The City is looking to wrap 173 utility boxes in the Downtown and major commercial areas with the works of local artists or stories of area heritage as an anti-graffiti measure.
Posted inPlanning and Development
Hamilton City Hall Wins Legal Battle to Charge Full Development Charges Against Laneway Housing
The Owner of Hamilton’s First Laneway House Discovers that City Hall Rhetoric Is Meaningless as City Charges Full Development Charges and Parkland Fees.
Posted inPlanning and Development
Public Comments Open for First Legal Cannabis Application in Hamilton
Canna Cabana is planning to open their location, one of seven stores authorized for all of the “West Region” of Southern Ontario, at the Centre on Barton near to the intersection of Barton Street East and Kenilworth Avenue North.
Posted inTPR LinkBlog
Suggested Reading: Chicago's Two-Flats (Duplexes) Are Threatened, from Block Club Chicago
An interesting read from Block Club Chicago discussing the city’s unique style of multi-family housing known as “two-flats” which serve a similar function to Hamilton’s duplexes. Unlike Hamilton’s duplexes, the Two-Flats were built to have an owner occupied section and a separate rental apartment. Much like Hamilton’s duplexes, Chicago’s Two-Flats are increasingly being converted into […]
Posted inOntario Land Tribunal
City Wants Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan Brought into Force and Affect
There are three appeals, one of which the City is seeking to strike. The other two appeals are site specific appeals. One related to prohibitions on any new shadows onto Prince’s Square park in front of the Old Wentworth County Courthouse, and the other is a site specific appeal against the height limit.
The City is asking for the DTSP to be brought into force and effect for the remainder of the Downtown area.
Posted inColeman's Notes
Coleman's Notes: The People Lose Their Only Planning Appeal Support With Premier Ford's Closing of the Local Planning Appeal Support Centre
The LPASC closure comes at a time that Ontario’s planning appeal framework is in a state of flux, with the new Local Appeal Planning Tribunal (LPAT) which replaced the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) unsure if its authorities, requesting the Ontario Superior Court’s Divisional Court rule on a legal interpretation of LPAT’s governing legislation.
Posted inColeman's Notes
Coleman's Notes: Watching the LPAT at Divisional Court to Figure Out How The LPAT Will Work
Nobody knows how the new Ontario land use planning and municipal decision making appeal framework works, not even the new Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.On April 24 and 25th, in a courtroom at Osgoode Hall, the Ontario Divisional Court will rule on how LPAT will operate
Posted inCity Hall News
Hamilton City Council takes Advantage of Change to Municipal Act Allowing Secret Email Meetings
Old City Council discussion by email to fill the 2018 Ward 7 vacancy with our of their former City of Hamilton Alderman colleagues. Changes to the Ontario Municipal Act now allow Council to meet in secret by email.
Posted inHamOnt Media Tracker
CHCH Coverage of Hamilton's Opioid Crisis
Almost lost in the shuffle of City Hall scandals is that Hamilton’s opioid crisis worsened in February, CHCH ran a two-and-a-half minute report on Friday in which CHCH reveals: “In the first few weeks of February, Hamilton had 61 opioid-related emergencies, more than any month since September 2017. “
Posted inCity Hall
New Hamilton City Manager to Be Announced on March 20
The hiring committee held two illegal meetings, in contravention of the Municipal Act, on February 9 and February 23rd to decide their pick.
The full of Council must ratify the pick, and it’s not clear how many of the four Councillors who are consistently voting for transparency, accountability, and reform will support the pick.
The name may also leak in advance of the meeting.