Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment will find itself subject to watchful public eyes for the second time this year as they deal with what is a routine land severance for the former Stelco lands in the industrial district of Hamilton’s harbour.
Approximately 100 residents attended the May 14 CoA hearings to oppose a proposed move of the Salvation Army Men’s Shelter to 337 Gage Avenue North. (The application was denied.) May 14 was unusual; the last time a large crowd attended a CoA meeting was in 2017. The CofA might draw 100 non-applicant residents to its meetings over the course of a typical year.
This coming Thursday, June 4, could be the largest crowd to ever attend Committee of Adjustment.
Online social forums have erupted with comments of opposition to a severance application from Slate Asset Management for a land severance to carve out a 76-hectare parcel from the 800-acre Steelport site to move forward with university and research AI data centres to be funded by the federal government.
This severance is scheduled to be heard at 9:35 a.m. Staff recommend approval of the land severance in accordance with provincial planning policies.
The Steelport severance for a future data centre will be covered more extensively in a separate story. This publication is awaiting the posting of final documents for this hearing.
There are 29 applications (not including Steelport) on the remainder of the June 4 meeting agenda.
A total of nine applications are recommended for denial, and seven are recommended for tabled. Two of the applicants have already agreed to table.
None of the applications for approval appear to be of broader city-wide interest at this meeting.
Staff comments referenced throughout this article are posted within the Committee of Adjustment agenda; they do not identify which staff member wrote or approved them.
Files Recommended for Denial
120 Park Street North, Hamilton (Ward 2)
The application seeks “to permit the conversion of an existing Duplex Dwelling into a Fourplex Dwelling and to also permit the construction of an Additional Dwelling Unit – Detached in the rear yard.”
This property is zoned D1 (Downtown Central Business District) and contains a vacant home that has been neglected for years. It is an urban blight and has been the site of numerous fires.
In staff comments, the City’s planning department states the function of the application is to add a detached additional dwelling unit to an existing duplex which already has two additional dwelling units.
Additionally, the proposed detached ADU lacks sufficient setbacks from neighbouring properties.
“Having regard for the matters under subsection 45(2) of the Planning Act, staff are not satisfied that the proposed establishment of a detached additional dwelling unit is desirable for the appropriate development of the subject lands and are of the opinion that it will adversely impact neighbouring properties. Based on the foregoing, staff recommend denial.”
1038 Garner Road West Unit 207, Ancaster
The application seeks to permit a Medical Clinic within this M3-Zone Prestige Business Park. Medical clinics are not permitted with M3 zoning. A medical clinic is not an employment use within the M3 Employment Area zone.
In staff comments, the City’s planning department states they “are of the opinion that the requested variance does not maintain the general intent and purpose of the Urban Hamilton Official Plan and Zoning By-law, is not desirable for the appropriate use of the land and is not minor in nature. Staff does not support the variance.”
“It is Staff’s opinion that a Zoning By-law Amendment application is the appropriate mechanism to facilitate the proposed development,” the comment continues.
120-126 Catharine Street South, Hamilton (Ward 2)
The application is seeking to permit a medical clinic in the E-3/S-524a (High Density Multiple Dwellings District) zoned property. This is not a permitted use.
Medical clinics are required to have access to an arterial road and be adjacent to other local commercial uses. In staff comments, City staff note that the subject property does not have direct access to an arterial road and is not adjacent to local commercial uses.
970 Garth Street, Hamilton (Ward 14)
This is an application to permit an Additional Dwelling Unit – Detached within the rear yard of an Existing Single Detached Dwelling. It was originally tabled at the May 8, 2025, Committee of Adjustment hearing and was tabled again at the March 5, 2026, Committee of Adjustment hearing.
The latest revision includes a reduced height of 7.0 metres.
In staff comments, the City’s development planning department recommends denial due to non-conformity to the City’s drainage requirements.
1058 Highway No. 8, Flamborough (Ward 13)
This is an application described as “to permit the conveyance of a surplus dwelling lot and to retain a parcel of land for agricultural purposes. Existing structures to remain.”
It was previously tabled.
In staff comments, the City’s source water protection staff state “severed lot area of 0.623 hectare does not conform to the private servicing policies of the Rural Hamilton Official Plan.”
The City requires a minimum of 1 hectare for the required private wastewater servicing.
187 Rosslyn Avenue North, Hamilton (Ward 3)
This is an application to “permit the construction of an addition to the existing dwelling.”
In staff comments, City planning staff note the proposal is to build directly to the north property line, whereas the City’s zoning requires a setback of 0.9 metres. This is the reason for the denial recommendation.
17 Napier Street North, Dundas (Ward 13)
This is an application “to permit the reconstruction and expansion of a legal non-conforming Single Detached Dwelling and to establish a new Additional Dwelling Unit.”
In staff comments, City planning staff note the applicant seeks “A minimum rear yard setback of 3.7 metres shall be permitted instead of the minimum 7.5 metres required,” and note this leaves inadequate amenity space.
