The Corporation of the Town of Grand Valley

Special Council Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, November 04, 2025 at 6:00 P.m. - 8:00 P.m.

Council Chambers, 5 Main Street North, Grand Valley

Council Present:

• Mayor Steve Soloman
• Deputy Mayor Philip Rentsch
• Councillor Lorne Dart
• Councillor James Jonker
• Councillor Paul Latam

Staff Present:

• Meghan Townsend, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk
• Steven Freitas, Director of Finance/Treasurer
• Mark Kluge, Manager of Planning
• Steven Krepps, Planning/Administration Co-ordinator
• Donna Tremblay, Deputy Clerk/Communications Coordinator

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1.

Call to Order and Roll Call

Mayor Soloman called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Mayor Soloman announced that the meeting is being live streamed and publicly broadcast with the recording of the meeting to be available on the Town's website.

2.

Adoption of Agenda

• Resolution: 2025-11-01
  Moved by: P. Rentsch
  Seconded by: P. Latam

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council adopts the Special Council Meeting agenda and any addendums dated November 4, 2025 as circulated.

  CARRIED

3.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

No pecuniary interest was declared.

4.

Proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 8 and Zoning By-law Update - Vision Grand Valley Project

4.1

Decision Report Proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 8 and Zoning By-law Update - Vision Grand Valley Project, 2025-182

Mark Kluge, Manager of Planning provided a summary of the staff report and Vision Grand Valley Project.  He advised that the purpose of the report before Council is to present the final version of Official Plan No. 8, which was prepared with the assistance of J.L. Richard and Associates and brings the Town's Official Plan into conformity with the Provincial Planning Statement and the County's Official Plan Amendments Numbers 2, 3, and 4. 

Mr. Kluge noted the project involved extensive public consultation and is now before Council for adoption and submission to the County of Dufferin for approval.  Upon County approval, staff will bring forward the draft Zoning By-Law for adoption.  Once complete, The Town's Official Plan and Zoning By-Law will be in conformity to the year 2051, accommodating the population of 16,500 and related employment growth.  

Mr. Kluge further advised that the County of Dufferin will be reviewing updated population projections through Official Plan Number 5, commencing in December 2025 and concluding in February 2027.  Should population figures for Grand Valley change as a result OP#5, the Town's Official Plan will need to be amended accordingly. 

Council discussed the final draft of OPA number 8 and requested revisions to the following sections: 

• 6.4.2 Downtown Commercial - Objectives
• 8.1(h) Municipal Standards -traffic calming measures
• 8.8(b) Development Policies - turning circles and traffic calming measures
• 5.3.1.2 (e)(iv) - Flood Plains - parking 

Council provided comments to the following OPA Amendment 8 sections including: 

• Appendix B - Trail Plan
• 5.2.2.3 Biosolids
• 6.1.5 Severance Policies 
• 6.7.4 (f) Employment - prohibited uses - truck depots
• 8.10 Electric and Alternative Vehicles
• 6.10 - Open Space and Recreation with a request to include language to permit public squares
• 612.1 Site Specific Policy Area 1 - DEEP (OPA#1) 
• 6.12.3 Site Specific Policy Area 2B - Accessory Buffer Lands with a request to include wheat as a crop
• 8.8 - Development Policies - Street Trees with a request to include stronger language to protect trees

• Resolution: 2025-11-07
  Moved by: J. Jonker
  Seconded by: L. Dart

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Report No. PLN2025-182, dated, November 4, 2025, be received;

  AND FURTHER THAT Council adopts Town of Grand Valley Official Plan Amendment No. 8 (OPA 8), which amends the Town of Grand Valley Official Plan, for the entire municipality, as generally shown in Appendix 1: Official Plan Amendment 8, as prepared by J.L Richards and Associates and as amended as follows: 

  • 5.2.2.3 sentence reading "the spreading of biosolids from outside of Town limits shall be prohibited" be deleted. 
  • 6.4.2 addition of language to prioritize retail uses in the Downtown Commercial designation.
  • 8.1(h) The Town will require traffic calming measures as appropriate for new development and while implementing upgrades to existing roads.
  • 8.8(b)Within residential neighbourhoods, turning circles at key intersections and traffic calming measures to improve pedestrian safety shall be required where appropriate.
  • 5.3.1.2(e)(iv) Parking is prohibited "in the floodway", deleting flood fringe.

  AND FURTHER THAT Council approves that the By-law to adopt OPA 8, be passed;

  AND FURTHER THAT Council directs staff to forward OPA 8 to Dufferin County for Approval;

  AND FURTHER THAT Council requests that Dufferin County provide for the exemption of approval of future Official Plan Amendments from the County of Dufferin Approval under Section 17 of the Planning Act with similar conditions as the Town of Orangeville and Town of Mono, once OPA 8 is approved.

  AND FURTHER THAT Council endorses, in principle, the Zoning By-law Amendment to amend the Town of Grand Valley Zoning By-law 2009-10, as amended, per discussion, as generally shown in Appendix 2: Zoning By-law and Schedules;

  AND FURTHER THAT Council directs staff to present the Zoning By-law Amendment for passing once Dufferin County Council has approved OPA 8;

  CARRIED

4.2

Presentation - Final Draft Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Review -J.L. Richards, Engineers, Architects and Planners

• Resolution: 2025-11-02
  Moved by: J. Jonker
  Seconded by: L. Dart

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT leave be given to Alison Bucking and Marilyn Cameron to address Council.

  CARRIED

4.3

Delegations

• Resolution: 2025-11-03
  Moved by: P. Latam
  Seconded by: J. Jonker

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT leave be given to Rob Lavecchia, to address Council.

