has been removed from the PPS.

00:58:11 Speaker 17: Yeah, I tend to concur with some of the discussion here.

00:58:16 Speaker 17: Downtowns have evolved and changed for a number of reasons.

00:58:19 Speaker 17: One of them: you go back twenty-five years, every doctor was locating themselves in downtowns.

00:58:25 Speaker 17: The dentists were all downtown; all the banks were downtown.

00:58:28 Speaker 17: Everything was driving traffic downtown, and now we've moved professional occupations.

00:58:37 Speaker 17: We've driven so many other workforce external to the downtown to various parts.

00:58:43 Speaker 17: So everything has become more car-centric, moving people away.

00:58:46 Speaker 17: If you want different things, they're going to drive them downtown.

00:58:49 Speaker 17: It's more of a different type of policy direction than a retail analysis.

00:58:53 Speaker 17: Ultimately, the market decides this.

00:58:55 Speaker 17: We have had—I can think of one restaurant on East Hill; they probably did a market study.

00:58:59 Speaker 17: I don't know the square footage in there.

00:59:01 Speaker 17: They are still open.

00:59:03 Speaker 17: Another one on Sixteenth Street just closed earlier this summer.

00:59:07 Speaker 17: So we're net zero.

00:59:11 Speaker 17: If you open in one spot and then you move—mean, you mentioned other places have done retail studies and it has been successful—but have those places moved?

00:59:20 Speaker 17: Have they expanded?

00:59:22 Speaker 17: Do they have to do another market study a couple of years later, like they get a holdout and then springboard to a bigger location across the parking lot, so to speak.

00:59:33 Speaker 17: I think the market will always determine whether or not there is viability,

00:59:39 Speaker 17: and hopefully the proponents that open the locations have also done their due diligence because one would hope that it's their money that is at risk and not the municipalities'.

00:59:50 Speaker 17: So I guess I'm happy seeing discussion coming back that would examine removing them all together because I've never seen a lot of value in the materials that have come forward.

01:00:01 Speaker 17: Thanks.

01:00:02 Speaker 17: You want to, Councillor Merton?

01:00:04 Speaker 17: Through you, Mayor.

01:00:06 Speaker 10: As we receive information back, it's really critical to be able to link the retail market study with the high design urban guidelines so that we get into... it is not just "you know" the market;

01:00:23 Speaker 10: but it's about the design and accessibility features that I think are really important to a market design.

01:00:33 Speaker 10: So, it says city staff will scope, but I think part of the scoping is the intentionality and purpose behind a market study probably has changed,

01:00:43 Speaker 10: and that is perhaps where your information coming back to us would be helpful for us to make a decision.

01:00:51 Speaker 10: Thank you.

01:00:53 Speaker 07: The only thing that I'll add is: I have had questions when we seem to approve, and there's a time delay for the developer.

01:01:02 Speaker 07: There's a cost to it.

01:01:03 Speaker 07: They are usually peer-reviewed, so there's another cost to it.

01:01:06 Speaker 07: And then approved often anyway.

01:01:09 Speaker 07: And sometimes there is a change; but for those developers, sometimes they've got somebody lined up that has been hard to get.

01:01:15 Speaker 07: Now the plans just changed.

01:01:17 Speaker 07: I think what blew my mind was: I was recently told—which has got nothing to do with this—but there are now 17 pizza shops in Owen Sound.

01:01:31 Speaker 07: It's free market.

01:01:32 Speaker 07: If they have done their market study, I wonder...

01:01:34 Speaker 07: I hope they all survive.

01:01:35 Speaker 07: Most of them are chains.

01:01:37 Speaker 07: Don't know how they're going to..., but it just seems like this was the right policy at the right time and maybe isn't now.

01:01:46 Speaker 07: So with that, I think I'll call the question.

01:01:47 Speaker 07: If everyone's good, all in favour?

01:01:50 Speaker 07: That is carried in the room.

01:01:52 Speaker 07: Councillor Hamley has his hand up; so that is carried.

01:01:55 Speaker 07: Thank you.

01:01:55 Speaker 07: You get something else there to go next on the list?

01:02:00 Speaker 04: I think one of... and if we could just skip ahead to what was all on East City Commercial.

01:02:07 Speaker 04: We talked about employment.

01:02:09 Speaker 04: This was the policy that we are going to now review in the context overall, of the framework, the employment plans we talked about;

01:02:22 Speaker 04: and so one of the things that we wanted to bring back at a high level is how the official plan is working in context with strategic plan alignment and the Owen Sound Vision 2050,

01:02:37 Speaker 04: and how an official plan will support the strategic plan directions and objectives that you have identified as council.

