We recently reached out to the community to learn about what taller buildings in the Downtown area would mean to you, how tall is too tall, and what standards and considerations need to be part of making the decision on where to build taller residential, office and mixed-use buildings in the Downtown.

Through those conversations and surveys, we learned that we have a very thoughtful community (but we knew that already). We heard that:

• Increasing access to housing is important
• More people living and working in the Downtown is good for our economy,
• and protecting Guelph's heritage and charm is a shared value among much of the community.

We also heard a lot of feedback about specifically how tall buildings should be permitted in specific blocks.

Our team listened and learned from the collective voice of the over 400 people who participated. This feedback was combined with research, best practices and directions from existing plans and legislation to develop a proposed Official Plan amendment (OPA) for Guelph.

We shared a series of information boards at the Open house on February 4 which outlined our process, shared details on what we heard and the key principles guiding the amendment. Please review the boards to learn more.

The proposed amendment in brief:

• the OPA is informed by modelling, an updated land assessment and community engagement and provides additional flexibility in order for the current Downtown density target of 200 persons and jobs per hectare to be achieved.
• aims to allow taller buildings in locations where it will limit their direct impact on existing neighbourhoods and public spaces. Mid-rise and taller buildings are proposed to be permitted strategically throughout the Downtown so that new, context-sensitive higher-density development will be permitted while ensuring the protection of significant existing cultural heritage resources.
• balances opportunities for short-, medium- and long-term intensification, making efficient use of the planned infrastructure investment in our Downtown.
• recognizes that a Community Planning Permit By-law is proposed for Downtown and will consider the potential for additional height beyond what is currently proposed in this OPA (up to 20 storeys in various locations) through the future Community Planning Permit System process.
• recognizes that Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate is a landmark and a signature building within the city. The proposed OPA states that the Basilica will continue to maintain visual prominence and its protected public view corridors, however, buildings will be permitted to exceed its height.

We're reviewing your feedback on the OPA

We reached out to the community and shared the draft amendment for feedback between January 21 and Feb 16, 2025. now we are reviewing that feedback and will bring a revised Draft back this spring along with Built form Standards to round out the conversation of not only where buildings can be built taller, but how those buildings may look and function in our Downtown.

Contact us for more information or to share your thoughts with the project team directly.