Heritage Oakville Advisory and City Council Meeting – Concise Report

High-level summary - The Heritage Oakville Advisory Committee and City Council handled heritage permit applications and related district planning matters focusing on 429 McDonald Road and 279 McDonald Road, plus updates on the Downtown Oakville Heritage Conservation District (HCD) review. Key decisions included approving upcoming permit processes and setting clear conditions (including expiry timelines) while maintaining public engagement requirements. Public input opportunities and next steps were highlighted for ongoing and upcoming applications and reviews.

Five most important topics discussed

1) Heritage permit: Garage door replacement at 429 McDonald Road (City Council) - What happened: A heritage permit application to replace two single garage doors with one double door was reviewed. The council considered structural and aesthetic impacts related to removing a central arched column and aligning the new door with Tudor styling. - Key quotes and details: Carolyn stated, "The new door has been designed to match the existing doors and the Tudor style of the house." Counselor McNe asked about the structural purpose of the middle column, and Carolyn replied, "Structurally, the applicants had no concerns with it being removed... the span is not too large structurally for the building." - Outcome/implications: The permit for garage door replacement was approved with conditions and the expiry timeline set at two years from final approval, ensuring timely completion and ongoing staff oversight of details (Appendix D references and design alignment).

2) Heritage permit: Rear addition at 279 McDonald Road (City Council) - What happened: Review of a new rear addition to a Queen Anne Revival house, including a one-car garage and living space above, with design elements intended to respect the heritage context. - Key quotes and details: "The historic house itself is to be retained and restored. No heritage attributes of the existing house are to be impacted directly." The addition is described as continuing the hip roof and eaves for continuity, with vertical wood siding and large rear openings later reviewed by staff. - Outcome/implications: The council approved the permit for the rear addition, with final detailing (cladding, trim, windows, doors) to be submitted to heritage planning staff for approval; material samples will be provided during the material selection stage.

3) Downtown Oakville Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Review update - What happened: An update on the Downtown Oakville HCD review, including aims to ensure guidelines function well, comply with legislation, and align with community objectives. - Key quotes and details: "This review process stems from the actual planning guidelines for the downtown HCD... making sure that it's functioning well for the community, it's compliant with legislation, things like that." Public engagement is emphasized as critical, with surveys, public meetings, and consultations. - Outcome/implications: The process continues, with a statutory public meeting planned for late this year or early next year to gather broader feedback; staff will prepare revisions and present findings to Heritage Oakville.

4) Public input opportunities for heritage matters - What happened: The meetings emphasized how residents can participate or provide input on heritage matters. - Key quotes and details: For public participation, the Heritage Oakville Advisory Committee noted online delegation forms via the agendas and meetings section on Oakville's website. For the HCD review, a statutory public meeting is planned to gather feedback. - Outcome/implications: Residents have concrete avenues to participate (online delegation forms; statutory public meeting). For upcoming November proceedings, a formal opportunity to speak at the council meeting on November 17 was announced.

5) Permit expiry timelines and next steps - What happened: Several permit-related timeframes were established to ensure timely completion and ongoing oversight. - Key quotes and details: The Downtown HCD and 429 McDonald/Rear Addition items include expiry criteria and next steps. For example, the 429 garage door permit context includes a two-year expiry from final council approval; for the rear addition at 279 McDonald Road, final material decisions will go through heritage staff before final approval. - Outcome/implications: These conditions create clear deadlines and accountability for applicants, with further staff review on final design details and subsequent council or staff approvals as needed.

Citizens' input opportunities and contact - Online delegations: Members of the public can submit an online delegation form via the agendas and meetings section on Oakville’s website to participate in future Heritage Oakville Advisory Committee meetings. - Public meetings: For the Downtown Oakville HCD Review, a statutory public meeting will be held (tentatively end of the year or early next year) to gather feedback; residents are encouraged to participate.

Motions and outcomes - Heritage Oakville Advisory Committee - Approval of Minutes from September 23, 2025 - Outcome: Passed unanimously. - Heritage Permit Application for Garage Door Replacement at 429 McDonald Road - Outcome: Pending decision (not finalized in transcript section). - City Council - Approval of Heritage Permit for Garage Door Replacement at 429 McDonald Road - Outcome: Passed unanimously. - Next steps: Committee discussion and potential vote on the application (for the City Council item, a decision was rendered). - Approval of Permit Application for Construction of a New Rear Addition at 279 McDonald Road - Outcome: Passed. - Next steps: Final design details to be submitted to heritage planning staff for approval. - Approval of Permit Conditions for Downtown Oakville HCD Review - Outcome: Passed unanimously. - Details: Final details on cladding, trim, windows, and doors to be approved by heritage planning staff; two-year expiry from final council approval; statutory public meeting to follow. - Additional motions noted in related transcripts - Acceptance of Information Item (Heritage Oakville Advisory Section) - Outcome: Passed. - Next steps: None specified. - Adjournment of the meeting - Outcome: Passed. - Next steps: Next meeting date confirmed as November 25th at 9:30 a.m. in Oakville Municipal Building Council Chambers.

Councillors present - Councillor McNe (present and asking questions on structural aspects of the 429 McDonald Road permit). - Councillor Giddings (moved the motion for approval of the 279 McDonald Road rear addition and participated in related discussions). - Madam Chair (presiding officer; involved in facilitating discussions and motions). - Note: Other councillors were not named in the provided transcripts; the items indicate the presence of the chair and at least these two councillors.

File numbers, bylaws, and references - Appendix D referenced for the 429 McDonald Road garage door replacement (City Council item) with a two-year expiry. - Specific file numbers are not consistently cited in the provided transcripts; some items reference dates and Appendix materials rather than formal file numbers. - Zoning and heritage review are discussed in relation to guidelines and approvals, with expiry timelines and staff review as ongoing conditions. No explicit bylaw numbers are cited beyond general heritage and zoning references.