City Council Meeting Recap: July 2, 2025
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The following is a recap of the City of St. John's Regular Council Meeting on July 2, 2025, which provides an overview of Council decisions. All related documents for the decisions outlined below and the full agenda from the meeting are available by clicking the button below.
Council Meeting Video, Agenda & Documents
Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans
Council reviewed What We Heard reports summarizing public input from Phase 2 engagement for the Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans. These neighbourhood plans will form part of the City’s Municipal Plan and reflect the vision and feedback shared by residents, businesses and interested parties.
Phase 2 engagement took place between April 23 and May 25, 2025. The process focused on gathering feedback on emerging strategies related to land use, intensification, mobility, parks, and the public realm. Engagement activities were delivered both online and in person, using a variety of outreach methods to encourage community participation.
Input gathered through this phase of engagement will be used to draft the Cowan Heights and University Area Neighbourhood Plans, which are scheduled for release in Fall 2025.
Development Applications:
Development applications are formal requests submitted to the City of St. John's by individuals, businesses, or developers seeking approval for projects that involve land use, building construction, or changes to property. These applications require council approvals and ensure that proposed developments comply with the City’s Envision St. John’s Development Regulations.
The following development applications were reviewed at the meeting:
Approval in Principle for an Institutional Use: 759 Empire Avenue |
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Council was asked to grant Approval in Principle for the residential component of an Institutional Use at 759 Empire Avenue. Eastern Gate Church has submitted an application to develop two buildings with a total of 22 affordable housing units on-site. The residential units will be owned and managed by the Church as part of their Institutional Use, which is permitted under the Institutional (INST) Zone. Preliminary review confirms the site can be serviced and accessed appropriately.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Warehouse and Office Use in the Watershed: 537 Thorburn Road |
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Council was asked to consider rejecting an application for a Warehouse and Office Use at 537 Thorburn Road, located within the Broad Cove Watershed and zoned Rural Residential (RR). The proposal includes a 557m² warehouse for storing cleaning and construction materials and a 468m² office area. While a warehouse is a discretionary use in the RR Zone, office use is not permitted. Given the site’s location within the protected watershed and the City’s longstanding policy to limit development in this area to protect water quality, it is recommended that the application not be approved.
Decision: Rejection approved unanimously. |
Establishment of the Building Line: 130 Shoal Bay Road |
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Council was asked to reject a proposed Building Line Setback at 130 Shoal Bay Road. The applicant wishes to subdivide the property to create a second lot but cannot meet the required 30 metres of frontage at the standard 6-metre Building Line. They propose setting the Building Line at 50.14 metres to achieve the necessary frontage, resulting in a flag-lot configuration and backlot development. This type of configuration poses challenges for municipal servicing, emergency access, and civic addressing. In line with Council’s 2021 direction against long, narrow accesses for new residential lots, staff recommend that the Building Line not be established, meaning subdivision would not be permitted.
Decision: Rejection approved. 5 voted for rejection; Councillors Noseworthy, Davis, and Ridgeley voted against. |
Rebuild of Non-Conforming Dwelling: 16 McKay Street |
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Council was asked to approve the demolition and rebuild of a non-conforming single detached dwelling at 16 McKay Street. The property does not meet minimum Lot Frontage, Side Yard setbacks, or Building Line requirements under the Residential 3 (R3) Zone. The proposed new dwelling would be built on the same footprint as the existing one and would not increase non-conformity. As per Section 7.5.3(a) of the Development Regulations, Council approval is required for any changes to non-conforming developments.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Request for Parking Relief: 2-12 Army Street |
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Council was asked to approve parking relief for one (1) space for a proposed four-plex by Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation at 2-12 Army Street. The development requires four parking spaces under the Development Regulations, but only three are proposed. The applicant explains the units are intended for transitional housing, where tenants are unlikely to own vehicles and typically rely on nearby public transit routes. As per Section 8.12, Council may approve the request without a formal Parking Report if satisfied with the staff recommendation, which supports the relief.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Request for Rear Yard Variance: 94-96 Forest Pond Road |
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Council was asked to approve a 10% variance on the rear yard setback at 94–96 Forest Pond Road to allow an extension to a single detached dwelling. The proposed setback is 5.4 metres, slightly below the 6-metre minimum required in the Residential Rural Infill (RRI) Zone. As permitted under Section 7.4 of the Development Regulations, the variance is within allowable limits. Notices were sent to neighbouring properties, and no objections were received.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Request for Parking Relief: 244 Ladysmith Drive |
