Planning and Strategic Initiatives

Committee Minutes

Monday, April 14, 2025 at 6:00 P.m. - 9:00 P.m.

Council Chambers

City of Kitchener

200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7

Present:

• Mayor B. Vrbanovic
• Councillor S. Davey
• Councillor D. Schnider
• Councillor J. Deneault
• Councillor C. Michaud
• Councillor A. Owodunni (virtual)
• Councillor B. Ioannidis (virtual)
• Councillor M. Johnston
• Councillor D. Chapman
• Councillor S. Stretch

Staff:

• D. Chapman, Chief Administrative Officer
• J. Readman, General Manager, Development Services
• R. Bustamante, Director, Planning and Housing Policy
• C. Bluhm, Executive Director, Economic Development
• G. Stevenson, Director of Development and Housing Approvals
• N. Goss, Manager, Policy and Research
• B. Bennett, Manager, Business Development
• T. Malone-Wright, Manager, Development Approvals
• B. Bateman, Senior Planner
• A. Clark, Senior Urban Designer
• E. Pompa, Planner
• D. Saunderson, Deputy Clerk
• M. Blake, Committee Coordinator

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1.

Commencement

The Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee held a meeting this date commencing at 6:46 p.m.

2.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

2.1

Councillor A. Owodunni - Official Plan Amendment Application OPA24/014/L/BB, Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA24/030/L/BB, 288-292 Lawrence Avenue, S&S Stemco Inc. c/o Scott Stemerdink, DSD-2025-034

Councillor A. Owodunni declared a conflict with Item 6.1. Official Plan Amendment Application OPA24/014/L/BB, Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA24/030/L/BB, 288-292 Lawrence Avenue, S&S Stemco Inco c/o Scott Stemerdink, DSD-2025-034, due to owning property in close proximity, and did not participate in any voting or discussion related to the matter. 

2.2

Councillor S. Davey - Growing Together East - Land Use and Zoning Framework, DSD-2025-083

Councillor S. Davey declared a conflict with Item 6.2. Growing Together East - Land Use and Zoning Framework, DSD-2025-083, due to family being employed in the area, and did not participate in any voting or discussion related to the matter. 

3.

Consent Items

3.1

2024-2026 Climate Change and Environment Committee Work Plan, DSD-2025-143

The Committee considered Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-143, dated March 21, 2025, recommending approval of the 2024-2026 Climate Change and Environment Committee workplan.

• On motion by Councillor S. Davey

  it was resolved:

  "That the Climate Change and Environment Committee Work Plan 2024 - 2026 as appended as Attachment ‘A’ to Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-143, be approved."

  Carried

4.

Discussion Items

4.1

Waterloo Region Economic Development Strategy (WREDS), DSD-2025-134

The Committee considered Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-134, dated April 1, 2025, recommending that the 2025 Waterloo Region Economic Development Strategy be endorsed to guide collaboration among municipal economic development partners.

B. Bennett, Manager, Business Development, provided an overview of the report. C. Bluhm, Executive Director, Economic Development was also in attendance to respond to questions of the Committee. 

In response to questions from the Committee, B. Bennett noted the Waterloo Region Economic Development Strategy was developed by an Area Municipal Working Group comprised of staff from all seven area municipalities, the Region of Waterloo and the Waterloo Economic Development Corporation. 

• On motion by Councillor M. Johnston

  it was resolved:

  "That the 2025 Waterloo Region Economic Development Strategy be endorsed to guide collaboration among municipal economic development partners, as outlined in Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-134."

  Carried

5.

Public Hearing Matters under the Planning Act (advertised)

This is a formal public meeting to consider applications under the Planning Act. In accordance with the Ontario Planning Act, only the applicant or owner of land affected by the planning applications, a specified person, or a public body, and or the Minister may appeal most decisions.  If you do not make a verbal submission to the Committee or Council, or make a written submission prior to City Council making a decision on the proposal, you may not be entitled to appeal the decision of the City of Kitchener to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), and may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the OLT. To understand your right of appeal, if any, or for further clarification regarding appeals, please see the Ontario Land Tribunal website.  

