City of Barrie

Meeting Agenda 

General Committee

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

7:00 pm or immediately following Affordability Committee

Council Chambers

1.

CALL TO ORDER

2.

PUBLIC MEETING(S)

Nil. 

3.

PRESENTATIONS BY STAFF/OFFICERS/AGENTS OF THE CORPORATION

Nil. 

4.

DEFERRED BUSINESS

Nil. 

5.

CONSENT AGENDA

The consent items will be read out by the title associated with the recommended motions printed on the agenda. Members of General Committee may ask that an item be held to discuss the matter further. If an item is not held, the motion is deemed to be approved on consent. No further discussion of the item will take place at General Committee, and the recommended motions will go forward to the next City Council meeting for consideration.

6.

REPORTS OF REFERENCE, ADVISORY OR SPECIAL COMMITTEES

6.1

Report of the Executive Committee dated April 1, 2026

6.1.1

Graffiti - Queen's Park Skatepark

• Recommendation:
  1. That a letter of support be provided to the group/individual(s) for their community public art and park revitalization proposal to construct a legal graffiti wall, install a ground surface mural and host a community opening celebration event in the City of Barrie’s Queen’s Park Skatepark as per the presentation provided to the Arts Advisory Committee on March 24, 2026.
  2. That staff be directed to continue to support the planning, community engagement and implementation of the Queen’s Park Skatepark revitalization and community public art project and to prepare any required legal agreements to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services.
  3. The approval be granted to spend up to $20,000 from the Public Art Reserve account and to allocate $25,000 of the $60,408.76 approved operating budget for public art as per Council motion 25-G-133 to a maximum City contribution of $45,000 to implement the project in part, or in full, pending receipt of matching grant funding and sponsorships. (Item for Discussion 2.1, April 1, 2026)

   

  Sponsor: Councillor, A. Courser

6.1.2

Parking Restrictions - Rawson to Corner of Lockhart Road

• Recommendation:

  That staff in Development Services investigate the feasibility of implementing on-road parking restriction for Rawson Avenue from the corner of Lockhart Road to approximately 81 Rawson Avenue and report back to General Committee. (Item for Discussion 2.2, April 1, 2026)

   

  Sponsor: Councillor, J. Harris

6.1.3

No Parking - Loon Avenue near Huronia Road

• Recommendation:

  That staff in the Development Services Department investigate installing no parking signs on the south side of Loon Avenue from Huronia Road to Big Bay Point Road and report back to General Committee. (Item for Discussion 2.3, April 1, 2026)

   

  Sponsor: Councillor, S. Morales

6.1.4

Parking in front of Canada Post Super Mailboxes

• Recommendation:

  That staff in the Development Services install no parking signage at the super mailbox locations as a pilot project in Ward 5 and staff in Development Services work with the ward councillor to identify the areas of concerns to where the signage should be installed. (Item for Discussion 2.4, April 1, 2026)

   

  Sponsor: Deputy Mayor, R. Thomson

6.1.5

Wellington Street and Owen Street Study

• Recommendation:

  That Development Services investigate traffic control options at the intersection of Wellington Street East and Owen Street and report back to General Committee. (Item for Discussion 2.5, April 1, 2026)

   

  Sponsor: Councillor, C. Nixon

6.1.6

No Stopping - Dunlop Street East

• Recommendation:

  That Development Services staff investigate the implementation of a “No Stopping” restriction at the easterly limit of 185 Dunlop Street East and report back to General Committee. (Item for Discussion 2.6, April 1, 2026)

   

  Sponsor: Councillor, C. Nixon

6.2

Report of the Affordability Committee dated April 15, 2026

7.