  CARRIED

4.3.1

Rob Lavecchia, KLM Planning

Rob Lavecchia, KLM Planning, appeared before Council as a representative of the property owners at 133184 Side Road 28 and 29, United People Corporation. Mr. Lavecchia thanked Council for the opportunity to participate in the Official Plan and Zoning By-Law review project and the purpose of his delegation is to address any questions Council may have with respect to KLM's submitted comments. 

Council did not provide any questions. 

• Resolution: 2025-11-04
  Moved by: L. Dart
  Seconded by: P. Rentsch

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the deputation from Rob Lavecchia.

  CARRIED

4.4

Correspondence

• Resolution: 2025-11-06
  Moved by: P. Latam
  Seconded by: L. Dart

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the correspondence regarding the Proposed Official Plan Amendment No. 8 and Zoning By-Law Update - Vision Grand Valley listed on the November 4, 2025 Special Council Meeting Agenda.

  CARRIED

5.

Temporary Reduction of Development Charges

5.1

Staff Report - Temporary Reduction of Development Charges

5.1.1

Temporary Reduction of Development Charges, 2025-181

Mark Kluge, Manager of Planning presented the report, stating the purpose was to respond to Council's direction received at the October 28, 2025 meeting and to request direction regarding a temporary reduction of development charges.

Council discussed the request for the temporary reduction of development charges and which Town projects are applicable for development charges.  

Council recessed at 8:15 p.m. and resumed at 8:34 p.m.

• Resolution: 2025-11-11
  Moved by: P. Latam
  Seconded by: J. Jonker

  WHEREAS Grand Valley is supportive of the province's goal to build affordable and attainable houses,

  WHEREAS Grand Valley understands the importance of growth paying for growth and is diligent in making sure key infrastructure projects are in place needed to support future growth

  WHEREAS Developers have requested the Town of Grand Valley to reduce DC charges in an attempt to sell more homes within the Urban Boundary

  WHEREAS Grand Valley Council passed a resolution asking Staff to investigate the reduction of these DCs

  BE IT RESOVED that Council receives the Report 2025-181 dated November 4, 2025, Temporary Reduction of Development Charges;

  AND FURTHER THAT Council does not approve the reduction at this time due to not having alternative funding option available

  AND FURTHER THAT Council agrees in principle to reducing DC rates if funding is obtained from other levels of government and no reduction in DCs is borne by the taxpayer in the Town of Grand Valley

  1. Implement a 50% reduction in Residential Development Charges for all dwellings typers within the Urban Area of Grand Valley
  2. This reduction would last until the funding provided to offset the reduction is spent
  3. A New Reserve Account be established to offset the capital projects costs not collected through DCs

  AND FURTHER THAT Council requests $5 million in funding to achieve this goal

  AND FURTHER THAT Grand Valley delegate at ROMA on this topic and to other Ministries, Agencies and funding partners.  

  AND FURTHER THAT this motion be sent to MMAH, MPP Silvia Jones, MP Kyle Seeback, Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Minister Flack, PA Matt Rae, Grand Highlands Home Builders Association, AMO and ROMA.

  CARRIED
• Resolution: 2025-11-12
  Moved by: P. Rentsch
  Seconded by: L. Dart

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Staff present information on development charge projects.

  CARRIED

5.2

Delegations

• Resolution: 2025-11-08
  Moved by: L. Dart
  Seconded by: P. Latam

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT leave be given to the following:

  • Tom McLaughlin, Katherine McLaughlin and Matthew Krizsan, Thomasfield Homes
  • Willem Wildeboer, Sheldon Creek Developments and 
  • Rob Lavecchia, KLM Planning 

  to address Council.

  CARRIED

5.2.1

Tom McLaughlin, Katherine McLaughlin and Matthew Krizsan, Thomasfield Homes

Tom McLaughlin appeared before Council in support of Thomasfield Homes' request for a temporary reduction of Development Charges.

5.2.2

Willem Wildeboer, Sheldon Creek Developments

Willem Wildeboer, Sheldon Creek Developments appeared before Council in support of the request for a temporary reduction of development charges.

5.2.3

Rob Lavecchia, KLM Planning

Rob Lavecchia, KLM Planning appeared before Council in support of the request for a temporary reduction in development charges.

• Resolution: 2025-11-09
  Moved by: P. Latam
  Seconded by: P. Rentsch

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the deputations from: 

  • Tom McLaughlin, Katherine McLaughlin and Matthew Krizsan, Thomasfield Homes
  • Willem Wildeboer, Sheldon Creek Developments and 
  • Rob Lavecchia, KLM Planning 
  CARRIED

6.

By-Laws

• Resolution: 2025-11-12
  Moved by: P. Latam
  Seconded by: J. Jonker

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT leave be given to introduce the by-laws listed on the November 4, 2025 Special Council Meeting Agenda as item 6.1and that the By-law be given the necessary reading and passed and numbered as By-laws 2025-57.

  CARRIED

7.

Confirm Proceedings

• Resolution: 2025-11-13
  Moved by: L. Dart
  Seconded by: P. Rentsch

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT leave be given to introduce a by-law to confirm the proceedings of the Special Council Meeting held on November 4, 2025 and that it be given the necessary readings and be passed and numbered as By-Law 2025-58.  

  CARRIED

8.

Adjournment

• Resolution: 2025-11-14
  Moved by: J. Jonker
  Seconded by: P. Latam

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn this Special Council Meeting at 9:10 p.m.  

  CARRIED