Barrie councillors have delayed a decision on a proposed planning overhaul for the Allandale Waterfront GO station area that aims to fast-track development approvals and support higher-density housing near transit.
The proposal would create a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) for the Allandale area, replacing the existing zoning framework and consolidating planning approvals into a single process as part of the city’s federal housing commitments.
The Allandale area is designated as a Major Transit Station Area, where provincial policy encourages higher-density development, targeting a minimum of 150 residents and jobs per hectare. The proposal would allow for mixed-use buildings ranging from 12 to 25 storeys in some parts of the district.
A staff report to general committee warned that failing to implement the CPPS could affect Barrie’s ability to meet Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) obligations tied to future federal funding from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Staff say the CPPS is one of the city’s required actions under its HAF agreement and is linked to future funding installments. It also proposes a maximum 45-day review timeline for development applications in the area.
Under the system, staff would be delegated authority to approve Class 1 and Class 2 permits, removing those decisions from council and streamlining the approval process. Public meetings would not be required for those application classes, though decisions could still be escalated to council at staff discretion.
While Ward 8 Coun. Jim Harris was absent from Wednesday’s meeting, Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson said staff were still working through details of the proposal.
“It just allows them a little bit more time and them to get this right the first time,” he said.
The next general committee meeting where councillors can consider the staff report is June 3.
This map provided by the City of Barrie shows the Allandale Major Transit Station Area and the proposed Community Planning Permit System boundary.
At a public meeting during an Affordability Committee session on March 11, city staff said future development would be designed to remain sensitive to the historic context of the neighbourhood.
For individual heritage properties outside the neighbourhood designation, staff say those would continue to be addressed through processes under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Bob Lehman, a planning consultant representing the Allandale Neighbourhood Association, said he supports the city’s general approach to updating planning rules in the area and believes it could help preserve its heritage character.
However, he raised concerns about tree protection, saying the bylaw does not address cases where trees are removed prior to a development application being submitted.
Lehman suggested the city could consider a separate bylaw regulating tree removal on private property and proposed Allandale as a potential pilot area for such an approach.
Any decision made on June 3 would still require approval at a future City council meeting before the changes could take effect.
