Council was asked to approve a 9% variance to the Accessory Building Area requirements for a proposed accessory building at 444 Maddox Cove Road. The applicant is seeking approval for a building with an area of 179.86 m², which exceeds the maximum permitted area under the St. John’s Development Regulations. Section 7.4 allows Council to grant variances of up to 10%, provided the cumulative effect of all variances on the property does not exceed 10%.
Public notice was provided to adjacent property owners, posted on the City website, and displayed at City Hall and the City Hall Annex. No comments or objections were received.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
City Council Meeting Recap - August 25, 2026
The following is a recap of the City of St. John's Regular Council Meeting on August 25, 2026. The recap 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.
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:
Variance for Accessory Building Area: 444 Maddox Cove Road
Discretionary Use: 99 New Cove Road
Council was asked to consider a change of Non-Conforming Use at 99 New Cove Road, from a retail use to a bakery. The proposed bakery would occupy 76.5 m², operate Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and function on an order-fulfillment basis with online ordering and delivery only, with no public storefront. On-site parking would be provided.
The property is zoned Residential 1 (R1). Five public submissions were received, with four supporting the application. The one submission in opposition expressed a preference for the property to remain a convenience store, while a supporter raised concerns about potential noise from a commercial kitchen exhaust fan.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
Discretionary Use: 50 Mundy Pond Road
Council was asked to consider a Discretionary Use application by Morgan Enterprises Limited to expand the existing medical clinic at 50 Mundy Pond Road. The proposed expansion would add 381 m² of floor area, bringing the total clinic size to 2,473 m². The clinic's hours of operation would remain unchanged, operating Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with parking provided on-site.
The property is zoned Industrial Commercial (IC). No public submissions were received regarding the application.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
Request for Parking Relief: 65 Gleneyre Street
Council was asked to consider a request to waive one parking space requirement for a second subsidiary dwelling unit at 65 Gleneyre Street. The property currently has four stacked parking spaces, and the applicant is seeking relief from the requirement for one additional space, citing the existing driveway capacity as well as the property's proximity to transit routes and amenities.
Under the Envision St. John’s Development Regulations, one parking space is required for each dwelling unit. While a Parking Report is typically required when a different number of spaces is proposed, Council may accept a staff report in situations where it determines a Parking Report is not necessary.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
Discretionary Use: 167 Bay Bulls Road
Council was asked to consider a change of Non-Conforming Use application for 167 Bay Bulls Road to revise the operating hours of an existing restaurant. The proposed hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, replacing the current approved hours of 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays. The restaurant would maintain a floor area of 90 m², with on-site parking provided.
The property is zoned Commercial Neighbourhood (CN). One public submission was received in support of the application, encouraging more development of this type in the area.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
Report on Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal 2025
Council were asked to adopt the 2025 Executive Summary Report on Revenue and Expenditure, which reports an operating cash surplus of $6.7 million on an adjusted budget of $378.2 million. The surplus represents 1.8 per cent of the City’s annual operating budget. The report, which is presented using the same cash-based accounting method used to prepare the City’s budget, provides an overview of how revenues and expenditures compared to budget expectations in 2025.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
Ratification of Collective Agreement Between City of St. John’s and CUPE Local 569
Council were asked to ratify the negotiated collective agreement between the City of St. John’s and
CUPE Local 569.
In addition to several language changes that will create operational efficiencies, the agreement includes the following wage increases over the next four years:
- July 1, 2026 – 4%
- July 1, 2027 – 2.25%
- July 1, 2028 – 3.25%
- July 1, 2029 – 3.5%
Employees will also receive a $1,000 signing bonus.
Decision: Motion carried 8-2, with Councillor Davis and Halley voting against.
Observance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: September 30, 2026
Council was asked to approve the City’s observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2026. The observance would align with both the federal and provincial governments and result in the closure of municipal buildings and facilities, with services suspended for the day.
