The fear that Peterborough residents “will lose their voice” in the city’s consideration of development applications was expressed during a public open house held Wednesday night (September 17) at the Miskin Law Community Complex.
The statutory open house, required under the Planning Act and hosted by Dillon Consulting, was held to provide information about the proposed Community Planning Permit System (CPPS). If adopted by the city, the land use planning tool would replace the current comprehensive zoning by-law, combining zoning by-law amendments, minor variances, and site plan applications into a singular application and plan approval process.
During her slide show presentation of the CPPS planning tool, Dillon Consulting senior planner and project manager Justine Giancola was interrupted more than once by attendees upset over Peterborough city council’s recent approval of a zoning by-law amendment that clears the way for TVM Group to build a 17-storey residential high-rise on Hunter Street in East City. The plan originally submitted by the developer called for a 10-storey building.
If that wasn’t enough to fire up some in her audience, as first reported Wednesday by kawarthaNOW, Ashburnham Realty is now seeking to build a 17-storey residential high-rise on Crescent Street near the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
The local developer had originally filed an application for official plan and zoning by-law amendments allowing a 15-storey building. The revised development plan will be the subject of a public open house on September 23, 6 to 8 p.m., at the art gallery.
On each table at the open house was a one-page plea, written anonymously, urging “Stop high-rise development along the Crescent Street waterfront.”
“Let’s put people before profit. We advocate for smaller, more genteel and harmonious design that respects the waterfront and does not obliterate it,” the note read in part.
Former city councillor Ann Farquharson was one of the attendees at the open house who reflected the concern that the CPPS is oriented towards developers.
“Clearly this is going to make the process easier for developers,” said Farquharson, who sat at a table with city councillors Alex Bierk, Keith Riel, and Joy Lachica — three of the four councillors who voted against the zoning by-law amendment that clears the way for TVM Group’s 17-storey building in East City.
“They (city planning staff) are going to be more permissive with developers,” she added. “People are going to lose their voice. More decisions will be made by staff without (city) council oversight. The benefits to the community are minimal to nil. This is entirely development benefiting.”
“This is Peterborough. It is not Manhattan. It is not downtown Toronto, nor do we want it to be.”
For her part, Giancola reminded her audience that the open house was being held to present information about the CPPS, not debate past approval of developments. She clarified that point for kawarthaNOW after the meeting.
“We have not been part of any development applications within the city, so I really can’t speak to any of that history,” she said of Dillon Consulting’s role. “We’ve been hired to work on a Community Planning Permit System for the city; to look at how we regulate development approvals going forward.”
As she outlined to the audience, the purpose of the open house was to present a draft official plan amendment to update policies related to six so-called strategic growth areas in the city and enable the corresponding CPPS.
The purpose of the proposed official plan amendment is four-fold: to implement city council’s April 28, 2025 motion to remove building height restrictions and angular plane requirements within the strategic growth areas; to update the vision of, and objectives for, strategic growth areas; to update policies that allow for alternative measures to reduce parking demand, including car share and cash in lieu of parking policies; and to enable a city-wide CPPS.
The intent of the open house was to provide residents with the opportunity learn more about the draft official plan amendment and provide input before the matter is considered by city council sitting as general committee. That public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 27 in the city council chambers.
Prior to the CPPS being adopted, city council must first adopt policies that enable it within the framework of its official plan. The proposed official plan amendment doesn’t include a recommended CPPS. Rather, it allows for the CPPS to be put forward at a later date — most likely in spring 2026 — when a CPPS by-law will be presented for city council approval.
One of those who will have a say in how all this plays out is councillor Alex Bierk who, along with councillor Joy Lachica, represents Town Ward that encompasses downtown Peterborough. He told kawarthaNOW that his takeaway from the open house was “the clear feeling from the public that their voices are not being heard” when it comes to the consideration of development proposals put before city council.
“I’m interested in what changes we can make so that there’s more public input,” he said.