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Council was asked to approve parking relief for one (1) space at 244 Ladysmith Drive, where a single detached dwelling with two subsidiary units is proposed. Development Regulations require three parking spaces, but the applicant is providing two. The applicant notes the property is near a bus route and suggests a second driveway could be added once Curlew Place is completed. As the request does not warrant a full Parking Report, Council may consider the staff report sufficient for decision-making.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Discretionary Use: 7 Chimo Place |
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Council was asked to consider rejecting a Discretionary Use application from Rockwise Medical to operate a family medical clinic as a home occupation at 7 Chimo Place. The clinic would occupy 43m² of the dwelling and operate weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with up to 20 clients per day and four at a time. The property is zoned Residential 1 (R1). Thirteen public submissions raised concerns about increased traffic, limited parking, safety, infrastructure strain, and impacts on neighbourhood character. Although the proposal meets minimum parking requirements, only two on-site spaces are available, which may not be adequate for the expected number of clients. The application meets general home occupation criteria, but increased traffic on the cul-de-sac could cause ongoing concerns. If approved, only hours and days of operation can be regulated—not the number of clients.
Decision: Rejection approved unanimously. |
Discretionary Use: 99 Pearltown Road |
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Council was asked to consider a Discretionary Use application for a 35m² extension to a Single Detached Dwelling at 99 Pearltown Road, located in the Agriculture (AG) Zone. Since the dwelling is not associated with an agricultural use, it is considered discretionary. A 0.7% variance is also requested for the side yard setback, reducing it slightly to 5.96 metres (minimum required is 6 metres). The Provincial Land Development Advisory Authority has approved the proposal, and no public submissions were received. The variance falls within the allowable 10% under Section 7.4 of the Development Regulations.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Zone Standards, Parking Relief, and Heritage Design: 30 Duckworth Street |
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Council was asked to set the Zone Standards and approve parking relief and heritage building elevations for a new mixed-use building at 30 Duckworth Street. The proposed building, submitted by B&G Holdings Inc., will feature office use on the main floor and residential units above. Located in the Commercial Downtown Mix (CDM) Zone within Heritage Area 2, Council must set zone standards for setbacks: east side yard 1.17m, west side yard 0.07m, and rear yard 1.7m. Parking relief is requested for one space, justified by the sole proprietor office tenant not requiring parking, with nearby on-street parking and public transit available. Staff recommend Council accept the staff report instead of requiring a parking or heritage report. The building elevations comply with Heritage By-Law standards, with final window details to be confirmed at the permit stage.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Planning Applications and Information:
A planning application is a formal request to amend the Envision St. John's Municipal Plan and/or City’s Envision St. John’s Development Regulations. This would include applications to rezone or change the text in the Municipal Plan or Development Regulations. An amendment can be initiated by city staff, City Council, or a property owner.
Active applications can be viewed on the Planning St. John's webpage, which allows the public to learn more about planning applications, track progress, give feedback and ask questions and view upcoming public meetings all in one place.
The following planning applications were reviewed at the meeting:
Map Amendment: Floodplains |
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Council was asked to consider a map amendment to Appendix C, Map 5 “Waterways and Flood Hazards” to incorporate the 100-Year Climate Change Flood Risk Maps from the approved 2023 Flood Risk Mapping Study by Stantec Consulting. The amendment updates floodplains and buffers on the map but does not change the Development Regulations text. Staff recommend public notification of the amendment, but a public meeting is not required since the changes reflect Council-approved flood risk data.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Text Amendment: Envision St. John’s Development Regulations |
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Council was asked to consider a text amendment to enable more residential uses across various zones and modify the size rules for Subsidiary Dwelling Units (SDUs) within Single Detached Dwellings. Key changes include:
These amendments aim to increase housing supply and variety while maintaining appropriate density. Allowing new housing types in the R1 and AG Zones supports flexibility and accommodates on-site accommodation for farm or forestry workers. Public consultation will occur via notification (no public meeting), consistent with Municipal Plan policies and CMHC’s Housing Accelerator Fund goals.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Amendment Adoption: 18 Campbell Avenue |
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Council was asked to adopt Development Regulations Amendment Number 59, 2025, to rezone 18 Campbell Avenue from Residential 2 (R2) to Residential 3 (R3) to allow development of two semi-detached dwellings on smaller lots. Key details:
If adopted, the amendment will be forwarded for provincial registration.
