Oakville Council Meeting: Mixed-Use Development and Planning Amendments

Oakville council considered several planning and governance items, including a mixed-use zoning bylaw amendment for 306 Sixth Line and 21 Dundas Street West, an employment zoning amendment for lands on Sixth Line, an Official Plan Amendment for Trafalgar Road lands, and updated terms of reference for the Compliance Audit Committee. The Dundas-area mixed-use application drew the most debate, with councillors and residents focusing on truck access, vehicle headlights on Kading Trail homes, landscaping, and whether those issues should be settled before zoning approval. Council ultimately approved the bylaw in a 9-4 vote.

Topics Discussed

1. MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT: 306 Sixth Line and 21 Dundas Street West

Council considered a zoning bylaw amendment for a mixed-use project at the corner of Sixth Line and Kading Trail, brought forward by Daniels Citybuilder Corporation and Shoppers Realty Incorporated. The proposal includes 542 residential units, about 1,400 square metres of retail space, and 633 parking spaces, with buildings generally eight storeys and a nine-storey element at Dundas and Sixth Line.

Planning consultant Andrew Hannerford said, "The proposed Shoppers Drug Mart has been considered for this site since 2018. Site plan approval was granted in 2018 and has since lapsed and therefore a new site plan application is required." He added that truck access was designed so "truck traffic is not proceeding through the residential neighborhood to the north."

Staff supported the application. In the staff report, planning staff said, "It is staff's opinion that the application should be approved as it is consistent with the provincial planning statement and implements the existing and emerging employment policies for the town."

2. KADING TRAIL CONCERNS: headlights, truck traffic and site design

Much of the discussion centered on impacts for nearby residents on Kading Trail. Councillor Peter Longo said the report identified grading at the Kading Trail access "to limit vehicle headlights shining on the residential properties," but added that it "remains unresolved at this stage."

Longo also said residents wanted more certainty on details that would come later through site plan review, including lighting, signage and landscaping: "Please don't make sure that there's lights, you know, the shoppers sign is staring at us or that the lights are coming at us when people turn out. Can we have some additional landscaping to buffer?"

Councillor Allan Elgar said headlight impacts were a major concern, asking, "What can we do as council regarding the lux factor of headlights into people's houses?"

Hannerford told council delivery trucks would enter from Kading Trail, back into the loading bay, then exit via Sixth Line, "done very intentionally" to avoid truck traffic continuing through the neighbourhood.

3. COUNCIL DEBATE AND VOTE ON THE DUNDAS APPLICATION

Councillors split over whether zoning should proceed before those design issues were resolved. Councillor Jonathan McNeice said he was "not fully satisfied" with the explanation that a Shoppers could not be built at grade in a mixed-use building on Dundas and questioned whether that was being driven by market conditions.

A resident delegate told council, "Residents are not asking council to stop growth. Residents are asking for growth that is compatible with existing community and respectful of people who already live there."

Councillor Sean O'Meara asked staff and legal counsel what would happen if council refused the application, saying residents "don't want this to be built" and asking what legal path would then be available to the applicant.

Others argued the application matched existing policy. Councillor Ray Chisholm said, "In the context of the current housing crisis, this bylaw is essential. It delivers 542 residential units where they've been planned by the town since 2010."

Council approved the zoning bylaw amendment 9-4. During debate, Mayor Rob Burton said rejecting the bylaw would not stop all development on the site, noting council did not need to approve some elements for them to proceed.

4. EMPLOYMENT ZONING: Sixth Line lands

Council also considered a zoning bylaw amendment for employment uses on a 3.89-hectare property on the east side of Sixth Line, south of Highway 407. Discussion focused on access, truck movements and compatibility with surrounding uses.

Councillor Nav Nanda asked whether separation between employment and residential areas would rely only on a local road and whether truck manoeuvring would be fully contained on site. In response, staff said, "Any maneuvering needs to be wholly contained within the lands. In terms of a queueing entering into the site, that would be reviewed again through a transportation impact study."

Council also discussed a designated heritage building on the property. Councillor Ray Chisholm said, "The building is a designated heritage property," and staff would encourage the applicant to consider reusing it as part of the concept.

5. TRAFALGAR ROAD OPA AND COMPLIANCE AUDIT COMMITTEE

Council reviewed Official Plan Amendment 340 for lands at 4040, 4180 and 4233 Trafalgar Road. The amendment would add residential permissions, permit buildings ranging from 12 to 30 storeys within 100 metres of Trafalgar Road, and add two elementary school symbols.

Questions focused on schools, servicing, parkland and compatibility between future residential and employment uses. Councillor Allan Elgar asked whether council could do anything "going forward" to ensure there would be a school site, calling it "a huge concern when families moved in."

Council also approved updates related to the Compliance Audit Committee. External counsel Stefan Mabo told council that once members are appointed, "there is no power in the elections act to provide for a process for removal," and oversight rests "with the courts, not with politicians." Solicitor Carr added that municipalities are required under the Municipal Elections Act to cover the committee's costs, including legal costs.

Motions

Passed: - Zoning Bylaw Amendment - 306 Sixth Line and 21 Dundas Street West - Zoning Bylaw Amendment for employment uses - Sixth Line property - Compliance Audit Committee Terms of Reference / Updated Oath of Office - Committee quorum requirement of three members - Regular bylaw readings

Considered: - Official Plan Amendment 340 - 4040, 4180 and 4233 Trafalgar Road

Attendees

• Mayor Rob Burton
• Councillor Peter Longo
• Councillor Nav Nanda
• Councillor Jonathan McNeice
• Councillor Marc Grant
• Councillor Janet Haslett-Theall
• Councillor Natalia Lishchyna
• Councillor Jeff Knoll
• Councillor Allan Elgar
• Councillor Dave Gittings
• Councillor Sean O'Meara
• Councillor Ray Chisholm