01:02:49 Speaker 04: And that the official plan itself is one component of a number of different tools or policies or guidelines or priorities and decisions that you need to make.

01:03:01 Speaker 04: So this is from your strategic plan; it's the document showing your Vision 2050, and how it relates to other directions.

01:03:14 Speaker 04: In orange are the Official Plan and asset management plans and other master plans: You have a Transportation Master Plan, Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

01:03:26 Speaker 04: So the official plan really is a document—though that is what I call a legally binding document under the Planning Act—and it contains policies that require you as council to be consistent when you're making decisions;

01:03:45 Speaker 04: so consistent with the PPS and have regard to provincial interests.

01:03:52 Speaker 04: And so your Official Plan is kind of connected to the Planning Act and PPS as a binding document.

01:03:59 Speaker 04: It also requires that decisions and bylaws that you pass are consistent or conform to your official plan,

01:04:08 Speaker 04: and so it's an important tool for you as it relates to decision-making on various elements of your city that run through from your official plan, asset management plan, master plans, other directions and priorities,

01:04:27 Speaker 04: and even into consideration of your budget.

01:04:30 Speaker 04: So that is why I thought it would be good to just take a few minutes to work through the connection between them: Your strategic plan... next slide.

01:04:45 Speaker 04: Thanks.

01:04:48 Speaker 04: Identifies seven themes; and they are here on the slide.

01:04:54 Speaker 04: And I just wanted to go through the official plan that you currently have in place and some of the changes we're looking at,

01:05:03 Speaker 04: and how the official plan policies generally align with some of the themes that you have in your strategic plan.

01:05:12 Speaker 04: So next slide, and I'll just not reference the specific policy; but where I referenced a bullet there is a policy.

01:05:22 Speaker 04: So when you are looking at decisions around Prosper City,

01:05:28 Speaker 04: it talks about employment lands restricting them from conversion to other uses that would have an impact on economic development in your city—we just talked about planned function of the downtown and the market as well.

01:05:47 Speaker 04: Green and resilient city: This is looking at protecting the natural heritage system; so your green areas, your hazards, your floodplains, and so on.

01:06:01 Speaker 04: A requirement for electric vehicle parking in new developments.

01:06:05 Speaker 04: So there's policy direction for that, and policies associated with tree canopy and compensation for loss of trees to ensure long-term protection of trees and/or replacement of trees within your community.

01:06:26 Speaker 04: The next slide is celebrating and embracing culture: There are a number of policies related to protection of cultural heritage resources;

01:06:39 Speaker 04: and how you work with your heritage group protecting the heritage of buildings within the city, and your Heritage Master Plan and your registry of heritage buildings.

01:06:54 Speaker 04: So that's an example of how your strategic vision trickles down through various aspects; and it also has policies that relate to supporting cultural events,

01:07:07 Speaker 04: supporting parkland dedication as an example to provide for parks and recreational amenity space for people within the city.

01:07:19 Speaker 04: City building again talks about what makes up the city: The plan is led by a vision which I would say is consistent with the vision you have in your strategic plan;

01:07:33 Speaker 04: and how it's balancing all aspects within your community to create a vibrant city, a city that moves.

01:07:43 Speaker 04: Your official plan gives direction on not just how cars get around the city but how people walk, how people can cycle, and active transportation and transit.

01:07:56 Speaker 04: So there is direction in the policy framework in all of those regards.

01:08:01 Speaker 04: It speaks to well-designed streets; and looking at how uses interact with the public realm.

01:08:10 Speaker 04: And this is where we're trying—in the urban design guidelines—to take the good policy direction from the official plan and put that into guidelines so that there's an understanding from the development community, proponents,

01:08:27 Speaker 04: landowners what it is those policies mean on the ground when they come in for a site plan or a development approval.

01:08:38 Speaker 04: Safe City: The Official Plan speaks to accessibility; and how accessibility is considered in all developments and age-friendly design.

01:08:51 Speaker 04: It says here in new developments but really in all developments there are policies that facilitate safe and accessible pedestrian environments.

01:09:01 Speaker 04: There will be direction in the urban design guidelines that will reference crime prevention through environmental design requirements—a really good approach to making sure safe spaces and safe developments, and then fostering beneficial and respectful relationships.

01:09:23 Speaker 04: This is speaking to encouraging the involvement of residents and other stakeholders in this process; having meetings such as this; having open houses; making sure information is available to the public;

01:09:37 Speaker 04: and making sure appropriate consultation is occurring with the public, with stakeholders, with your agency partners, and with Indigenous communities that you partner with in your city.

