City Council Meeting Recap: January 14, 2025

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The following is a recap of the City of St. John's Regular Council Meeting on January 14, 2025 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.

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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:

Rezoning: 19 Kings Bridge Road

Council were asked to consider rezoning 19 King’s Bridge Road from Commercial Neighbourhood (CN) to Residential Mixed (RM) to allow a five-bedroom Lodging House. The current uses, a clinic and yoga studio, would remain but require a text amendment to allow a Health and Wellness Centre in the RM Zone.

The property was previously rezoned to CN in 2021 for office and clinic use. The proposed rezoning supports mixed residential and commercial uses, aligning with Municipal Plan policies for diverse housing and neighborhood development. Staff recommend public notification once additional information is received, and a staff report instead of a Land Use Report.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Rezoning: 51 Hazelwood Crescent

RTO Capital Inc. has applied to rezone 51 Hazelwood Crescent from Institutional (INST) to Apartment 1 (A1) to allow a three-storey, 30-unit apartment building. This requires a Municipal Plan amendment to redesignate the land from the Institutional to Residential District. The property is vacant and located near Hazelwood Elementary School and residential areas.

The development aligns with Municipal Plan policies supporting diverse housing options, affordable housing, and increased density near transportation corridors. The site is close to amenities like Topsail Road and Metrobus routes, making it suitable for the A1 Zone.

A Land Use Report (LUR) is required for the rezoning. The applicant has submitted an initial site plan, but revisions and additional information are needed. Public consultation will occur once the LUR is approved, followed by a public hearing.

Decision: 8 approved, Councillor Noseworthy voted against

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Rezoning: 364 Groves Road

The City received an application to rezone 364 Groves Road from Rural (RUR) and C.A. Pippy Park (CAPP) Zones to Rural Residential Infill (RRI) to allow residential development. The proposal includes subdividing the land into four unserviced lots for single detached dwellings.

However, the property is above the 190-meter servicing limit, which restricts development due to the capacity of the City’s water and wastewater infrastructure. The Municipal Plan's policies, including restrictions on unserviced development, do not support rezoning for residential infill in this area. The proposed rezoning contradicts these policies and would not align with the City’s infrastructure capacity. As such, staff recommended that council reject the application.

Decision: Approved unanimously to reject application

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Rezoning: 45-53 Blackmarsh Road

The City has received an application to rezone 45, 47, and 53 Blackmarsh Road from Industrial Commercial (IC) to Commercial Mixed (CM) to allow the development of Dwelling Units within existing commercial buildings. The applicant plans to consolidate the properties into one lot, with 12 residential units at 45 and 47 Blackmarsh Road, including a caretaker’s apartment. The building at 47 Blackmarsh Road would be converted into four residential units, while the property at 53 Blackmarsh Road is not being redeveloped yet but is included in the rezoning request for potential future use.

The rezoning aligns with the Municipal Plan’s policies supporting mixed-use development, higher density, and better use of existing infrastructure. The proposal also fits with the goal of encouraging residential and commercial mix in the area. A land use report is not required, and a staff report is recommended instead. Public notification will occur once all information is provided, with discretionary use for first-floor dwelling units at 47 Blackmarsh Road advertised as part of the rezoning process.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Adoption of Amendment: 34 New Cove Road

KMK Capital Inc. has applied to rezone 34 New Cove Road from Institutional (INST) to Apartment 3 (A3) Zone to enable the development of a 10-story apartment building. The project requires amendments to the Envision St. John’s Municipal Plan and Development Regulations, including redesignating the property to a Residential District and removing a building stepback requirement. Additionally, the applicant seeks parking relief, proposing 111 parking spaces instead of the required 117.

The proposed amendments were reviewed by the NL Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs and advertised to the public. The next step includes conducting a hybrid public hearing on February 12, 2025, at City Hall, led by appointed commissioner Cliff Johnston. After the hearing, Council will review the commissioner’s report, consider final approval of the amendments, and address the parking relief request.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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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 meeting:

Accessory Building and Landscaping in the Floodplain Buffer: 16 Kensington Drive

An application was received to construct a 137.83 m² Accessory Building, a 381 m² sports court and landscaping, including armour stone retaining walls/planters, at 16 Kensington Drive, located in the Floodplain Buffer. The development is permitted under the St. John’s Development Regulations, however landscaping proposals must be reviewed by the City’s Environmental and Sustainability Experts Panel (ESEP), which raised concerns about tree loss. The Panel recommended conserving the trees in the floodplain and relocating the sports court and retaining wall if needed. Staff believe the current proposal will cause minimal disruption to the trees.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Discretionary Use: 330 Lemarchant Road

A Discretionary Use application was submitted by Urban Market 1919 Inc. for a drive-through pickup window at 330 Lemarchant Road, operating daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The site is zoned Industrial Commercial (IC) and Commercial Neighbourhood (CN), and the drive-through is a Discretionary Use due to its proximity to a Residential Zone and a Child Care Centre. Thirty-five submissions were received: 34 in favor, while one raised concerns about the impact on walking and cycling, traffic congestion and the use of space for parking and drive-through instead of other land uses.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Discretionary Use: 710 Torbay Road

