Infill II By-Law Proposal Update

Infill 2 By-Law Update, 22 Feb 2015 for Champlain Park website

Heather Pearl and CoChair1, CPCA Co-Chairs, have been involved over the last several months in some multi-community discussions on the Infill 2 By-Law proposal (see CPCA website links to summary meeting notes at the bottom of this message). They also attended an information session offered by the Planning Department on Jan. 15.

Here are links from the City’s website to pertinent information on the proposed By-Law changes, which deal with height, massing, rear and side yards:

The provisions can be found at this link:

http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-consultations/planning-and-infrastructure/january-2015-information-session

Other info can be found at this link:

http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-consultations/low-rise-infill-housing-study-phase-2

We would like to draw your attention in particular to the discussion of “equitable massing”. This issue and related FCA resolutions (supported by CPCA) are described in Attachment 1 “Height and Equitable Massing” from the FCA Infill 2 Working Group’s Feb. 5 meeting notes. The CPCA executive has also voted to support the FCA resolutions.

The working group discussions highlighted the fact that each community’s character and development history affect their response to the Infill 2 By-law proposal. CoChair1 and Heather recently met with Councillor Jeff Leiper to discuss options that are appropriate and achievable for our community, including height reductions to 8.5 metres for both the R1 and the R2. We will be following up with Jeff and with the Planning Department. The Planning Department has a deadline of Feb. 27 for comments. Our letter will be posted.

Here are the documents related to the Infill 2 By-Law proposal that is scheduled to be heard at Planning Committee on April 14. The first attachment is a summary (the main text of this post). The other documents contain supplementary information related to multi-community discussions between community association planning and zoning reps.

Infill 2 By-Law Update 22Feb2015.pdf
150205 Final FCA Infill 2 Meeting Notes.pdf
150205 Final Attachment 1 Height and Equitable Massing.pdf
150205 Final Attachment 2 Projections Above Height.pdf
150205 Final Attachment 3 Corner Lots Provision.pdf
FCA Infill 2 WG MeetingNotes18Jan2015.pdf
Infill II Meeting Synopsis 150121.pdf
Presentation Flat vs Sloped 1412040001.pdf

Infill I – Presentation

This presentation summarizes the revised Infill Phase I zoning proposal. The original zoning for Infill in Mature Neighbourhoods was appealed to the OMB by representatives of the builders/developers community. Subsequent to the OMB Decision, a revised by-law has been drafted. A series of follow-up meetings is being held with representatives of the community associations and the builders/developers, to discuss the revised zoning proposal.

Co-Chairs, CoChair1 and Heather Pearl, are attending these meetings on behalf of CPCA.

Infill Title Slide
Infill I 2013-08-20 v.02.pdf

July 30th City Hall Meeting on Infill Development

Please see attached presentation (included in previous “Infill – Staff Response” message) from the City’s Planning Department regarding the City’s response to the OMB appeal of the Infill Zoning By-Law (appealed by members of the Development Community). The City is responding to an order of the OMB to review the By-Law.

The community associations and development community have been invited to the meeting described below on this topic. CoChair1 will attend on behalf of CPCA and Heather will attend as part of a Federation of Citizens’ Association working group on this topic.

As you remember, Planning Staff have responded to the OMB’s Order on the Infill By-law with a Zoning Strategy, which was presented in a Public Information Session on June 17^th and was adopted by Council on July 17^th. Staff now has a draft by-law to implement this strategy and we would like to consult on it with communities, and answer questions on how it would work.

We are arranging a meeting with the Appellants to the By-law and other interested parties on Tuesday, July 30^th from 10 am to 12 noon at the Billings Room (City Hall). This constitutes the second meeting that represents the City’s effort to consult and establish dialogue, to provide information on how staff proposes to respond to the OMB’s Order of March 8, 2013 and consult on the technical instruments that will implement that response and how to make them work well.

At this meeting, I would propose that we address the following:

The OMB’s letter of July 15^th 2013 (attached) giving direction to providing submissions on how the City proposes to accommodate the request for further dialogue in the context of the time extension requested to prepare a draft By-law
The direction advanced by staff in the Zoning Strategy adopted by Council on July 17^th and based on which staff is preparing a draft By-law
Consultation on how to make the By-law work to accomplish what Council wants it to accomplish

The format will be an open discussion with no presentation by staff. I will send the draft by-law and related material in advance to everyone, so that there is a chance to absorb and so the meeting can focus on the discussion that people want to have or questions that would need to be asked.

If there are other proposed items that people would like to add to the agenda, please let me know.

I realize that the timing is challenging – we are under an OMB deadline and I am hoping that everyone can be forgiving in that respect. Please let me know if you, or another member of your Community Association, can attend, and I will forward all details of the meeting.

Thanks,

Alain Miguelez, mcip, rpp
Program Manager, Zoning, Intensification and Neighbourhoods | Gestionnaire de programme, Zonage, Densification et Quartiers
Planning and Growth Management Dept. | Service de l’Urbanisme et de la Gestion de la croissance
City of Ottawa | Ville d’Ottawa
) 613.580.2424 +27617
: alain.miguelez@ottawa.ca þ www.ottawa.ca

Update: Summary of CPCA submission on 132 Cowley and plans

Re: 132 (130, 134, 136) Cowley Avenue Development Proposal

Applications for Consent and Minor Variances,

City of Ottawa, Committee of Adjustment, July 17, 2013

The owner of 132 Cowley Avenue, Marc Cléroux, has applied to the City’s Committee of Adjustment for minor variances for lot width and consents to subdivide the property into three separate parcels of land to allow the building of 3 detached dwellings. Approval of the consents and minor variance applications would allow a reduced lot width of 10.16m (30ft 4ins) and building balcony projections for each of the three new parcels.

The Committee of Adjustment, Committee Panel 1, will hear the application at its meeting of Wednesday July 17th starting at 1:00pm and will likely render its decision at that time.

The Champlain Park Community Association (CPCA) has sent a letter to the Committee of Adjustment in support of the applications.

The CPCA met with the owner and his project designer, Jacques Hamel, on May 2^nd and at a community meeting of May 13^th, before the submission of these applications, to discuss the CPCA’s goals and objectives for this community and had the opportunity to review the proposal and plans. Based on these meetings and a review of the plans, the CPCA believes that this proposal represents development compatible with the goals and objectives of the Association and is in accordance with the City’s Official Plan and Infill Zoning By-law. We believe building 3 detached dwellings on this deeper lot (45.72m/150ft) is a good and better use of the land and more compatible with the existing street scape and neighbourhood character than introducing semi-detached development on this site.

Three detached units also offer design opportunities to reduce the bulk massing impact that has occurred with some of the semi-detached development that has recently taken place in the neighbourhood. The staggered setbacks of the detached dwellings (13.0m, 9.81m and 6.61m) meets the setback averaging provisions related to the adjoining properties to the north and south and provides for more room for soft landscaping.

A large mature oak occupies the northeast corner of the property and the CPCA has successfully negotiated and signed an agreement with the owner to protect the tree during construction and to ensure its long term health. The agreement is similar to one signed with the owner of 179 Carleton.

Assessed owners of adjoining properties are entitled to attend and speak to the Committee of Adjustment. If you would like to see a full set of plans showing the site, the unit floor plans and the building elevations or would like any further information:

Please contact Duncan Bury (613) 729-0499; la.db@sympatico.ca) or CoChair1 champlainpark@gmail.com

Copy of the plans which were filed with the City.

Copy of signed letter.