“The CPPS is built upon consultation. It’s important to me how that consultation is done. I think it has to be more than just a public meeting where we expect people to show up. We need to go those strategic growth areas (to conduct consultation). There are different frameworks for what any concerns will be in those areas.”
“I voted I favour of the CPPS because it allows growth to happen by cutting out the red tape, as long as developers follow the rules that are set in the plan. The plan is based largely upon consultation. In a perfect world, the community’s voices would be heard, loud and clear, within the plan.
“In building the plan, it’s very important that the consultant meet communities where they’re at, and very important that residents in those areas show up to create a vision for their neighbourhood is going to look like.”
Asked to respond to a widely held belief that city council is pro-developer at the expense of legitimate resident concerns over the scope of recently approved developments, such as the TVM build in East City, councillor Bierk agreed that perception isn’t without merit.
“The decisions that council has made this term have mostly placated the development community. It’s like a game of The Price Is Right — ‘Walk up to council, spin the wheel … what do you want?’ instead of listening to the voices of numerous community members who are showing up and voicing valid concerns over how development is being done in their neighbourhoods.”
“The decision to allow (TVM Group’s 17-storey building) in East City is groundbreaking. It will, unfortunately, change the way development happens in the city from this day forward. I thinks we’re at a crossroads politically. A lot of people feel their voices aren’t being heard. A lot of people are talking about what the 2026 (municipal) election will look like. The turn-out tonight shows that people want to be involved in the process around how (development) decisions are being made.”
For her part, Farquharson argues there are controls over development in place. The issue, she says, is they are being bypassed as part of the process that sees city staff recommendations go before city council for its approval of applications.
“The official plan might have to be changed in terms of regulations that the province wants, but there’s no need to amend the official plan as far as (building) height restrictions or angular planes. That doesn’t have to be part of it.”
Speaking to the Ashburnham Realty development on Crescent Street, Farquharson said she just found Tuesday out about the developer’s plan to increase its height to 17 storeys.
“If the official plan is not amended, I believe the maximum (allowed) would be 10 storeys,” said Farquharson, adding “If it’s amended, it could be 25 storeys. The sky’s the limit.”
“The precedent of 90 Hunter Street East (the TVM building) has said to other developers ‘Well, they’ve set a precedent, so we’ll get 17.’ Right now, the developer isn’t permitted to get 17 storeys on Crescent Street, but if this (the official plan amendment and CPPS adoption) happens, they likely will.”
“The misapplication of the (current) guidelines, the zoning by-laws, and urban design guidelines is happening because we have a pro-developer city council and mayor. What’s going to happen a year from now (with the municipal election) could be a very different thing, but right now that’s the case.”
Asked if she fears for the future of the city, Farquharson answered quickly.
“Very, very much so. We can facilitate housing, and diverse housing, all over this city. There are empty lots and vacant lands everywhere. We don’t have to have 17-storey buildings. We’re not helping those in the greatest need of housing. But developers, naturally, want to make more money — the higher they go, the more money they can make.”
“Development’s important, but it’s got to be good development, appropriate development — development that enhances our community and our neighbourhoods. A lot of damage can be done in the next year. We need to stay vigilant.”
In the face of what Giancola heard from open house attendees, Farquharson included, she point out she’s heard good things from other Ontario municipalities, such as Huntsville, Brampton and Gananoque, that have put adopted a CPPS.
“Through my conversations (with Huntsville planning manager Richard Clark), it has been huge in terms of streamlining approvals,” Giancola said of the CPPS in that municipality. “Having one framework, one set of rules and process … to have a single application and single approval.”
“The traditional process that we have to regulate land use has a number of challenges and constraints that I think the city is feeling, along with perhaps everyone in this room,” Giancola added. “This (CPPS) will not be a silver bullet. This will not fix everything. However, we think it’s a better system for the city to help manage growth and development that continues to be planned for.”
VIDEO: September 17, 2025 public open house