STAFF REPORT(S)

7.1

Zoning By-law Amendment – 324 and 328 Ardagh Road (D30-009-2025) (Ward 6)

• Recommendation:
  1. That the Zoning By-law Amendment Application submitted by Innovative Planning Solutions, on behalf of Cal-Parc Ardagh Road Inc., to rezone lands municipally known as 324 and 328 Ardagh Road from ‘Residential Single Detached Dwelling First Density’ (R1) to ‘Residential Multiple Dwelling Second Density with Special Provisions’ (RM2)(SP-XXX), as attached as Appendix A to Staff Report DEV-010-2026, be approved.
  2. That the following Special Provisions be referenced in the implementing Zoning By-law for the subject lands:
     1. Permit Block/Cluster (Back-to-Back) Townhouse Units as a permitted use, whereas Block/Cluster (Back-to-Back) Townhouse Units are not permitted;
     2. Permit a minimum front yard setback to a dwelling unit of 3.5 metres to Block 1, whereas a minimum front yard setback of 7.0 metres is required;
     3. Permit a minimum front yard setback to a porch of 2.0 metres to Block 1, whereas a minimum front yard setback to a porch of 3.0 metres is required;
     4. Permit a minimum rear yard setback of 6.0 metres to the north lot line, whereas a minimum rear yard setback of 7.0 metres is required;
     5. Permit a maximum lot coverage of 42 percent, whereas a maximum lot coverage of 35 percent is permitted;
     6. Permit a maximum building height of 15.5 metres, whereas a maximum building height of 10 metres is permitted;
     7. Permit a maximum gross floor area of 122.5 percent, whereas a maximum gross floor area of 60 percent is permitted;
     8. Permit an outdoor amenity area to be provided in an unconsolidated form, whereas an outdoor amenity area is to be provided in a consolidated form;
     9. Permit a maximum density of 104 units per net hectare (51 units total), whereas a maximum density of 40 units per net hectare is permitted;
     10. Permit the use of in-ground waste containers (in-ground bins) for waste storage, whereas the storage of waste is to be within the main building or an accessory building that is weather tight; containing a solid roof, walls, roll-up door and an exterior finish consistent with that of the main building;
     11. Permit a reduced landscape buffer of 1.3 metres to the east of the parking area that provides for more than four (4) parking spaces adjacent to a residentially zoned lot, whereas a minimum landscape buffer area of 3.0 metres is required; and,
     12. Permit a minimum of 1.43 parking spaces per dwelling unit for a total of 73 parking spaces, whereas a minimum of 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit is required.
  3. That the written and oral submissions received relating to this application, have been, on balance, taken into consideration as part of the deliberations and final decision related to the approval of the application as amended, including matters raised in those submissions and identified within Staff Report DEV-010-2026.
  4. That pursuant to Section 34 (17) of the Planning Act, no further public notification is required prior to the passing of this By-law. (DEV-010-2026) (File: D30-009-2025)

7.2

Council Compensation Review and Revisions to the Reimbursement of Council Expenses Policy

• Recommendation:
  1. That the following compensation be approved for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and members of Council for the 2026-2030 term of office, unless otherwise stated as follows:
     1. Commencing December 2026, compensation equal to the average 2025 base compensation of comparator group of municipalities as listed in Appendix A to Staff Report CCS-007-2026, indexed for the 2026 calendar year;
     2. That the base rate for each subsequent year of the term of Council be indexed annually in the month of December for each of the years 2027-2029 equal to the annual economic adjustment (cost of living) approved for the City of Barrie Non-Union staff;
     3. Commencing December 2026, members of Council who are appointed to a local board or authority who provide compensation to their members, be eligible to receive compensation directly from the local board or authority instead of an annual payment being provided to the City.
     4. That members of Council be compensated for their participation in meetings that do not provide compensation, based on their statutory duty as a member of Council in the amount of $80 per meeting (with the exception of Council, General Committee and Reference Committees) and that staff develop a process for members of Council to report their attendance, to be presented at the 2026-2030 Council orientation.
     5. The annual car allowance for members of Council be set as follows:
        Councillors         $3,000 ($250/month)
        Deputy Mayor    $4,200 ($350/month)
        Mayor                 $7,200 ($600/month)
  2. That the following Council benefits and pension items for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and members of Council for the 2026-2030 term of office be approved:
     1. Members of Council be provided the options to be enrolled in the Non-Union Extended Health and Dental Benefits Plan; and
     2. Life Insurance Policy for members of Council be set at two times their annual remuneration.
  3. That the Mayor and members of Council be enrolled in the Employee and Family Assistance Program.
  4. That the Reimbursement of Council Expense Policy be amended to reflect the following changes for the 2026 to 2030 Term of Council, unless otherwise noted:
     1. That the expense allocations for the Mayor and members of Council be established as follows:
        1. That effective January 1, 2027, expense allocations for items such as communications to residents for the Mayor be determined using a base amount of $15,000 instead of $25,000 plus $0.10 per person using population projections provided through the Development Services Department, and that the additional $10,000 currently included in the 2026 Business Plan be transferred to the Mayor’s Office operation budget; and
        2. The expense allocations for items such as communications to residents and to cover additional expenses due to the expanded responsibilities in the role, the expense allocations for the Deputy Mayor be increased to a base amount of $7,500 plus $0.10 per person using population projections provided through the Development Services Department; and
        3. The expense allocation for the remainder of Council remains at a base amount of $5,000, plus $0.10 per person using populations projections provided through the Development Services Department.
     2. Effective May 1, 2026, provide that both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor conference expenses for the Association of Municipalities are covered through the conference expense account;
     3. That the conference expense account also cover attendance to other conferences/events that are of economic development benefit or support our friendship/sister cities relations as approved by the City Clerk and Director of Finance;
     4. To increase the Council Conference budget to $40,000 effective in the 2026-2030 term; and
     5. Any housekeeping amendments to provide for further clarity on items eligible for expenses including telephone expenses, mileage, per diems, remove any duplications, etc. And that staff circulate the received policy to members of Council. (CCS-007-2026) (File: C00)