The addition will also “impact” a mature tree. “The proposed variance represents an over-development of the subject lands,” the staff comment states.
174 Stanley Avenue, Hamilton (Ward 1)
This is an application to construct an accessory building.
In staff comments, City development engineering staff recommend denial because of drainage pattern concerns. “The proposed rear yard setback of 0.30m does not meet the minimum width of 0.90m required to construct a drainage swale (0.15m depth minimum, 3:1 maximum side slopes). Therefore, we recommend that Minor Variance #2 be denied,” reads the comment.
132 Tope Crescent, Hamilton (Ward 1)
This is an application “to construct an addition and to establish two (2) Secondary Dwelling Units within an existing Single Family Dwelling” on a small side street that runs under King Street West directly beside Highway 403.
In staff comments, City planning staff recommend denial due to a lack of parking spaces. The owner is proposing three spaces, staff state four should be required. One of the proposed parking spaces “will conflict with an existing fire hydrant that is either in front of or in close proximity to parking space 3.”
Files Recommended for Tabling
1290 South Service Road, Stoney Creek (Ward 10)
Tabled – the applicant has agreed to additional time for discussions with City staff.
In 2022, the owner of this property, located just west of Winona Costco and directly south of the QEW highway, submitted a proposal for the site that proposed 258 stacked townhouse units and an anchor 28-storey tall building with 266 residential units.
This 2026 minor variance application proposes to only build Stacked Townhouse buildings on the site. The proposal submitted to CofA is for “11 Stacked Townhouse buildings containing 360 residential units, two Mixed-Use buildings containing 32 residential units, and one Commercial building; in total, the development proposes 392 residential units and 1,900 square metres of commercial floor area.”
Market data shows people are purchasing Stacked Townhouses and are not seeking tall building condos.
1025 Wilson Street West, Ancaster (Ward 12)
Tabled – the applicant has agreed to additional time for discussions with City staff.
This application involves a second set of variances to permit a new four-storey Medical Building. The City’s Acting Director of Planning and Chief Planner implemented a zoning modification on May 23, 2024, in a non-public “Official Plan Policy Interpretation,” to permit an overnight stay medical facility on the property.
The City of Hamilton has refused to release the memo, and does not publicly post official plan policy interpretations changes. The City’s freedom of information office continues to claim it cannot process applications due to the City’s February 2024 cybersecurity failure.
In July 2022, the Committee of Adjustment approved the minor variances for the property.
The new application seeks to further change those variances.
75-85 Kenilworth Avenue North, Hamilton (Ward 4)
Recommended for Tabling.
The application states it is “to permit the conveyance of a parcel of land known municipally as 79/81 Kenilworth Avenue North, and to retain parcels of land known municipally as 75/77 Kenilworth Avenue North, and 83/85 Kenilworth Avenue North. The existing four-unit multifamily dwellings will remain. These properties inadvertently merged in title and the owner wishes to recreate the three original lots.”
In staff comments, the City’s planning department states the “existing fourplex dwellings located on the lands to be severed and retained are not permitted and do not comply with the applicable Mixed Use Medium Density policies of the Urban Hamilton Official Plan.”
22 Lydia Street, Hamilton (Ward 4)
Recommended for Tabling.
The application is “to facilitate the construction of an accessory building located in the Rear Yard on a lot containing a Single-Detached Dwelling.”
In staff comments, the City’s planning department states they “note that there are several conflicts between the variances being requested, the information contained in the application form, and the Minor Variance Sketch provided.”
Staff state they wish to meet with the applicant to discuss these issues.
133 Eaglewood Drive, Hamilton (Ward 6)
Recommended for Tabling.
The application is “to permit the construction of a rear addition to an existing Single Family Dwelling.”
In staff comments, the City’s planning department states “the applicant has not provided information that demonstrates the nature of the rear addition including the proposed height and its intended use, or whether it is enclosed or an overhang.”
Staff state they wish to meet with the applicant to discuss these issues.
600 Pritchard Road, Hamilton (Ward 6)
Recommended for Tabling.
The application is to sever lands zoned M3-370 (Prestige Business Park) to permit a 9.98 acre portion of the site to be used to build a new campus for the Living Hope Christian Assembly.
In staff comments, the City’s planning department state a number of areas of concern and seek tabling to discuss with the applicant.
256 King Street West, Dundas (Ward 13)
Recommended for Tabling.
This application is “To permit the construction of an Additional Dwelling Unit – Detached and Accessory Building (Garage) within the Rear Yard of an existing Dwelling” within a C2 (Neighbourhood Commercial) area.
In staff comments, the City’s planning department state a number of areas of concern and seek tabling to discuss with the applicant. The primary concern is stormwater runoff in the flooding-prone Dundas Valley.
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Published: June 1, 2026
Last updated: June 1, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
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