New from me today:

Since we have to wrap things up here at 4:00 council is passing a motion to direct staff to review the suggested amendments on the CPPS and report back to council in June 2026 on those potential amendments. That carries 9-0.

What an honour to be taking over the media table at Peterborough city hall with @davesrealm.neocities.org of Arthur and @cust-punk.bsky.social of Trent Radio. Just like old times!

After chair Lesley Parnell asked if council would be okay going until 5:00, it turns out quorum would be lost and the Mayor has to leave, so we have less than 7 minutes to get through this entire section.

On now to the Parking section of the CPPS bylaw (section 5): We have just over 25 minutes left in this meeting and one more section to go after this!

On now to section four of the CPPS bylaw: General provisions! Coun. Matt Crowley gets things started about whether or not it would be feasible to implement a maximum number of bedrooms within certain builds. He is once again bringing up concerns about rooming houses in the west end.

We're now looking at Section 3 of the draft CPP bylaw labelled "Interpretation." Coun. Duguay is asking about the boundaries between precincts. Kimble says that boundaries will be honoured and will not be considered property lines.

Coun. Lachica is saying "it would be useful" to include language around including Indigenous protocols around the CPPS process, noting it may go beyond the preconsultation guidlines set out in the bylaw itself. Kimble responds by saying that they can include this language.

We're now on to section two of the draft CPPS on Administration! 1/6 of the way through the document and halfway through the "three-hour" meeting. Coun. Duguay notes that there should be a recommendation to staff to include possible future amendments due to changes to the planning act.

Coun. Bierk asks about including a specific definition for public art in the CPPS bylaw. Staff say that is something they can look into including. Reminder here that there are no motions being voted on today by council. Staff are just gathering input from councillors to be implemented.

And, after an hour of discussion on procedure and a presentation on the CPPS by staff, we're now into discussing the first section of the bylaw itself. First up is a discussion on definitions around environmental protections and climate action from Coun. Lachica.

@alexbierk.bsky.social is asking about whether planning staff have any suggestions or ideas on how to properly collect facilities and services funds raised through the CPPS. Under this provision, developers would need to pay a fee in exchange for additional building height.

We have three hours to get through the 240+ page draft CPPS bylaw this afternoon. After half an hour of councillors discussing procedure, we're now hearing from city land use planner, Caroline Kimball about the benefits of the CPPS and some of the history to how we got here.

Tensions are running fairly high already here. Coun. Parnell asked the clerk how many councillors had sent in questions and amendments before this meeting. When Coun. Lachica raised her hand, Parnell responded "You did?" which elicited another attempted point of order.

Coun. Matt Crowley is now asking about whether it would be appropriate to introduce amendments related to defining rooming houses in the CPPS, saying it's a major concern in the west end. Director Brad Appleby says that this is something staff can look into, but may require a separate study.

Hello, I'm at Peterborough city hall for a general committee meeting where councillors will be reviewing the draft Community Planning Permit bylaw. The bylaw is expected to replace the city's existing comprehensive zoning bylaw by the end of June this year.

We are now adjourned! It's still light out! I'm off to write. Thanks for following along this evening.

Coun. @alexbierk.bsky.social has asked in any other business to pull a motion for the designation of 172-174 Simcoe St. the former King George Hotel, which failed in a split vote of council. He says he has nothing to add, but would like the opportunity to vote again. @joylachica.bsky.social seconds.

Most items on tonight's agenda were approved unanimously on consent this evening. Here is the list: 10.a, 10.b, 10.c, 10.d, 10.e, 10.f, 10.g, 10.h, 10.i, 10.j, 10.k, 10.l, 10.m, 10.n, and 10.q

There is only one delegate on tonight's agenda, Denie McCracken from Showplace Performance Centre. She is speaking in support of the DEI progress update included on tonight's agenda. McCracken says that DEI work is ongoing at Showplace and that the city's DEI advisor, Reem Ali, has helped with this.

We're back now for the regular council meeting here at Peterborough City Hall. Coun. Dave Haacke declares a pecuniary interest on a bylaw amendment for 349 Parkhill Rd. E. He was involved in the sale of the property. Here's the story from last week:

And we're back for a quick general committee meeting to approve items arising from closed session. First up is a unanimous vote in favour of a report on bargaining. The second, having to do with legal advice pertaining to the council sitting as an adjudicative body passed unanimously.

Coun. @alexbierk.bsky.social asks Routliff whether he is aware of any collaborative measures council has taken on this project to date. Routliff says he is not aware of any.

Elizabeth McConkey is now addressing council on the issue of development chargest at 280 Jameson Drive. She says there was no specific discussion and adequate notice of development charges with her client prior to last September and that the owner had been led to believe they were exempt.

Mayor Jeff Leal is now explaining how this hearing on development charges will proceed. Council will be sitting as an adjudicative body, he says. On behalf of the developer and property owner, this evening are Elizabeth McConkey and Jordan Routliff.