7.3

Property Acquisition – Sidewalk Infill Program

• Recommendation:
  1. That the Director of Legal Services be authorized to commence negotiations to acquire:
     1. The properties legally described as Part 1 on 51R-44892 and shown in Appendix “A” necessary to facilitate installation of sidewalk on City Right of Way on Carol Road, Project EN1536.
     2. The properties legally described as Part 1 on 51R-8030 and shown in Appendix “B” necessary to facilitate installation of sidewalk on City Right of Way on Edgehill Drive, Project EN1536 (the ”Subject Properties”).
  2. That if negotiations do not lead to acquisition of the Subject Properties, the Director of Legal Services be authorized to commence expropriation proceedings.
  3. That the Corporation of the City of Barrie make an application to Barrie City Council, as approving authority, for approval to expropriate the Subject Properties, and that the City Clerk be authorized to execute the necessary forms of application.
  4. That the “Notice of Application for Approval to Expropriate” be served and published and that any requests for inquiries received, pursuant to the “Notice of Application for Approval to Expropriate” be forwarded to the Chief Inquiry Officer and that the Chief Inquiry Officer be requested to report to Council with respect to any such request.
  5. That the Director of Legal Services be delegated authority to settle the expropriations or any negotiated agreements relating to the Subject Properties, and that the City Clerk be authorized to execute all associated and required documents in a form approved by the Director of Legal Services. (IGM-003-2026) (File: T11 - EN1536)

7.4

Sign By-law Exemption Request - Park Place Ground Sign

• Recommendation:
  1. That the requested height variance to City of Barrie By-law 2018-029 (Sign By-law) by NADG (North American Development Group) on behalf of North American (Park Place) Corporation and 9613714 Canada Inc. at 100 Mapleview Drive East, to install a ground sign to a maximum of 12.2 metres / 40 feet be granted with the following rationale:
     1. The site has a registered Site Place Agreement with the City of Barrie dated June 2010, which included a planned site-wide signage program containing up to 3 forty-foot (40’) ground signs to be located along the Highway 400 frontage.
  2. That the requested variance to City of Barrie By-law 2018-029 (Sign By-law) for an increased digital display board contained in the proposed ground sign by NADG (North American Development Group) on behalf of North American (Park Place) Corporation and 9613714 Canada Inc. at 100 Mapleview Drive East, to a maximum of 60% of the sign area be granted with the following rationale:
     1. This request is minor in nature as the increase is approximately 18% larger than the maximum of 50% permitted in the by-law.
  3. That NADG (North American Development Group) on behalf of North American (Park Place) Corporation and 9613714 Canada Inc. be required to obtain and submit to the City of Barrie final proof of authorization from the Ministry of Transportation to permit the placement of the ground sign complete with digital display within the Highway 400 Corridor prior to the construction of the sign;
     