01:09:50 Speaker 04: So at a high level I would say your official plan is achieving a very strong connection with your strategic plan.

01:10:02 Speaker 04: And while there are policies that may encourage—that may link you to something another stakeholder is trying to achieve—for example how does the city encourage?

01:10:17 Speaker 04: Encourage, will encourage, shall encourage new development; new forms of housing—to support objectives for housing affordability in the county...

01:10:28 Speaker 04: It's providing strength and language to do that at this table, to support a broader objective.

01:10:37 Speaker 04: So that's kind of the working session component.

01:10:41 Speaker 04: I could, if there were questions on the zoning bylaw amendment element, probably we have some time to talk about some of the details of the zoning bylaw as well.

01:11:01 Speaker 07: Just before I go there, are there any other questions before we get to zoning?

01:11:06 Speaker 07: Okay, go ahead.

01:11:07 Speaker 07: Yes, I have a few.

01:11:09 Speaker 16: So thank you for the opportunity.

01:11:11 Speaker 16: The first one I would bring up is: I've heard in the past road width taking and it's in there, and we look for basically 100-metre widths on arterial roads.

01:11:23 Speaker 16: When I first came onto council, a similar policy created an obligation to remediate some soils on a reconstruction project, and it was just a little north of $20 million or quite a bit more.

01:11:42 Speaker 16: So one that comes to mind is the current BCK property that's being redeveloped into housing, and I'm going to touch on the cost of housing in a little bit because this cannot be overlooked.

01:11:55 Speaker 16: But anybody that's gone past there in the last few weeks: that is a transparent lens into the cost of creating housing in the community because that is something else that's going on.

01:12:08 Speaker 16: But anyway, as part of that development, we had in our plan to take a widening; that comes with it as we now know an obligation on what's underneath the ground for what we take,

01:12:23 Speaker 16: and it's an instance like that where south of that property, we are never going to purchase those homes, and we are never going to take their driveways.

01:12:34 Speaker 16: We are never going to widen the 1000 block.

01:12:38 Speaker 16: We are never going to purchase the homes north of the 1200 block, and purchase those homes and widen the road; and it begs the question around the city: Why do we have a policy?

01:12:51 Speaker 16: And I've heard it before: If it's a county road, then it's dovetailing off the county policy.

01:12:58 Speaker 16: But what's our standalone policy?

01:13:00 Speaker 16: And is this the appropriate time to look at it and remove it because it does not serve a purpose in some of these occasions?

01:13:06 Speaker 04: Through mailer... through mail, married to the councillor; I'll probably respond at a high level because I feel like there's a lot of detail going on that I may refer to staff.

01:13:19 Speaker 04: I'm aware of the site and discussions that have occurred for some time on that site.

01:13:25 Speaker 04: The official plan identifies a minimum requirement for road widening.

01:13:33 Speaker 04: It does allow for decisions to be made on the need to take that minimum requirement for city lands.

01:13:42 Speaker 04: If it's a county road, the county official plan will also have a requirement.

01:13:47 Speaker 04: In which case, my opinion is: the city can't override conforming with the county plan.

01:13:55 Speaker 04: You could work with them on understanding the need for the full widening, but there will still be a requirement for a decision to conform with that plan;

01:14:11 Speaker 04: and more detail I'm going to turn over in the aspect of a specific application.

01:14:20 Speaker 17: Okay, and so I think what I hear is: there's a minimum, but with discretion.

01:14:26 Speaker 17: And in the future, the county is looking at downloading those urban roads within Owen Sound, so that would actually clean it up a little bit.

01:14:34 Speaker 17: But at the end here, what I'm hearing is: minimum, with discretion.

01:14:41 Speaker 17: Through you, Your Worship; that's absolutely correct.

01:14:44 Speaker 12: And there was a recent example with Saint Clair, the new housing development just north of the intersection of Third Avenue East and Tenth Street,

01:14:56 Speaker 12: where we worked with the county to say it's not practical here to take a widening.

01:15:02 Speaker 12: It impacts the property.

01:15:03 Speaker 12: I would remind council that those minimums are... you know, the authority comes from the Planning Act.

01:15:08 Speaker 12: The road widths are set out in the official plan, but it is always discretionary.

01:15:15 Speaker 12: So that would be a great example of where we didn't take one.

01:15:21 Speaker 17: Okay, and I don't want to miss the opportunity; but if this is more relevant to the zoning discussion later,

01:15:26 Speaker 17: I want to talk about building heights—building heights across the city—and the studies that may become... shadow studies and so forth.

