City of Waterloo council summary for Sept. 10, 2018
The council summary below provides a snapshot of the major items presented at this
evening’s council meeting. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.
Comprehensive Zoning By-law Z-16-01
Council has approved changes to the city’s zoning by-law. The primary purpose of the
comprehensive zoning by-law review is to conform to the city’s 2012 Official Plan.
Extensive public and stakeholder engagement occurred over the past three years.
The new by-law modernizes the zoning for Waterloo, in a simpler and more user-friendly format. It aligns the city’s zoning provisions with best practices in urban planning, enables certain urban design objectives and facilitates various strategic objectives of the city, including economic development objectives. Other highlights include: the new zoning by-law is principle-based city-wide zoning, with
tailored zones for station areas, the heritage conservation district, environmentally sensitive landscapes, and specialty zones. Parking rates have been lowered to reduce reliance on automobiles, support investments in transit and active transportation, foster transit supportive development and mitigate climate change. In addition, a focused effort was made to limit the creation of legal non-conforming lands and buildings, while maintaining conformity with the Official Plan. Natural areas are protected through conservation and environmentally sensitive landscape zones, and recreation lands and floodplain zoning have also been incorporated in the new zoning by-law.
Formal public meeting
Zoning by-law amendment Z-18-13, 300 Northfield Drive East
Council has approved the removal of a holding designation from 300 Northfield Drive East to allow the development of a new Grand River Transit Bus storage and maintenance facility. The subject land is the site of the former headquarters of Waterloo North Hydro.
Zoning by-law amendment Z-18-08, 651 Colby Drive
Council has approved a zone change application that will add pharmaceutical dispensary as a permitted use at 651 Colby Drive. The site is currently developed with a two-storey office building. This zoning approval will permit the renovation of the exiting building as well as the construction of two new commercial buildings. Along with a pharmacy, other permitted commercial uses now include: personal service shop, photography studio and variety store.
Official Plan Amendment 21, Zoning By-law Amendment Z-18-02, 70 King Street North
Council approved an amendment to the city’s Official Plan as well as a zoning by-law
amendment that will permit a 23 metre, four storey podium within 30m of King Street; an 11 storey, 46 metre tower (Tower A) adjacent to King Street; and a 24 storey, 81 metre tower (Tower B) adjacent to Regina Street. The amendment allows a taller podium, to create a landmark building base that facilitates community use with higher floor to ceiling heights. The podium will contain 3,447 square metres of non-residential space, and Towers A and B will contain a maximum of 321 units (367 bedrooms). Council is asking the Region to approve the amendment to the Official Plan to allow this development.
Media contact:
Tony Iavarone
Director, Communications
519-747-8513
tony.iavarone@waterloo.ca