City Council Meeting Recap: June 16, 2026

- Jun 17, 2026

The following is a recap of the City of St. John's Regular Council Meeting on June 16, 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. 

Council Meeting Video, Agenda & Documents

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:

 

Video of Development Applications Discussion

Council was asked to approve relief from one required parking space at 84 Larkall Street to accommodate a second subsidiary dwelling unit. The property currently has two spaces, while three are required under regulations. The applicant requested the reduction due to nearby transit and amenities. Although a Parking Report is typically required, staff advised that Council may consider the request based on this report instead.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve repairs to the foundation of an existing non-conforming dwelling at 815 Thorburn Road. The property is zoned Watershed, and the dwelling is a longstanding non-conforming use. The proposed work involves replacing the existing cinder block foundation with poured concrete, with no changes to the building’s footprint. Council approval is required under the Development Regulations for any modifications to a non-conforming structure.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve a Discretionary Use application for a single detached dwelling at 132A Old Bay Bulls Road. The proposed dwelling meets Agriculture Zone standards, and provincial approval has been received. Council must also set zone standards for the remaining agricultural land, and no public submissions were received.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to set a side yard setback for a single detached dwelling associated with an agricultural use, following a revised site plan. The proposed minimum side yard of 6 metres aligns with standards for unserviced lots.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve a reduction to the required parking lot buffer at 660 Torbay Road as part of a gas station and car wash redevelopment. The proposed buffer would be reduced from 3 metres to 1.2 metres along the rear lot line, with a privacy fence included, due to site constraints such as underground tanks and vehicle movement, and because the adjacent property is also commercial.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve a change of non-conforming use at 227 Empire Avenue from a restaurant to a restaurant with a small retail component for grocery items. The business will operate within a 70 m² space, maintain set hours, and includes off-street parking. The site is zoned Residential 3, and two submissions were received in support of the application.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve a variance to reduce the required side yard setback at 12 Shaw Street for a single detached dwelling. The applicant requested a 6.7% reduction (from 6 metres to 5.6 metres), which is within allowable limits. One public submission was received, raising concerns about tree protection, though this falls outside City authority on private property.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve relief from one required parking space at 9 Blackall Place to allow for a backyard suite. The property currently has two spaces for the existing dwelling units, and the applicant requested an additional space be waived due to nearby transit and amenities. Staff noted that while a Parking Report is usually required, Council may consider the request based on this report.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve a Discretionary Use application at 415 Fowler’s Road for heavy equipment storage and a vehicle storage yard, including a new building and outdoor storage areas. The proposal updates a previously approved use with changes to building location and size, requiring readvertising. The site is within a Protected Road zone and also requires provincial approval, and one supporting submission was received.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to approve the names Brookfield Place and Grouse Road for two new streets created as part of the Team Gushue Highway extension, replacing sections of Brookfield Road. The names were selected from the approved inventory and require final Council approval.

Decision: Motion carried 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 application was reviewed at the meeting:

View Video of Planning Applications Discussion

Council was asked to consider an amendment to the Development Regulations to introduce and permit a new “Harbour Use” in the Industrial General Zone, including within floodplains and buffers. The change would support the continued operation and future expansion of marine industrial activities around St. John’s Harbour, including the redevelopment of the dockyard, and aligns with Municipal Plan policies.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to consider an amendment to the Development Regulations to clarify how buffers apply to waterways and tributaries. The proposed change would ensure buffers end at culverts or bridges where waterways flow underground, while maintaining protection in areas with flood risk, aligning with Municipal Plan policies.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to adopt Amendment 82, 2026 to rezone 69 Military Road from Residential Downtown to Residential Mixed to allow a bakery and restaurant. The proposal would convert part of the existing building to residential use while introducing a bakery/deli, aligns with Municipal Plan policies, and received mostly supportive public feedback.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Council was asked to proceed with the final steps to adopt Municipal Plan Amendment 17, 2026 and Development Regulations Amendment 52, 2026 to enable semi-detached dwellings at 55 Groves Road. The proposal would rezone the land for residential use, and while the commissioner recommended approval following a public hearing, staff supported approval but not the additional conditions suggested, noting they fall outside the scope of the amendments.

Having received requests to postpone the vote until Councillor Davis returns to Council duty, including a petition tabled at the regular meeting, Council voted to defer their vote until the regular meeting of July 14, 2026.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Ratification of E-Polls:

Sometimes, City Council needs to make decisions quickly—before the next regular meeting. When that happens, members can vote electronically. This is called an E-Poll. At the next official council meeting, those decisions are brought forward and formally approved, or ratified, to make them part of the official public record.

Council ratified the following e-poll at the meeting:

Approval of New Street Names in the Heavy Tree Road Area

Council was asked to approve the names Starling Place and Finch Garden Place for two new streets replacing a section of Heavy Tree Road affected by the Team Gushue Highway extension. The names were selected from the approved inventory and require final Council approval.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Policies for Rescission

Council was asked to approve the rescission of several outdated or redundant corporate policies identified through a comprehensive review. The review confirmed these policies are no longer needed, as their subject matter is now addressed through other policies, legislation, or operational practices, and removing them would improve clarity and reduce duplication.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Access and Restrictions and Acquisitions Policies

Council was asked to adopt an updated Access and Restrictions Policy and a new Acquisitions Policy for the City Archives. The updates clarify how records are accessed and restricted, outline criteria for acquiring and preserving records, and support a more consistent and transparent approach aligned with legislative requirements.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Travel Authorization: EUCG Thematic Cluster Workshop

Council approved travel for the City Manager to attend the EU Cities Gateway Program meeting and workshop in Germany from June 29 to July 3. The event focuses on advancing collaboration on digitalization and urban innovation among partner cities and setting future priorities for the program.

Exterior Repairs: 200 Military Road

Council was asked to approve exterior repairs to the Basilica Cathedral at 200 Military Road, including replacing copper shingles on the west belltower roof and installing new wooden louvers. The work maintains the building’s heritage character, meets design standards, and supports preservation of the designated heritage site.

Decision: Motion carried unanimously.

Special Events Regulatory Committee

Council approved the following by-law exemptions for the George Street Association's Canada Day celebrations:

  • Noise by-law extended to midnight.
  • Alcohol sales permitted until 3 a.m.

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 3 and June 10.

Tenders

A list of contracts awarded from May 12 to June 8 was shared for Council’s information.

Proclamations

The below proclamation took place at the meeting. All proclamations are also shared on our website.

Mayor Danny Breen and Iryna Nazarenko

Mayor Danny Breen was joined by Association for New Canadians client Iryna Nazarenko to proclaim June 20, 2026, as World Refugee Day.

Also in attendance were St. John’s Local Immigration Partnership Coordinator Glen Paul; Association for New Canadians clients Salim Redouane and Mahasien Sawar; and Association for New Canadians staff members Hussein Bani Asad and Barry Rowe.

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