01:15:37 Speaker 17: I think there's two different: There's a particular requirement in the downtown in the River Precinct, and maybe just a blanket policy elsewhere.

01:15:50 Speaker 17: What are the ultimate heights that can be built?

01:15:57 Speaker 17: I've seen—I believe—four stories downtown in the River Precinct in the document.

01:16:01 Speaker 17: I think I've seen eight stories.

01:16:05 Speaker 17: Sometimes I see comments about... and it's not an ROP about not building higher than a fire truck ladder.

01:16:12 Speaker 17: But I mean, seriously: New York doesn't have a 105-storey fire truck ladder.

01:16:19 Speaker 17: And I am interested in reviewing those heights and being more permissive so that we can elevate again.

01:16:29 Speaker 17: I'm going to reference the BCK.

01:16:31 Speaker 17: You see the cost of housing to be developed; and as you can facilitate more height, you can generate more return on the investment for the developer.

01:16:40 Speaker 17: It also perhaps allows the city the opportunity to look at a bonusing discussion—of perhaps looking at underground parking or covered parking underneath—which is much more environmentally friendly response to the climate action points in... the

01:16:58 Speaker 17: official plan minimizes stormwater management and loading needs on the city infrastructure.

01:17:06 Speaker 17: So there are some really good talking points about building heights, and I just think this is the opportunity then to engage that.

01:17:14 Speaker 17: And secondly, I think we ask currently for shadow studies that we don't need to be asking for.

01:17:20 Speaker 17: We've heard time and time again about municipal requirements and how they impede... and how they impact the cost of housing; and again, shadow studies, wind studies:

01:17:31 Speaker 17: These are costs that are ultimately borne by the residents, whether it's affordable housing or non-affordable housing tenants.

01:17:41 Speaker 17: I threw Mayor to councillors a lot there.

01:17:49 Speaker 04: I think—for purposes of—I think it is the right timing because I think you want your official plan to give direction; and ultimately then your zoning implements that.

01:17:58 Speaker 04: And I believe we do have some height elements in the official plan.

01:18:08 Speaker 04: Most of the details are in the zoning bylaw, and I think looking at the heights is something that we can do.

01:18:20 Speaker 04: With regard to a couple of the other comments: the requirements for submissions, and shadow studies and wind studies; we can look at perhaps parametres for those and when they're required.

01:18:34 Speaker 04: Most municipalities do that.

01:18:37 Speaker 04: At the same time, almost in a way stay tuned: The province is dealing with what you can ask for in studies and applications.

01:18:46 Speaker 04: Now so that's something we'll be keeping our eye on.

01:18:51 Speaker 04: And then bonusing...

01:18:54 Speaker 04: I don't know that...

01:18:59 Speaker 04: I know what you're getting at.

01:19:00 Speaker 04: I don't think that's language that we want to be using.

01:19:05 Speaker 04: But are there other ways to look at permitting height incentivizing?

01:19:11 Speaker 04: It's a word of the day, I think.

01:19:14 Speaker 04: And I think that's something that—I apologize; I can't find it off the top here—but I know that the official plan... we talked about:

01:19:22 Speaker 04: How do you get to eight stories and what are things you need to look at to get to eight stories?

01:19:27 Speaker 04: In the River District, we can look at...

01:19:30 Speaker 04: I believe in the zoning bylaw, we're increasing height already.

01:19:36 Speaker 04: To allow that additional height in neighbourhood areas where you could look at stack townhouses for example.

01:19:46 Speaker 04: Sometimes they need a little more height than a typical townhouse so we're bumping the height up in the residential zones to allow for that.

01:19:54 Speaker 04: So we are looking at heights and we can look at maybe the extent of that; with perhaps a little more direction might help in that regard.

01:20:13 Speaker 04: Thanks.

01:20:14 Speaker 17: Well, I know one of the line items I saw was an increase of five to six.

01:20:19 Speaker 17: I think the red-line five was redlined out, and six is perhaps put in.

01:20:23 Speaker 17: I forget...

01:20:24 Speaker 17: I mean please forgive me: There's 194 pages in the OP document; and then there's the zoning on top of it; and there's multiple references.

01:20:33 Speaker 17: So that's just something—if this is the moment—I don't want to miss the opportunity to have that discussion and be kicking myself down the road.

01:20:40 Speaker 17: And I see the director has got her hand up.

01:20:47 Speaker 17: The Deputy Mayor mentioned five to six, and I think that's the max height for accessory buildings.

01:20:53 Speaker 12: So what we were seeing was: hey, I want to put an ARU in the second story of my detached garage but I have trouble making that work in five metres.

