Downtown Height Study
We need to increase permitted building heights in the Downtown area. Share your thoughts on where and how taller buildings may be appropriate.
Attend our December 9, 2024 open house, or complete two activities to share your thoughts by January 12, 2025.
- Our survey, titled "tell us a TALL tale" focuses on your thoughts around design considerations in taller buildings and placements
- Our mapping activity uncovers your thoughts around where shorter, mid-sized and taller buildings belong in the Downtown
Here We Grow!
In response to the need to meet our new population density target of 200 people and jobs per hectare in the downtown by 2051, we must revisit the current maximum building heights for Downtown as set out by the Downtown Secondary Plan (2015). This study aims to understand where and how new, taller buildings can be permitted in the downtown and what design considerations will be required.
We're asking some simple questions with complicated impacts:
- What is tall in the context of Downtown Guelph?
- Should the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate influence the height limits in Downtown Guelph?
- What are the positive or negative impacts of additional building height in different locations throughout Downtown?
We will use answers to these questions from the community, combined with information from experts in the field and best practices from other communities to make necessary amendments to the Official Plan and create updates to the downtown built form standards.
Share how you want to grow your downtown?
In person
Come out to public open house scheduled for December 9 at City Hall (1 Carden Street, Guelph). Drop in any time between 6 and 8 p.m. to learn more and speak with the project team
Online
Share your thoughts right here between December 9 and January 12. We need to hear from you through two different activities:
- Complete our survey, and
- Put pins in our digital map to show where different height buildings may be appropriate.
Contact us for more information or to share your thoughts with the project team directly.
Planning and Building Services
519-822-1260 extension 4153
brenna.mackinnon@guelph.ca
Economic Development and Tourism15
519.822.1260 extension 2327
stacey.laughlin@guelph.ca
Where can taller buildings go?
We have an ambitious goal of almost doubling our Downtown density to accommodate 200 people and jobs per hectare by 2051 (currently 109 people and jobs per hectare). To achieve our goal we need to update the current maximum building heights permitted by the Downtown Secondary Plan. In the current plan, heights were generally influenced by topography, with taller buildings being permitted at lower elevations.
Using different pins, show us where you think buildings of different heights should go and share why each area makes sense at that height to you.
Take some time to review the map first
- Take a look at the current height restrictions, and think just about what you might change.
- As more people add pins to the activity map, there can be a lot to take in. If someone has already added a pin that shares the same thoughts you have, there's no need to add a new pin, use the like icon to show support. a "like will count just as much as a new pin in our data findings.
- If you feel like an area deserves a smaller or larger type of building that isn't already covered, that's when it's time to add your own pin.
There is no need to place a new pin in every block, you can use the comment section to share where you feel the appropriate zone for that height of building begins and ends.
To add a marker/pin:
- Zoom and drag, or search, the map until you see where you want to place your pin.
- Click on "New Pin" on your desktop or the pin marker icon on a mobile device - the new marker will appear in the centre of the screen
- Drag the pin on the map to a place inside the Downtown boundary to where you want share your thoughts:
- On your mobile device, click "confirm" once the pin is in location.
- Use the "create a pin" menu to share your thoughts:
- Under "Choose a type of pin," use the drop-down menu to select type that matches what building height you want to add.
- Low (up to three storeys)
- Low to mid (up to six storeys)
- Medium height (up to 12 storeys)
- Tall (up to 18 storeys), and
- Very Tall (up to 25 storeys)
- Height Peak (more than 25 storeys)
- Under "Choose a type of pin," use the drop-down menu to select type that matches what building height you want to add.
- Tell us why or indicate the full area the pin is meant to cover using the comment box. (e.g., if you think your suggested height should apply to a larger area of several blocks) You can even upload an image if you like.
- There is a separate comment box for any conditions or limitations you want to note for your recommended height.
- Click post