5.1

Official Plan Amendment Application OPA24/014/L/BB, Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA24/030/L/BB, 288-292 Lawrence Avenue, S&S Stemco Inc. c/o Scott Stemerdink, DSD-2025-034 

• Councillor A. Owodunni declared a conflict on this item. (Councillor A. Owodunni declared a conflict with Item 6.1. Official Plan Amendment Application OPA24/014/L/BB, Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA24/030/L/BB, 288-292 Lawrence Avenue, S&S Stemco Inco c/o Scott Stemerdink, DSD-2025-034, due to owning property in close proximity, and did not participate in any voting or discussion related to the matter. ;)

The Committee considered Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-034, dated March 14, 2025, recommending adoption of Official Plan Amendment Application OPA/24/014/L/BB and Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA24/030/L/BB, for the property municipally addressed as 288-292 Lawrence Avenue. 

B. Bateman, Senior Planner, provided an overview of the report. T. Malone-Wright, Manager, Site Plan and G. Stevenson, Director, Development and Housing Approvals were also in attendance to respond to questions from the Committee.

D. Galbraith, UPS Consulting, was in attendance in support of the application.

In response to questions from the Committee, D. Galbraith noted there are opportunities given the surrounding context and location to permit a wider range of non-residential uses as part of a mixed-use building. D. Galbraith stated while not proposed by the applicant at this time, consideration of non-residential uses for the ground floor, such as a daycare facility, can be considered.

In response to further questions, D. Galbraith noted consideration of renewable energy sources such as heat pumps is currently being explored.

• On motion by Councillor M. Johnston

  it was resolved:

  "That Official Plan Amendment Application OPA/24/014/L/BB for the property municipally addressed as 288-292 Lawrence Avenue for S&S Stemco Inc. c/o Scott Stemerdink requesting to change the Urban Structure on Map 2 from ‘Industrial Employment Areas’ to ‘Community Areas’ and Land Use on Map 3 from ‘General Industrial Employment’ to ‘Low Rise Residential’, be approved, in the form shown in the Official Plan Amendment attached to Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-034 as Attachments ‘A1’, ‘A2’,and ‘A3’; and further,"

  That Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA24/030/L/BB for or the property municipally addressed as 288-292 Lawrence Avenue for S&S Stemco Inc. c/o Scott Stemerdink be approved in the form shown in the ‘Proposed By-law’, and ‘Map No. 1’, attached to Development Services Department report, DSD-2024-034 as Attachments ‘B1’ and ‘B2’."

  Carried

5.2

Growing Together East - Land Use and Zoning Framework, DSD-2025-083

• Councillor S. Davey declared a conflict on this item. (Councillor S. Davey declared a conflict with Item 6.2. Growing Together East - Land Use and Zoning Framework, DSD-2025-083, due to family being employed in the area, and did not participate in any voting or discussion related to the matter. ;)

The Committee considered Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-083, dated March 10, 2025, recommending adoption of City-initiated Official Plan Amendment Application OPA/24/014/L/BB; City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA24/020/COK/MR; and, City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment Application ZBA25/004/COK/MR. 

A. Clark, Senior Planner, provided an overview of the report. E. Pompa, Planner, N. Goss, Manager, Policy and Research, and R. Bustamante, Director, Planning and Housing Policy were also in attendance to respond to questions from the Committee. 

In response to questions from the Committee, A. Clark advised that the boundaries of the Protected Major Transit Station Areas and the Growing Together East Land Use and Zoning Framework were established through Regional Official Plan Amendment 6, approved by the Region of Waterloo in August 2022.

• On motion by Councillor J. Deneault

  it was resolved:

  "That City-initiated Official Plan Amendment OPA24/010/COK/MR, for the purpose of implementing a land use planning framework for 3 of the City’s Protected Major Transit Station Areas, including amendments to mapping and text, be adopted, in the form shown in the Official Plan Amendment attached to Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-083 as Attachment ‘A’, and accordingly forwarded to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval; and,

  That City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment ZBA24/020/COK/MR to amend Zoning By-law 2019-051, for lands within 3 of the City’s Protected Major Transit Station Areas, be approved in the form shown in the Proposed By-law attached to Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-083 as Attachment ‘B’; and.

  That City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment ZBA25/004/COK/MR to amend Zoning By-law 2019-051, for lands subject to Zoning By-law 85-1 and to be brought into Zoning By-law 2019-051, be approved in the form shown in the Proposed By-law attached to Development Services Department report, DSD-2025-083 as Attachment ‘C’; and further,

  That City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment ZBA24/020/COK/MR to amend Zoning By-law 2019-051 shall have no force and effect until By-law 2024-065 (Growing Together PMTSAs) is in full force and effect."

  Carried

6.

Information Items

6.1

None.

7.

Adjournment

On motion, this meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.

Mariah Blake
Committee Coordinator