01:21:01 Speaker 12: So that's why we bumped it up to six.

01:21:04 Speaker 12: But it sounds like overall you want us to make sure we've had a hard look at maximum height and you know make sure that the zoning bylaw is more permissive than restrictive,

01:21:15 Speaker 12: so we certainly can do that and report back on that in our next report.

01:21:23 Speaker 12: As the Clerk has mentioned to me today; and as Councillor Dodd sort of did: If you can give us a motion it's helpful in terms of being able to report back on that.

01:21:37 Speaker 12: Motion would be that staff include reporting back on building height limits within the official plan across the city, in all districts or whatever zones you want to categorize each one;

01:21:52 Speaker 17: and allow for discussion by council.

01:21:56 Speaker 17: Okay, discussion of that motion: Seeing none, I'll call the question.

01:22:02 Speaker 17: All in favour?

01:22:04 Speaker 17: Councillor Hamley's hand is up, and I think it was unanimous in the room.

01:22:08 Speaker 07: So that carries.

01:22:09 Speaker 07: Was there something else there?

01:22:15 Speaker 07: Okay...

01:22:15 Speaker 07: Well, I'll come back to you; Counselor Martin covered it.

01:22:24 Speaker 07: Okay.

01:22:27 Speaker 07: I think you mentioned some of those studies are actually part of the zoning discussion: then like wind and shadow but there also is provincial direction that's going to be responding to the cost of those.

01:22:39 Speaker 17: Through the Mayor, the wind and shadow studies aren't part of... they're not a zoning requirement; They're something that's requested as part of a site plan under policies of the official plan that suggest:

01:22:53 Speaker 04: As part of an application for zoning or site plan, the city may require you know a shadow study or a wind study to review an application.

01:23:05 Speaker 04: So the complete application requirements and study requirements—those are what are currently under review by the province as to when and how the city can request those studies as part of an application.

01:23:23 Speaker 04: Maybe if I may; Mayor Boddy just work our way through the zoning updates, and then we'll circle back on questions related to zoning.

01:23:34 Speaker 04: If we're done with...

01:23:36 Speaker 04: I think we've got one for OP first: Go ahead quickly through the Mayor to the OP.

01:23:40 Speaker 18: The Deputy Mayor mentioned the proposed downloading of county roads to the city.

01:23:46 Speaker 18: We have a number of references for what's required in the official plan on county roads; Is that something that will be immediately out of date, or does that language get updated separately?

01:23:57 Speaker 18: It wouldn't be out of date: They're called county roads and they're also called either collector or arterial.

01:24:06 Speaker 12: So if the term "county road" goes away it would default to whatever road type it would be.

01:24:15 Speaker 12: Okay...

01:24:15 Speaker 07: So if you want to move; I'm not seeing hands going up again.

01:24:18 Speaker 07: So zoning.

01:24:19 Speaker 07: Thank you.

01:24:23 Speaker 07: Okay so, the zoning bylaw: Again, the next meeting we're going to have today is the statutory public meeting for the zoning bylaw amendment.

01:24:34 Speaker 04: The official plan needs its own statutory public meeting because of the requirements and conformity and consistency with provincial policy.

01:24:45 Speaker 04: So that's why it's kind of broken up.

01:24:48 Speaker 04: But the zoning bylaw amendment... what why we looked at the zoning bylaw amendment was number one: It also needs to conform to the official plan.

01:24:58 Speaker 04: So any changes we're making with the official plan, we need to look at the zoning bylaw as well.

01:25:04 Speaker 04: So we talked about employment uses and industrial zones already; I got ahead of myself there.

01:25:15 Speaker 04: The zoning bylaw is also looking at conformity with the Grey County Official Plan and provincial policy.

01:25:23 Speaker 04: But one of the other elements of the zoning bylaw that we've done: Staff have kept very good records of requests that have come in for zoning bylaw amendments or variances through the Committee of Adjustment.

01:25:42 Speaker 04: So we've categorized those and look at those to understand well if there are multiple variances coming in on certain aspects of the bylaw,

01:25:52 Speaker 04: is that something we should be looking at relative to potential changes to the bylaw?

01:25:57 Speaker 04: So that's something that we have also reviewed;

01:26:01 Speaker 04: and where there were changes that could occur to try and minimize the number of variances in a way that still maintains the intent of what the bylaw is trying to achieve,

01:26:13 Speaker 04: we've become more permissive in the bylaw.

01:26:18 Speaker 04: So trying to minimize the amount of process for future development, future housing to occur.