Also outside city hall tonight was a peace rally calling for federal action to end the genocide in Gaza.

Hello, Bluesky! I'm back at Peterborough city hall for tonight's council meeting. First up on the agenda tonight is a hearing regarding the city's imposition of development charges on a property at 280 Jameson Drive. Here's the latest on that:

We are adjourned for the evening at 7:59! A short one tonight! Thanks for following along. I'll be back next week for council!

Now discussion on a contract extension for the Selwyn Link Bus Service. Coun. Riel is asking about whether or not rising gas prices and potential labour costs following ATU 1320 negotiations this year, have been taken into consideration. Seems that they have and will be.

Now we're on to the proposed heritage designation of 172-174 Simcoe St. @alexbierk.bsky.social says he has spoken to the property owner who is against the designation. He asks whether the owner would need to replace windows with wooden windows. Staff suggest they would not.

We are now hearing a presentation on DEI at the city by city DEI advisor, Reem Ali. "We are proud of the progress the city has made so far to promote an inclusive workplace," Ali says, adding that she will highlight a specific instance of inclusion at work through Project SEARCH.

Mayor Leal is now introducing an amendment to the existing staff recommendation to only build a temporary a concrete walkway out front of 349 Parkhill Rd. E. Commissioner Nelson says that one would eventually be required anyways so they want to deal with it now.

Now we are hearing from Brian Buchardt of LandDesign, regarding the proposed 6 storey building at 349 Parkhill Rd. He begins by saying it's been "quite a journey" outlining the changes to the proposal since a rezoning was initially approved in 2021.

Coun. Lesley Parnell has taken over as chair as council is now convening under the planning act to discuss a rezoning application for 349 Parkhill Rd. E. Property owners Moloney Developments, is proposing a six-story, 75-unit building on the property.

Chair Andrew Beamer notes that Coun. Joy Lachica will be joining the meeting virtually this evening, while Coun. Dave Haacke has sent his regrets.

Good evening, Bluesky! I'm at Peterborough City Hall for tonight's general committee meeting. Follow along with me here or tune in to the live stream:

Earlier this week, the City of Peterborough reversed course on its decision to redact addresses of campaign donors during the 2022 municipal election which show large donations to Leal's campaign from individuals with ties to real estate and development companies in Brampton and Mississauga.

And we are adjourned at 10:50 p.m. Just under five hours after we started! Thanks for following along. As usual, I am heading off to write! Goodnight, everyone!

Now a motion from Coun. Bierk regarding "orphaned garbage" in the downtown, noting that property owners and businesses are facing multiple and expensive tickets for having garbage on their property that is not their own. Bierk says that this is negatively impacting the "lifeblood" of the downtown.

On the motion regarding non-functioning parking meters, Coun. Lachica moves that the question be put, ending debate before it starts, it passes 7-3 with Leal, Crowley and Baldwin voting against. The main motion loses in a tied (withdrawn) 5-5 vote.

Mayor Leal is now speaking to a notice of motion regarding council's support for the Alto high-speed rail project. He is reading a Facebook post by former MP Dean Del Mastro regarding Canada's need to "grow up" and build necessary infrastructure, including high-speed rail.

We're on now to proposed changes to the Portfolio Bylaw, which included the elimination of the designated homelessness co-chairs position, be deferred to the next council. It fails 4-6 with Bierk, Lachica, Crowley, and Riel voting for. The main motion passes 7-3 - Bierk, Lachica, and Riel against.

The amended motion on the Clonsilla Area transportation Study passes 10-0.

We're still on this amendment. Councillors are split between wanting to move forward with the main motion and wanting to incorporate suggestions from tonight's delegates. Sorry I've been a bit quiet since the mix up on the last motion!

I may have missed something, but I genuinely do not think council voted for a final time on the CPP bylaw...there was a flurry of votes on amendments which all passed unanimously, including one from Coun. Bierk about the procedure of an extra meeting and Coun. Lachica's Climate Change 2.0 amendment.

Coun. Bierk now is saying that he wants to preemptively suspend the rules of order before the extra meeting to allow staff to prepare for the meeting, similar to how they go through the budget. Bierk is adding an "e." to suspend the rules to allow staff to prepare properly.

Still on draft CPP bylaw, and an amendment to hold an additional meeting on it sometime in April, Coun. Lachica says that she wants to see more community feedback implemented by staff. She is in favour of the amendment.

We're now on to council's discussion of the draft community planning permit. Coun. Parnell is expressing concern about the timing of a proposed extra meeting for council to discuss the draft and any subsequent community input before the deadline of June 30.

Now Brent Perks is speaking about broken parking meters. I wrote about Brent's plight with parking downtown in August of 2024 here:

Now Mary Lou LaRochelle is speaking about the motion around non-functioning parking meters introduced by Coun. Joy Lachica last week. She says that she received a parking ticket last November, noting that paying it impacted her ability to pay for groceries due to being on a fixed income.