     And further that the ground sign be located in compliance with the required setbacks as stated in the Sign By-law 2018-029 as amended. (CCS-012-2026) (File: P00)
     
     

7.5

Sign Variance Application - 555 Essa Road

• Recommendation:
  1. That the requested height variance to City of Barrie By-law 2018-029 (Sign By-law) by Calloway REIT (Barrie II) Inc. (Smart Centres) for signage at 555 Essa Road, be denied based on the following:
     1. The permitted maximum ground sign height is 7.5m/24ft - 6 in in the by-law. The proposed ground sign is requested at a height of 9.75m/32ft, a difference of 2.25m/7ft - 6in which is a 30% increase in height;
     2. The additional height does not appear required for sightline obstructions or visibility due to contours or elevation of the land or tall foliage; and
     3. The location for the proposed ground sign is in close proximity of a major signalized intersection and the increased height may cause the placement of the proposed digital display to cause a distraction to the view of the traffic control signals for southbound motorists on Essa Road. (CCS-013-2026)

7.6

Downtown Barrie Business Improvement Area Levy

• Recommendation:
  1. That the City of Barrie (City) establish a special charge of 0.4586049% for 2026 to levy an amount of $798,599 upon commercial and industrial properties in the Downtown Barrie Business Improvement Area.
  2. That the Downtown Barrie Business Improvement Area (BIA) 2026 Operating and Capital budgets be approved, as presented in Staff Report CCS-011-2026.
  3. That the City Clerk be authorized to prepare the appropriate by-law authorizing this 2026 special charge rate and levy requirement. (CCS-011-2026) (File: C11)

7.7

2026 Tax Rates

• Recommendation:
  1. That the tax rates for the 2026 taxation year be established as identified in Appendix "A" to Staff Report CCS-010-2026.
  2. That the City Clerk be authorized to prepare all necessary by-laws to establish the 2026 tax rates as described within Staff Report CCS-010-2026. (CCS-010-2026) (File: C11)

7.8

City-Initiated Official Plan Amendment - Bringing Boundary Expansion Lands into the Official Plan

• Recommendation:
  1. That the Official Plan Amendment to integrate lands formerly part of the Township of Springwater as defined through the Barrie-Oro-Medonte-Springwater Act, 2025 as outlined in Appendix A – Draft Official Plan Amendment No. 6 and Map 2: Land Use Designation (former Springwater) into the Official Plan 2051 (May 2024) as part of Staff Report DEV-013-2026, be approved;
  2. That the Official Plan Amendment to integrate lands formerly part of the Township of Oro-Medonte as defined through the Barrie-Oro-Medonte-Springwater Act, 2025 as outlined in Appendix B – Draft Official Plan Amendment No. 7 and Map 2: Land Use Designation (former Oro-Medonte) into the Official Plan 2051 (May 2024) as part of Staff Report DEV-013-2026, be approved;
  3. That the Official Plan Amendment to integrate lands formerly part of the Townships of Springwater and Oro-Medonte as defined through the Barrie-Oro-Medonte-Springwater Act, 2025 as outlined in Appendix C – Proposed Amendments to Official Plan 2051 (May 2024) Maps into the Official Plan 2051 (May 2024) as part of Staff Report DEV-013-2026, be approved; and
  4. That the Official Plan Amendment to amend the land use designation of 10 properties within the Built-up Area as outlined in Appendix A, B and C to Staff Report DEV-013-2026, be approved. (DEV-013-2026) (File: D30-005-2026)

8.

REPORTS OF OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION

Nil.

9.

ITEM(S) FOR DISCUSSION

Nil.

10.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Nil. 

11.

ENQUIRIES

12.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

13.

ADJOURNMENT

 

 

HEARING DEVICES AND AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) INTERPRETERS
Assistive listening devices for use in the Council Chamber and American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters are available upon request to the staff in the Legislative Services Branch. Please contact the Legislative Services Branch at 705-739-4220 Ext. 5500 or [email protected] to ensure availability.