01:26:28 Speaker 04: Next slide: Some of the changes in the zoning bylaw...

01:26:35 Speaker 04: What the main change in the residential zones is to consolidate your bylaw from five residential zones to two.

01:26:48 Speaker 04: So that in and of itself is creating some flexibility in the residential zone because now the zones are much broader; they're providing for a more flexible consideration of density,

01:27:01 Speaker 04: lot sizes and types of uses within the city.

01:27:06 Speaker 04: So the idea of the five zones was:

01:27:09 Speaker 04: you know there was a zone that just allowed large single detached units then there's another zone that just allowed smaller single detached units and maybe semi-detached and so on and so forth.

01:27:21 Speaker 04: So now we've compressed them so that if you're in a residential zone, you're allowed single detached; semi-detached; street townhouses—all in a zone.

01:27:30 Speaker 04: You don't need to start changing zones for housing types.

01:27:36 Speaker 04: So that's a big change in the bylaw as it relates to residential.

01:27:42 Speaker 04: Some other changes again allowing schools and daycare centres in residential zones so those would be permitted as of right.

01:27:49 Speaker 04: As I mentioned introducing the official plan policy; and then there is language in the zoning bylaw as to what a minor zoning bylaw amendment is.

01:28:01 Speaker 04: Interestingly enough, the province today passed Bill 60 which relates to minor variances and what is now—and as of right—minor variances; and that also Bill 60 included some direction to delegation;

01:28:22 Speaker 04: and which is another approach that could be considered to help expedite consideration of approvals.

01:28:33 Speaker 04: If there's a minor amendment perhaps that's something that is delegated to staff versus coming to council to help with timelines.

01:28:41 Speaker 04: So there are different aspects that are evolving in the planning process: There's introduction of new definitions.

01:28:50 Speaker 04: We've modified some outdated definitions; Introduction for electric vehicle parking provisions; Amend minimum parking rates and queue space drive-through provisions.

01:29:03 Speaker 04: So we looked at those and introduced some general provisions on uses again this example of uses that are occurring, uses that are happening and keeping the bylaw up to date:

01:29:17 Speaker 04: Derby camping which I can tell you is pretty unique—I have never written a bylaw—this is my first bylaw with Derby Camping in it; Cluster development which is in a large block.

01:29:31 Speaker 04: How do we deal with design provisions and setbacks for multiple form housing?

01:29:40 Speaker 04: So townhouses, stack townhouses and trying to look at a block to be more efficient with the land within that block then as separate parcels of units within a block:

01:29:54 Speaker 04: Introduce new C2 zone provisions to implement the official plan; and then permission for additional residential units in the rural and agricultural zones that are already permitted in your residential zones.

01:30:13 Speaker 04: So the next slide really is just an example of how the zones have been compressed into two zones for residential,

01:30:25 Speaker 04: and then a new zone for cluster multiple residential development and what uses are permitted within those: So essentially one of the main differences in the R1 zone—essentially all types forms of housing are permitted—in the...

01:30:45 Speaker 04: R2 zone we've added the additional dwelling unit (apartment) so apartment is permitted in the R2 zone.

01:30:57 Speaker 04: In the R2 zone there is also provision for some commercial as-of-right uses; and then you can see in both the R1 and R2 zones different forms of institutional uses that are permitted:

01:31:14 Speaker 04: So greater flexibility in the residential zones in your city.

01:31:21 Speaker 04: For industrial, the introduction of the M3 zone and dealing with the M1 and M2 and M3 and then the mixed-use zones.

01:31:34 Speaker 04: So just again taking employment areas designation and applying that to the zoning categories.

01:31:48 Speaker 04: Just see a question there...

01:31:52 Speaker 04: Thank you Your Worship; Dave sorry to cut you off: Just a quick question for clarity.

01:31:57 Speaker 11: With when we go back to zoning so the new kind of compressed, the new low-density zone R1—does it allow triplexes in the R1 or does the triplexes have to go into the new R2 zone?

01:32:20 Speaker 11: Through the Mayor; A triplex...

01:32:25 Speaker 04: It's a good question because we don't even identify it as a type of use anymore.

01:32:29 Speaker 04: Are you thinking three units above each other?

01:32:44 Speaker 04: Yeah where my question is coming from: Because I just see that apartments are not allowed in R1,

01:32:50 Speaker 11: the new side—R2 would allow for apartment use of this new or medium density—but so from what I was reading I just saw four-plexes being available in your R2 as an apartment but nothing in the

01:33:02 Speaker 11: R1 section.