A Discretionary Use application was submitted by techNL Innovation Inc. for a rental event space (Place of Assembly) in an existing greenhouse at 710 Torbay Road. The space will have a floor area of 302m² and operate seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., with on-site parking provided. The site is zoned Commercial Regional (CR). Two submissions were received, raising concerns about the use of the space, parking and site access.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Zone Standards for Proposed Single Detached Dwelling: 661 Thorburn Road

A request was made for Council to set the Zone Standards for a Single Detached Dwelling in the Watershed Zone at 661 Thorburn Road. In 2022, Council approved the rebuilding of an existing non-conforming dwelling at this location. The house's location is now confirmed, and under Section 10 of the Watershed (W) Zone, the Zone Standards are at Council's discretion. The proposed standards are:

Building Line: 38.95m
Side Yard (West): 3.18m
Side Yard (East): 4.23m.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Parking Relief: 35 Gilbert Street

An application for the development of seven townhouse lots at 35 Gilbert Street requests relief for five parking spaces, proposing two spaces instead. According to the Development Regulations, one parking space per dwelling unit is required. The rationale for the parking relief includes historical site use, availability of on-street parking permits along Gilbert Street, sufficient street frontage to accommodate five cars and proximity to bus routes.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Discretionary Use: Pasture Land Road

Clarke’s Trucking and Excavating Limited submitted a Discretionary Use application for the expansion and remediation of an existing quarry (Mineral Working Use) off Pasture Land Road. The quarry is currently 3.14 hectares and the proposed extension covers 2.7 hectares for material removal and processing, with no buildings proposed. The application includes referrals for a new quarry permit from the Mineral Lands Division and a Crown Land License to Occupy for road realignment. Remediation work is planned for the Watershed area, where the quarry exceeded its approved boundary, including reclamation to allow natural vegetation. No development is proposed within nearby wetlands or their buffers. The application has been reviewed and there were no concerns raised by authorities, and no public submissions were received.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Variance on Lot Frontage: 79 Old Petty Harbour Road

An application was submitted for a 7.33% variance on lot frontage to subdivide a property at 79 Old Petty Harbour Road into three lots. The property is zoned Residential 1 (R1), where the minimum frontage requirement is 15 meters. Two of the new lots meet this requirement, but the third lot has 13.9 meters of frontage. The applicant seeks approval for the variance, which is within the allowable 10% limit under the St. John’s Development Regulations. The reduced frontage will not affect snow storage or sight lines. Notices were sent to adjacent properties, with three submissions received: two noting they weren’t abutting owners and one opposing the application due to concerns about the potential impact on housing prices.

Decision: Approved unanimously

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Funding for Fleet Renewal

Council approved via e-poll on December 17, 2024 for additional funding to cover a $2.5 million shortfall in the fleet asset management strategy for waste collection vehicles in 2025. The original plan, approved in 2023, anticipated truck costs of $400-420k per unit, but actual bids came in at $500-510k, a 19% increase. This resulted in an additional cost of approximately $1.6 million for 17 units. Additionally, a previous contract for six trucks was canceled, leading to another $880k increase in costs. The City is repurposing a portion of $10M surplus funds previously allocated to reduce future debt to cover this $2.5 million shortfall. The RFP for the vehicles closed in November 2023, and the timely award of contracts is crucial to maintaining waste collection in 2025.

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Appointment: St. John's Transportation Commission

Council approved the appointment of Paul Canning to the St. John's Transportation Commission.

Updates to Terms of Reference

Council approved updates to the Shea Heights Community Centre Board of Directors' Terms of Reference. The Board has been operating for over 30 years, and the City of St. John’s has had an agreement with them for about 20 years to deliver programs and events to residents. Staff and Board members have collaborated to revise the outdated Terms of Reference.

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Travel Authorizations

Council approved travel costs for Mayor Danny Breen to attend the in person Big City Mayor’s Caucus Meetings in Ottawa, February 2025.
Council approved travel costs for Mayor Danny Breen to attend the CERAWeek Conference in Houston Texas in March of 2025.

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 December 11, 2024 and December 18, 2024, and December 25, 2024, January 2, 2025, and January 8, 2025.

Tenders

A list of contracts awarded from December 4 to January 8 was shared for Council’s information.

Petition

Councillor Davis submitted a petition on behalf of 150 residents of the Little Street area. The petition says that the proposed developer of the 5-7 Little Street apartment building must reduce the size of its building to accommodate parking for its tenants. The reasons included:

Increased traffic
Congestion
On route to hospitals
Hazards for pedestrians, runners, bicycles, e-bikes, scooters and children
Parking problems
Inconvenience for residents with mobility issues
Needing access to on-street parking
Problems with snow clearing, street cleaning, and garbage collection