Updates to Carleton Place development permit guide future growth
CARLETON PLACE — Carleton Place council has approved new development rules that will guide what can be built on the remaining strategic properties in town, following a lengthy review of the Interim Control Bylaw that began in December 2023. The Carleton Place development permit amendment was designed to update those rules and align them with the town’s long-term planning goals.
At the Nov. 4 committee of the whole meeting, Niki Dwyer, Carleton Place’s director of development services, presented the long-awaited conclusion of the Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL) affecting several “Strategic Properties” in the community.
“As council is aware, this has been a lengthy undertaking involving a great deal of consultation with property owners, the broader community and those living immediately around the sites,” Dwyer told committee members.
The ICBL was first enacted in December 2023 to temporarily pause new planning applications for the selected properties so staff could review development standards and determine whether updates were needed. The bylaw was extended in December 2024 to finish that review.
The resulting Development Permit Bylaw amendment outlines refined performance standards, permitted uses and design expectations for five Strategic Properties:
- DRS, 115 Emily Street
- Woolgrowers, 142 Franktown Road
- McArthur Island, 150 Mill Street
- Findlay Foundry, 28 High Street
- Braydon Mill, 150 Rosamond Street
A key focus of council’s discussion centred on what types of commercial uses should be allowed on these sites.
“What’s the rationale behind not allowing any retail in any of the developments?” asked Coun. Dena Comley.
Dwyer explained that retail can range from a small independent shop to a large-format store. To allow flexibility and avoid unintended permissions, retail is not automatically listed, but could be considered through an application. She noted that developments on these properties would require a Class Three permit, which allows council to assess specific uses as part of the approval process.
Another point of discussion was whether fast food or takeout-style restaurants should be permitted, particularly on Emily Street and Rosamond Street.
“The DRS building, for instance, just by where it is located, fast food or takeout, the traffic that that brings does not, in my mind, make sense in a residential area like that or the one on Rosamond,” said Councillor Sarah Cavanagh.
Dwyer said the bylaw distinguishes between fast-food, full-service restaurant and takeout restaurant, and argued that removing fast food could unintentionally block small eateries or bakeries.
“If you wanted an operation like the bakery on Lake Avenue to occur on one of these sites, that’s the only way you’re going to do it,” she said.
Cavanagh moved to remove fast food from the permitted uses on Emily Street and Rosamond Street, seconded by Mayor Toby Randall, but the motion was defeated.
The ICBL review also resulted in updated standards for setbacks, building coverage, height, dwelling unit areas and density to ensure alignment with the town’s revised Official Plan.
“Height is always a big discussion,” Dwyer said. “Through consultation and feedback from the community, we have reduced the building height to 16 metres, which functionally is about four floors.”
The proposal aligns with the Provincial Planning Statement (2024), the Lanark County Sustainable Communities Official Plan (2012) and Carleton Place’s Official Plan, with an emphasis on housing diversity and efficient use of land, particularly through redevelopment of underused properties.
“In looking at the changes that we made, most of the changes were about adding definition and clarity to the way that we interpret the sites,” Dwyer said.
The amendment was passed by committee and will be ratified at a future council meeting.
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