Decision: Approved unanimously. |
Approval Requested: Revised Records Retention and Disposition Schedule
Council was asked to approve the revised Records Retention and Disposition Schedule (RRDS), updating the original 2017 version to reflect current City operations and align with the new Records and Information Management Policy adopted in January 2024. The revision, developed with input from all operational divisions and reviewed by the City Solicitor, covers both paper and electronic records.
The updated RRDS aims to improve records organization, searchability, collaboration, workflow integration, compliance with retention and disposition requirements, cost efficiency, privacy, security, and legal risk management.
Decision: Approved unanimously.
Amendments to St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd. By-Laws
Council was asked to approve amendments to the by-laws of St. John’s Sports & Entertainment Ltd. Following a 2023 review, the SJSEL Board recommends updates that are primarily administrative, including modernizing language with updated pronouns and allowing the use of electronic polls. Council approval is required for these changes to take full legal effect.
Decision: Approved unanimously.
New Members: Youth Engagement Working Group
Council approved two new members, Cale Warren and Gabriella Nabakijje, for the Youth Engagement Working Group (YEWG). The group, which guides the City’s Youth Engagement Strategy, recently held an extended call for applicants to fill vacancies and ensure diverse representation of youth aged 18–30. Sixteen applications were reviewed, focusing on diversity, passion, and potential contribution to youth engagement. The recommended appointments aim to strengthen the group’s representation and effectiveness.
Report on Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal 2024
Council was asked to adopt the 2024 Executive Summary Report on Revenue and Expenditure, which presents the City’s financial results on a cash basis, aligned with the City’s adjusted budget. This report complements the previously adopted 2024 Audited Financial Statements, which uses accrual accounting.
Key financial highlights for 2024:
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Operating cash surplus of $5.77 million (1.6% of the $362 million adjusted budget).
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Revenues exceeded budget by $6.44 million (1.8%), driven by higher-than-expected accommodation and utility taxes, landfill fees, construction permits, rents, and interest on tax arrears, among others. Some revenues, such as grants in lieu of taxes and fines, were below budget.
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Expenditures exceeded the budget by $672,000 (0.2%), primarily due to higher costs in transportation (including snow clearing and road maintenance), environmental health, and protective services. Savings occurred in general government, parks and recreation, and environmental development.
Cumulative cash surplus as of December 31, 2024, stands at approximately $14.8 million after commitments for debt reduction and capital projects. Due to the risk of rising capital costs and the need to be able to respond to significant emergencies, staff recommend setting aside the surplus as a contingency fund.
Decision: Approved unanimously.
Tenders
A list of contracts awarded from May 28 to June 25 was shared for Council’s information.
Special Events Regulatory Committee
Council approved the following road closures and by-law exemptions related to four upcoming events:
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NL Folk Festival (July 11–13): Request to exempt park by-law to allow food and goods sales in Bannerman Park.
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Exeter Avenue Block Party (July 12): Road closure from 3:00pm–7:00pm near 4 Exeter Avenue, with volunteers managing barricades and local/emergency vehicle access maintained.
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Shea Heights Folk Festival (July 18–20): Temporary road closure on Lingear Avenue (July 19, 11:00am–5:00pm), traffic diverted; exemption requested for consumer fireworks (subject to fire ban), with approved site plan and safety measures.
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St. John’s Pride Parade (July 20, rain date July 27): Road closures from 7:00am–1:30pm along parade route downtown, local traffic allowed but no on-street parking; professional traffic control and parking enforcement engaged; exemption requested for food and goods sales in Bannerman Park.
Details on the road closures can be found in the decision note. An advisory will also be issued for all road closures prior to the event through the City's website to email subscribers and posted on social media.
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Permits Issued
Council was provided with a list of Development Permits and Building Permits issued since the last council meeting for their information.
Weekly Payment Vouchers
Council approved the weekly payment vouchers for the weeks ending June 18 and June 25.
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