01:33:03 Speaker 11: And just in my brain trying to think:

01:33:07 Speaker 11: R1's allowing you to have a duplex unit plus an ARU so you're going to have three units on property already with that—but that would be with an ARU being applied.

01:33:17 Speaker 11: But there what about just a simple triplex?

01:33:22 Speaker 11: Does that fall into low density or does that fall into medium-density R2 zoning now?

01:33:32 Speaker 11: Through the Mayor; I'm going to look for some help here: Pam or Aaliyah, triplexes go ahead Pam...

01:33:42 Speaker 04: Through you Your Worship and Aaliyah's our real expert on zoning.

01:33:45 Speaker 12: But if Councillor Dodd is talking about a building that was originally designed as a house—a triplex today we would call it an ARU—and it would be permitted as of right subject to meeting you know

01:33:59 Speaker 12: the requirements that the province has set out for those:

01:34:04 Speaker 12: Converted dwellings are also permitted in R1 so we might want to think about you know the site and building regs for a converted...

01:34:14 Speaker 12: You might be allowed to have three or four units, just depending on meeting the other site and building regs for a converted dwelling.

01:34:24 Speaker 12: Sorry, I appreciate that.

01:34:28 Speaker 11: Thank you for that clarity, because I do think if we're talking about affordability, but where can we find affordable housing?

01:34:33 Speaker 11: And where can you find some of these conversions?

01:34:35 Speaker 11: It's great to say we're going to build a triplex or, sorry, a four-unit dwelling for row housing or something like that.

01:34:43 Speaker 11: But if we're going to say some ways of affordability are converting some very old red brick homes into four different units—or I'm just using that as an example—does that still fit in our R1 zone?

01:34:54 Speaker 11: Or where would it go?

01:34:58 Speaker 11: Through the Mayor, I would say yes; it fits in our R1.

01:35:00 Speaker 04: Say yes if it's in our one zone.

01:35:02 Speaker 04: We'll take a look at the specific triplex, but I think there are a few different scenarios, and Pam had mentioned where it would be permitted.

01:35:12 Speaker 04: And I take some comfort in saying "yes" because when we talk about townhouses, you know, we talk about stacked townhouse units.

01:35:22 Speaker 04: Sometimes in a stacked townhouse unit, there's three or four units; so that's kind of what I'm picturing.

01:35:29 Speaker 04: So that would be your triplex or quadplex, if you will, as a stacked townhouse unit.

01:35:40 Speaker 04: I'll keep going.

01:35:42 Speaker 04: Sorry.

01:35:43 Speaker 04: So this was generally the map, and if you're at the open house,

01:35:46 Speaker 04: we had this map up and had people looking at the change in the different zones and how we consolidated them where the area was predominantly more of a low-rise residential type area;

01:36:05 Speaker 04: we zone that R1, and then essentially everything else became the R2.

01:36:15 Speaker 04: And then in the industrial zones, you can see: the new M3 employment area is the darker blue, and this actually,

01:36:35 Speaker 04: based on some Lake County comments—and some comments were reviewing the delineation of the M2 and the M3 zones—is something we're still getting feedback on because it's relatively new and under review.

01:37:03 Speaker 04: And that's all regarding zoning.

01:37:05 Speaker 04: I would have had probably a hundred slides if I went through every single one; so, but we're ready for any questions or comments on the details as a group.

01:37:25 Speaker 04: So, Council: it is 4:25.

01:37:28 Speaker 07: We have to kick back in at 5:30 with the regular meeting.

01:37:31 Speaker 07: How many more topics do you have, Marion?

01:37:42 Speaker 07: Scott—one maybe two, one and seven.

01:37:46 Speaker 07: This way—two, three, one or two.

01:37:48 Speaker 07: So rough to ten.

01:37:50 Speaker 07: Brock, hold up fingers.

01:37:52 Speaker 07: Anything we haven't covered?

01:37:55 Speaker 07: I'm good.

01:37:57 Speaker 07: So how are we going to do this?

01:37:58 Speaker 07: We can...

01:38:06 Speaker 07: No, because any time that we've posted saying we're going to start a regular meeting, we've got to start it on time.

01:38:13 Speaker 07: It's sometimes a minute late; we can set it for another time and make Dave come back up.

01:38:22 Speaker 07: I don't know if we're going to get to it after our regular council meeting to come back in and finish it.

01:38:28 Speaker 07: I don't know how long you want to hang around.

01:38:30 Speaker 07: I'm going to pass it off to Pam.

01:38:33 Speaker 07: Thank you, Worship;

01:38:34 Speaker 07: and subject to the Clerk being okay with the ideas—if Councillors that have questions still pending want to share them—we could have another time with Team where we would go through those questions with Council.