Since 2021, September 30 has been recognized by the federal government as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. While it is not a statutory holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial government has included it among the holidays it will observe in 2026. The City is also planning educational and awareness initiatives for employees to honour residential school survivors, their families, and Indigenous communities.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
Special Events Regulatory Committee
Council was asked to approve road closures for the following events in September:
-
Uniformed Services Run/Provincial Marathon (September 13)
- Start/finish at Bowring Park.
- Temporary lane restrictions and road closures required for runner safety.
- Closures include portions of Squires Avenue, Waterford Heights North, Waterfordbridge Road, Southside Road, and Waterford Lane.
- Roads will reopen after the last runners have passed.
-
Gower Street Block Party (September 13, rain date September 20)
- Community event organized by area churches.
- Proposed closure of Gower Street between Cathedral Street and Church Hill from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Volunteers will manage barricades.
-
Kerry Street Block Party (September 19, rain date September 20)
- Community event organized by local residents.
- Proposed closure of Kerry Street between Argyle Street and Portugal Cove Road from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Volunteers will manage barricades, with local and emergency access maintained.
-
Battle of Britain Parade and Ceremony (September 20)
- Rolling and full road closures required for the parade and ceremony.
- Closures will affect Church Hill, Gower Street, Duckworth Street, Water Street, Cochrane Street, and the National War Memorial area.
- Traffic control will be managed by the RNC and Military Police.
-
Terry Fox Run (September 20)
- Event route around Quidi Vidi Lake.
- Proposed closure of Clancey Drive and Lakeview Avenue from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to accommodate participants.
Decision: Motion carried unanimously.
Information Notes & Sharing
This section includes items presented to Council for information only. These items do not require a decision or action from Council but are shared to provide updates and keep Council and the public informed.
Interpret Zone Lines: 105 Messenger Drive
An interpretation of zoning boundaries at 105 Messenger Drive to reflect the removal of a previously protected wetland designation was shared with Council. The property, owned by Bristol Development Inc., is largely zoned Open Space (O) with a small portion zoned Commercial Kenmount (CK), and the owner has expressed interest in future commercial development.
A recent City wetland assessment determined that the wetland on and adjacent to the property did not rank highly enough to remain a protected wetland. Staff reviewed the site and determined there is no ongoing need for the land to remain designated as Open Space, apart from the former wetland protection. The stream and associated 1:100-year floodplain and 15-metre buffer will continue to be protected from development.
Under the Development Regulations, zone boundaries that follow a watercourse are deemed to follow that feature. As a result, the Chief Municipal Planner has interpreted the boundary between the Commercial Kenmount (CK) and Open Space (O) zones to follow the stream's floodplain buffer, allowing more of the property to be considered for future commercial use. Corresponding amendments will be made to the Municipal Plan.
Staff also noted broader issues with outdated Regional Plan mapping in the Yellow Marsh area and indicated a future report will recommend mapping changes to better align Regional Plan designations with current municipal planning policies and zoning.
Interpret Zone Lines: 245 Forest Road
An interpretation of zoning boundaries at 245 Forest Road to support future affordable housing development on City-owned land was shared with Council. The property has been identified as a potential affordable housing site under the City's Housing Accelerator Fund initiatives and is currently split between the Residential 1 (R1) and Open Space (O) zones.
Staff recommended adjusting the boundary between the two zones to follow an existing access path that has been in place for decades and provides access to infrastructure behind 179 Forest Road. Interpreting the zone line in this way would add approximately 32 metres of frontage to the R1-zoned portion of the property, allowing for a more practical design for future housing, including parking and amenity space.
The change would still retain more than 77 metres of Open Space frontage along Forest Road and preserve views of Quidi Vidi Lake. Under the Development Regulations, zone boundaries may be interpreted to follow physical features such as paths or rights-of-way. The Chief Municipal Planner has therefore determined that the R1 zone should extend eastward to the point where the path intersects Forest Road, with the remaining land continuing to be zoned Open Space. Corresponding updates will be made to the Municipal Plan maps.
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 August 12 and August 19.
Tenders
A list of contracts awarded from July 21 to August 17 was shared for Council’s information.
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