City Council Meeting Recap: December 10, 2024
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The following is a recap of the City of St. John's Regular Council Meeting on December 10, 2024, which provides an overview of Council decisions. You can also view all related documents for the decisions below, video and the full agenda from the meeting by clicking the link below.
Budget 2025
The City of St. John’s released the details of Budget 2025 at the Council Meeting on December 10. The 2025 Budget for the City of St. John’s is balanced at $349,151,881, an increase of 1.5% over 2024. There are no reductions or cuts to programs or services and there will be no increase to mil rates for 2025. Water tax will marginally increase by $15 per unit for residential properties and 2.22% for commercial. All revenue from the water tax directly funds the provision of the service.
Planning Applications:
A planning application is a formal request to amend the Envision St. John's Municipal Plan and/or City’s Envision St. John’s Development Regulations. This would include applications to rezone or change the text in the Municipal Plan or Development Regulations. An amendment can be initiated by city staff, City Council, or a property owner.
Active applications can be viewed on the Planning St. John's webpage, which allows the public to learn more about planning applications, track progress, give feedback and ask questions and view upcoming public meetings all in one place.
The following planning applications were reviewed at the meeting:
Request for Rezoning: 18 Mount Cashel Road |
| The City of St. John's received a rezoning request from KMK Capital Holdings ULC to allow the development of two three-storey apartment buildings with 72 dwelling units at 18 Mount Cashel Road. The proposal seeks to rezone the property from Residential 2 Cluster (R2C) to Apartment 1 (A1) to support higher density and align with municipal policies promoting infill development and diverse housing types near transportation corridors.
Key points:
The project aligns with city policies and has addressed property boundary issues, with an updated site plan reflecting 71 parking spaces.
Decision: Approved unanimously |
Request for Rezoning: 746 Blackmarsh Road |
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Council was asked to consider rezoning 746 Blackmarsh Road from Rural Residential (RR) to Apartment 1 (A1) to enable a Cluster Development with three apartment buildings, totaling 45 affordable housing units at 12 meters in height. The application, from the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Transportation and Infrastructure on behalf of Tucker Group Inc., aligns with the City’s Affordable Housing Strategy and Envision St. John’s Municipal Plan policies promoting housing diversity and density.
Key points:
The development will add affordable housing and density to the area near Cowan Heights, which is primarily single-detached homes.
Decision: Approved unanimously |
Rezoning Approval: 26 Alexander Street |
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Council was asked to approve a rezoning application for 26 Alexander Street from the Commercial Local (CL) Zone to the Apartment 2 (A2) Zone to accommodate a 60-unit affordable seniors’ housing development by Connections for Seniors.
Public consultation was completed and revealed concerns about parking, as the applicant proposes only five parking spaces and requests relief for 50 additional spaces. The applicant suggests that residents won’t own vehicles, and a transportation program with vans and Metrobus access will meet their needs.
Staff recommend approval of the parking relief based on the project's alignment with the city’s housing policies. Additionally, concerns about the concentration of shelters in the area were raised, but the development is not an emergency shelter.
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Development Applications:
Development applications are formal requests submitted to the City of St. John's by individuals, businesses, or developers seeking approval for projects that involve land use, building construction, or changes to property. These applications require council approvals and ensure that proposed developments comply with the City’s Envision St. John’s Development Regulations.
The following development applications were reviewed at the December 10 meeting:
Deferral: 5&7 Little Street |
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Nevida Properties Inc. has applied to build an apartment building at 5 & 7 Little Street. A decision on approving a revised Land Use Report, granting approval in principle, and providing parking relief for 51 spaces was deferred at the November 26, 2024, Council meeting, pending more information on parking relief. The applicant has now requested another deferral to the next Council meeting to review the building's parking layout and unit count.
Decision: Approved unanimously |
Approval in Principle: 47 Claddagh Road |
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An application has been submitted for Approval in Principle to establish a Child Care Centre at 47 Claddagh Road. The proposed facility will have a floor area of 2,121 m², accommodate 156–200 children, and employ approximately 45 staff. As a permitted use in the Planning Mixed Development 1 (PMD-1) Zone, the project must meet all zone standards in future plans. Preliminary review indicates the site can be serviced and has adequate access for approval in principle. However, no development application can proceed until the Southland Boulevard connection is completed.
Decision: Approved unanimously |
Crown Land Lease Referral: Fowler's Road |
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The Provincial Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture has referred an application for a Crown Land Lease off Fowler’s Road to Lester’s Farm Market Inc. The 85-hectare property, zoned Agriculture (AG), is intended for agricultural use, including growing produce such as berries and vegetables, which is a permitted use in this zone.