01:38:54 Speaker 12: I know City Manager Tim had noted there were a couple of dates set aside for budget.

01:38:59 Speaker 12: We could do it, you know, subject to Dave and Aaliyah's calendar and Council's calendar.

01:39:05 Speaker 12: We could come back together;

01:39:06 Speaker 12: but it would be really helpful if we had those ahead of time so that we're sure we are well prepared in terms of being able to make that time as efficient together as possible.

01:39:17 Speaker 12: Councillor Dodd, you had a thought?

01:39:20 Speaker 12: Thank you, Worship.

01:39:21 Speaker 11: I'm just thinking again about timing, and I'm sure all our own thoughts are really important.

01:39:28 Speaker 11: Instead of us trying to rush what we're trying to say in the next five or ten minutes and leaving them with a bunch of mishmash—should we be writing it out,

01:39:36 Speaker 11: putting it into an email form,

01:39:38 Speaker 11: and sending it to Dave and staff so that way we have proper clarity about what we're asking rather than all of us trying to shoot off the hip here about what we want to talk

01:39:49 Speaker 11: about for them to get back to us?

01:39:51 Speaker 11: I think that's basically it, Pam.

01:39:53 Speaker 07: I was just saying: So what I would suggest is that we find a time for a special meeting.

01:39:57 Speaker 07: If it's on a Monday night when we don't have another meeting and we're kind of free—unless you're a big Monday Night Football fan—but anyway, pre-submit your questions and ideas so Dave can come prepared;

01:40:12 Speaker 07: Pam can come prepared—not thinking off the cuff and not knowing where the answers are because we've sandbagged them.

01:40:19 Speaker 07: That makes sense to me: it makes sense that we come back together as Council to have this discussion.

01:40:26 Speaker 07: Councillor Farmer?

01:40:27 Speaker 07: Through my only concern with that, some of what I hope to talk about were general questions around how things line up with each other.

01:40:35 Speaker 19: Had a few that I would love to make motions similar to what we heard from other Councillors around requesting options and subsequent reports: Would we still be able to make motions at a subsequent meeting?

01:40:47 Speaker 19: Or should we fast-track some motions now?

01:40:50 Speaker 19: Is there a way to fast-track a motion?

01:40:52 Speaker 19: Is that an oxymoron?

01:40:53 Speaker 19: I think...

01:40:55 Speaker 19: I'll stay away from that one.

01:40:58 Speaker 07: We've kind of run out of time to start firing motions; fast-tracking is difficult.

01:41:04 Speaker 07: And any time we meet as Council, we can bring motions.

01:41:07 Speaker 07: So we would be coming back as Council and making motions at that time if that makes sense.

01:41:13 Speaker 07: So I'm adjourning this meeting and then going to you: Motion?

01:41:29 Speaker 07: Okay.

01:41:30 Speaker 07: Councillor Farmer, go ahead.

01:41:32 Speaker 07: Moved by myself that the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

01:41:36 Speaker 07: All in favour?

01:41:38 Speaker 07: That's carried.

01:41:38 Speaker 07: (I can't see Councillor Hamley but he is voting in favour.)

01:41:47 Speaker 07: Same procedure for motion to adopt doing the bylaw now; we do it.

01:41:54 Speaker 07: Okay: same procedure, then the next meeting would be a new meeting.

01:41:58 Speaker 07: There we go—Number Seven.

01:42:00 Speaker 07: Moved by myself, seconded by Deputy Mayor Greig that the action taken in Committee of the Whole in considering a public meeting and working session be confirmed by this Council.

01:42:10 Speaker 02: All in favour?

01:42:12 Speaker 02: And that's carried; Councillor Hamley is in favour.

01:42:14 Speaker 07: I note Bylaw 8A (2025-126), A Bylaw to confirm the proceedings of the special meeting of Council of the Corporation of the City of Owen Sound, held on the 24th day of November 2025.

01:42:29 Speaker 07: Moved by myself, seconded by Deputy Mayor Greig that Bylaw Number 2025-126 be passed and enacted.

01:42:36 Speaker 18: All in favour?

01:42:38 Speaker 18: And that is carried; Councillor Hamley is voting in favour.

01:42:42 Speaker 01: So that completes this business of the special meeting.

01:42:46 Speaker 01: Thanks to everybody who participated—either online or came in—and wrote things.

01:42:50 Speaker 01: Still time to write to us and send your comments.

01:42:54 Speaker 01: With that, it is 4:45 p.m.