Posted inNews

Hamilton City Council Special Planning Committee on Inclusionary Zoning and Section 37 Density Bonusing

by Joey Coleman

What is inclusionary zoning and how can it be implemented in Hamilton if Council chooses to use it as an affordable housing tool? What about Section 37, commonly called density bonusing, can it be used to create community facilities and benefits in exchange for allowing increased density and height in new developments?
Council will receive four presentations on these matters, including two from external experts.
Live video starts at 9:30am Tuesday.

Posted inCouncil Standing Committees, Videos

Hamilton Council Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee for May 9, 2016

by Joey Coleman

Council’s Audit, Finance, and Administration Committee will discuss primarily housekeeping items. Two items of note, the Freedom of Information office remains one of the worst in Canada, and Councillors will vote to ban Bondfield Construction Company Litd from bidding on City contracts for non-compliance of the City’s Fair Wage Policy.
Live video starts at 9:30am.

Posted inAdvisory and Sub-Committees, Planning and Development

Hamilton Council West Harbour Development Committee for May 5, 2016 [Urban Design Study Approval]

by Joey Coleman

Council’s West Harbour Development Committee approved the Piers 7 & 8 Urban Design Study during their May 5th meeting, pushing the plan forward to the May 17 Council Planning Committee meeting.
Numerous delegations presented to the Committee, the tensions between different resident viewpoints were apparent, and in a surprise motion, the Committee voted to recommend funding the Waterfront Trust to assist with development work.
Full video replay.

Posted inCity Council Meetings, Videos

Hamilton City Council GIC for May 4, 2016

by Joey Coleman

City Council meets in Committee of the Whole today to discuss a motion to fund poverty initiatives by an extra $5-million per year, the 2015 City Manager’s Performance Review, splitting the fiasco factory known as the Public Works Department, a motion to renegotiate the lease of the airport, governance of DARTS, six closed session items, and more.
Live video starts at 9:30 a.m.

Posted inPlanning and Development, Videos

Public Meeting on Pier 7/8 Urban Design Draws Over 200 Residents [Full Replay of Mtg]

by Joey Coleman

Over 200 residents attended the public information session on the West Harbour Piers 7 and 8 Urban Design Study which proposes to add 110,000 sq ft of new residential and thousands of more square feet in commercial uses.
The Urban Design Study, unveiled last Wednesday, will be considered by City Council’s West Harbour development sub-committee on Thursday and will be debated by Council’s Planning Committee on May 17.
Monday evening’s public meeting was the only public information session following the release of the study, coming after over a year of public meetings and consultations on the proposed development.

Posted inAdvisory and Sub-Committees, Videos

Hamilton Council Governance (Accountability and Transparency) Committee for May 2, 2016

by Joey Coleman

Council’s “Accountability and Transparency” Committee – now called the Governance Committee – meets to discuss the latest misbehaviour of Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, review increasing their discretionary ward budgets, create a new policy for proclamations by City Council, and create a draft meeting schedule for all Council meetings in 2017.
Live video at 1pm.