Decision: Approved unanimously |
Discretionary Use: 187 Water Street |
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Jack Axes Inc. has submitted a Discretionary Use application to establish a Place of Amusement at 187 Water Street. The 287 m² facility will feature axe throwing, archery, and a paint splatter room, operating daily from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. The site, zoned Commercial Downtown Mixed (CDM), has access to on-street parking.
Decision: 8 approved, Councillor Davis abstained |
Variance on Accessory Building Height: 23 Chafe's Lane |
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An application at 23 Chafe’s Lane seeks approval for a 10% variance to construct an accessory building with a height of 5.5 meters, exceeding the 5-meter limit for residential use. The St. John’s Development Regulations permit such variances, and the proposed height will not affect surrounding properties. Notices were sent to adjacent properties, and no objections were received.
Decision: Approved unanimously |
Wall Sign: 54 Circular Road
The City received an application for a wall sign on a retaining wall at 54 Circular Road (Bannerman House), a designated Heritage Building in Heritage Area 1. The sign, which was painted on the property’s retaining wall, prompted a complaint, leading the property owner to apply for a permit. The sign exceeds the 3-square-meter limit outlined in the St. John’s Sign By-Law, measuring 11.5 square meters. The Built Heritage Experts Panel reviewed the application on November 27, 2024, and recommended that Council approve the sign, a recommendation which staff also support.
Decision: Approved unanimously
Naming of Lion's Club Driveway
City Council approved the St. John’s Lions Club request to name the driveway leading to their chalet and ballfield as "Lions Club Way." The civic address for the property will remain 139-141 Mayor Avenue.
Decision: Approved unanimously
Residential Energy Coach and Efficiency Program
Policy Approvals
Council approved revisions to two City policies:
- Employment Equity Policy: The updates modernize the policy, which has not been revised since 1994, to align with current legislation and use more inclusive, general language that reduces the need for frequent revisions. The updated language was developed in consultation with legal experts and supporting research.
- Attendance Management and Support Policy: Developed by HR staff in summer 2024, the policy aims to provide guidance and support for employees and managers regarding workplace attendance. Updates were informed by research and cross-jurisdictional surveys of other municipalities.
SJRFD Mechanical Division Internal Audit
Council was asked to approve the St. John’s Regional Fire Department (SJRFD) Mechanical Division audit report and the accompanying management action plans.
Key points:
- The audit, conducted by the Office of the City Internal Auditor, found effective processes for fleet maintenance, including standardized service requests, an electronic fleet management system, skilled staff, and documented safe work practices.
- Areas for improvement include ensuring annual vehicle inspections at Official Inspection Stations, updating and implementing the preventive maintenance program, and enhancing governance, inventory control, occupational health and safety, and information management systems.
- Management agrees with all recommendations and has proposed action plans with timelines.
- Adding a new staff member to the division could improve implementation and operations.
Decision: Approved unanimously
Special Events Regulatory Committee
Council approved road closures and a noise by-law extension for two New Year’s Eve events in St. John’s.
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City of St. John’s Fireworks: Fireworks will take place at Quidi Vidi Lake on December 31 at 8 p.m. (with a backup date of January 1). Road closures for safety are recommended from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
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George Street Association Event: This free, all-ages event on George Street includes a DJ and pyrotechnics show. A noise by-law extension is requested until 12:30 am. A road closure on Duckworth Street (from New Gower Street to Bates Hill) is requested from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., pending an acceptable traffic plan.
Both events will have security and parking enforcement in place to manage the closures.
Scholarship Presentation
Each year, the City of St. John’s awards two scholarships to recognize the academic achievements of children of City employees. These scholarships are granted to students who not only successfully complete high school but also achieve the highest overall averages among all applicants.
The 2024 recipients of the City of St. John’s Scholarships are below:
Rachel Coffey
Rachel graduated from O’Donel High School and is continuing her education at Memorial University. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science, Rachel aims to complete an undergraduate degree in Behavioral Neuroscience and eventually apply to medical school. Rachel was joined by her father, Derek Coffey, who has been with the City of St. John’s for 21 years and is currently the Acting City Manager.
Shenstone Earle
Shenstone graduated from Carbonear Collegiate and is currently enrolled at the College of the North Atlantic. His next step is to pursue a Bachelor of Science at Memorial University, with plans then to apply to medical school. Shenstone was accompanied by his parents, Gail and David Earle. David, Shenstone’s father, is a firefighter with the St. John’s Regional Fire Department and has been with the City for 19 years.
Permits Issued
Council was provided with a list of Development Permits and Building Permits issued since the last council meeting for their information.
Weekly Payment Vouchers
Council approved the weekly payment vouchers for the period of November 27 and December 4.
Tenders
A list of contracts awarded from November 6 to December 6 was shared for Council’s information.
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