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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Minutes - 2025-10-06 SSpecial Council Meeting Minutes October 6, 2025, 4:00 p.m. Council Chambers - Hybrid 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 (virtually) Councillor P. Singh Councillor B. loannidis Councillor M. Johnston Councillor D. Chapman Councillor S. Stretch Staff: D. Chapman, Chief Administrative Officer V. Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services J. Readman, General Manager, Development Services J. Lautenbach, Chief Financial Officer, Financial Services D. McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services L. MacDonald, City Solicitor A. Fusco, Director Legislated Services / City Clerk D. Saunderson, Deputy Clerk M. Blake, Committee Coordinator 1. Commencement A meeting of City Council was held at 3:53 p.m. this date, chaired by Mayor B. Vrbanovic. Notice of this meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code. 1 2. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof None. 3. Unfinished Business 3.1 Notice of Motion - Councillor D. Chapman - Impacts of Bill 17 Council considered a Notice of Motion, brought forward by Councillor D. Chapman, related to the impacts of Bill 17, which was seconded by Councillor J. Deneault, which was included on the agenda this date. It was noted Council considered a similar Notice of Motion brought forward by Councillor D. Chapman at the Council meeting on September 29, 2025, that initial Notice of Motion was deferred at that time to provide additional time to review and confirm the preferred advocacy approach. Moved by Councillor D. Chapman Seconded by Councillor J. Deneault "WHEREAS municipalities are entrusted under the Planning Act with the power and responsibility to enact official plans and zoning bylaws to serve the public interest; and, WHEREAS the City of Kitchener has enacted official plans and zoning bylaws to the satisfaction of the province and/or the province's delegated authority; and, WHERAS the City of Kitchener is committed to streamlining planning approvals to help drive development and expedite housing construction; and, WHEREAS the City of Kitchener was the recipient of the 2025 Congress of New Urbanism Award (Congress of New Urbanism) and the 2025 Canadian Award for Planning Excellence (Canadian Institute of Planners) for its urban planning; and, WHEREAS the City of Kitchener has exceeded its provincial housing targets two years in a row; and, WHEREAS the City of Kitchener has exceeded its federal housing goals in 2024 and deemed a top -performing city in Canada; and, WHEREAS the Province of Ontario's Bill 17 — "Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act" proposes multiple changes related to development charges, the Planning Act, and Ontario Building Code that increasingly places the onus directly on municipal governments to enable E faster growth, while simultaneously removing tools that municipalities use to ensure livability, health and safety, and to coordinate the delivery of growth -enabling infrastructure needed to support development; and, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Kitchener Council: 1) Support recommendations by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, calling on the Province of Ontario to: o conduct additional consultations with municipalities on Bill 17 changes prior to full implementation, specifically to provide flexibility for local decision makers to adapt policies as needed based on local economic and housing considerations; and, o ensure that any review of Bill 17 consider the financial implications for municipalities and that municipalities remain financially whole in terms of any proposed planning changes. 2) Direct that a copy of this resolution be sent to: o Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; o Honourable Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; o Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO); o Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM)" Carried 4. Staff Reports 4.1 Municipal Support Resolution for Rooftop Solar, DSD -2025-403 Council considered Development Services Department report DSD -2025-403, entitled Municipal Support Resolution for Rooftop Solar, DSD -2025-403. Janine Oosterveld, Manager, Customer Experience & Project Management, provided an overview of the report and responded to questions from Council. Moved by Councillor R Singh Seconded by Councillor B. loannidis "That Municipal Support Resolution associated with properties addressed as 1460 Strasburg Road, 550 Trillium Drive and 500 Trillium Drive for the installation of rooftop solar panels as part of the Second Long -Term Request for Proposals (LT2 RFP) attached to Development Services Department report DSD -2025-403 as Attachment `A be endorsed; and, 3 That Municipal Support Resolution associated with properties addressed as 250 Trillium Drive, 60 Steckle Place and 355 Shirley Avenue for the installation of rooftop solar panels as part of the LT2 RFP attached to staff report DSD -2025-403 as Attachment `B' be endorsed; and further, That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the Municipal Support Resolutions attached to staff report DSD -2025-403 as Attachment `A' and 'B' and any other additional documents in support of the Municipal Support Resolutions as required by the Province of Ontario, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor." Carried 5. Mayoral Business and Updates - Mayor B. Vrbanovic None. 6. In -camera Meeting Authorization Moved by Councillor J. Deneault Seconded by Councillor S. Davey "That an in -camera meeting of City Council be held immediately following the special council meeting this date to consider a solicitor client privilege matter and a potential land acquisition matter as authorized by Sections 239 (2) (f) of the Municipal Act, 2001, respectively." Carried 7. Recess and Reconvene The Special Council meeting then recessed at 4:08 p.m. and reconvened at 4:31 p.m., chaired by Mayor B. Vrbanovic, with all members present. 8. Items arising from in -camera 8.1 Legal Advice - Cost Sharing Agreement Affordable Housing (Solicitor Client Privilege - Section (2) (f)) Moved by Councillor D. Schnider Seconded by Councillor M. Johnston "That the Chief Administrative Officer be authorized to approve and execute a cost-sharing agreement with Kitchener Housing Inc. to the M satisfacdon of the City Soficitor and in accordance with the partiCLAlars 6scussed at the October 6, 2025 Ire- carnera meeting Of COUrICH" ffifflMm 9. By-laws 9.1 Three Readings "That the by-laws be given third reading, namely: 9.1.a To confirm aH acfloins and proceedings of the Council for October 6, 2025. 10 �, Adjournment . . . ....... .. . Mayor ........ ... (By-law 2025-113) W