The outcome of meetings between town staff and Transport Canada officials was made public after a request from Coun. Gary Burroughs.
With council’s approval of a new Glendale Secondary Plan, Burroughs has been vocal regarding his concerns about building heights.
Part of Glendale is under federal airport zoning regulations for the nearby Niagara District Airport, which means restrictions on how tall buildings can be.
Of particular concern is a proposal for four highrise buildings at White Oaks that would be 17, 18, 21 and 25 storeys, respectively.
In a past interview, Burroughs told The Lake Report that Transport Canada was clear about not granting any height exemptions to buildings that exceed the limit.
During Tuesday’s committee of the whole planning meeting, council members accepted an information package from the staff meeting with Transport Canada and NAV Canada in October, as well as a follow up meeting with Transport Canada on Dec. 10.
Burroughs, who was present at the October meeting, said the information will help both residents and planners understand the status of the building heights.
The information package outlined the exemption process that was discussed during the December meeting.
Individual exemption applications would only be communicated with the applicant, the package said.
Transport Canada has offered to arrange a meeting with experts from the province to discuss the zoning regulation review process further.
The package concluded that staff are working to continue the discussion with both NAV Canada and Transport Canada and will update council “as appropriate.”
The Lake Report reached out to Transport Canada for comment and received confirmation that staff are still working closely with the town.
“Transport Canada has been in contact with the building proponent and continues to work closely with them,” senior communications advisor Hicham Ayoun said in an email.
Dan Pilon, CEO of the Niagara District Airport told The Lake Report the process is an information-gathering exercise for staff.
“We’re in a space where we’re waiting for the outcome of our masterplan before we make future comments,” Pilon said.
The Niagara District Airport is in the process of updating its masterplan for the first time in more than 20 years, he said.
“The process is really an opportunity for (staff) to understand what’s involved from a Transport Canada perspective with airport zoning regulations,” Pilon said.
“I think our goal is really to understand the process and be able to report that to council and anyone who has any interest,” CAO Bruce Zvaniga said during the meeting.
Burroughs questioned whether St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, the other municipalities connected to the Niagara District Airport, would participate in funding for the airport zoning regulation study.
Zvaniga clarified that studies would be conducted through the airport itself.
Coun. Erwin Wiens said that both municipalities are aware the meetings took place.
Burroughs questioned whether developers are aware of how long the studies would take, noting he understood it would take six to seven years.
“Yes the developers are aware of the process,” Kirsten McCauley, the town’s director of community and development services said.
McCauley noted that she believes studies will take between three and five years.
