1.                   WAIVER TO PROVISION 64.2B OF THE TRAFFIC AND PARKING BY-LAW 2003-530, 1678 REGIONAL ROAD 174

 

DÉROGATION À LA DISPOSITION 64.2.B DU RÈGLEMENT 530-2003 SUR LA CIRCULATION ET LE STATIONNEMENT, 1678, ROUTE RÉGIONALE 174

 

 

commITTEE RECOMMENDATION

 

That Council approve the waiver of Provision 64.2.b of the Traffic and Parking By-law 2003-530, to permit a private approach to a controlled-access road.

 

 

 

Recommandation DU COMITÉ

 

Que le Conseil approuve une dérogation à la disposition 64.2.b du Règlement 530-2003 sur la circulation et le stationnement, afin de permettre une voie d’accès privée à une route à accès limité.

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.                  Acting Deputy City Manager, Public Works and Services report dated 20 February 2006 (ACS2006-PWS-TRF-0013).

 

2.         Extract of draft Minutes, 1 March 2006.

 

Report to/Rapport au :

 

Transportation Committee

Comité des transports

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

20 February 2006/ le 20 fevrier 2006

 

Submitted by/Soumis par :

R.G. Hewitt, Acting Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint par intérim,

Public Works and Services/Services et Travaux publics 

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Michael J. Flainek, P.Eng., Director/Directeur

Traffic and Parking Operations/Circulation de stationnement

(613) 580-2424 x 26882, Michael.Flainek@ottawa.ca

 

Ward 19 (Cumberland)

Ref N°: ACS2006-PWS-TRF-0013

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

WAIVER TO PROVISION 64.2B OF THE TRAFFIC AND PARKING BY-LAW 2003-530, 1678 Regional Road 174

 

 

OBJET :

DÉROGATION À LA DISPOSITION 64.2.B DU RÈGLEMENT 530-2003 SUR LA CIRCULATION ET LE STATIONNEMENT, 1678, ROUTE RÉGIONALE 174

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Transportation Committee recommend Council approve the waiver of Provision 64.2.b of the Traffic and Parking By-law 2003-530, to permit a private approach to a controlled-access road.

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité des transports recommande au Conseil d’approuver une dérogation à la disposition 64.2.b du Règlement 530-2003 sur la circulation et le stationnement, afin de permettre une voie d’accès privée à une route à accès limité.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The City of Ottawa has received application for a private approach to a proposed single-family home at 1678 Regional Road 174.  The subject property is situated on the south side of Regional Road 174, approximately halfway between Trim Road and Quigley Hill Road, and is not accessible from any other City road (Document 1).

 

Regional Road 174 is designated as a controlled-access road in the City of Ottawa Traffic and Parking By-law 2003-503 and as such, entranceways are prohibited.  The highway was transferred from the Province of Ontario to the former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton in 1997 with a controlled access designation, in accordance with Section 36 of the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, R.S.O. Chapter P.50, as amended.

 

It is also noted that on 28 September 2005, Council approved the Route Designation and Ottawa Road Route Marker Policy (Ref No: ACS2005-PWS-TRF-0001).  That policy provides for wayfinding needs of highway travellers in rural areas of the City through continued use of the road numbering system used by the former Region and replacement or modification of "Regional Road" route markers with "Ottawa Road" route markers.  That policy was not intended to change "official" road references against which properties are currently registered; accordingly, as this report deals with a property registered as 1678 Regional Road 174, all references to it are made in that context. 

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

The subject property is proposed for residential development.  Because of elevation constraints imposed by the rugged topography of this area, the only portion of this property that is suitable on which to site a home is a relatively flat area, alongside Regional Road 174, at the base of a steep ravine (Document 2).  For the same reason, the only possibility for access to the property is from that road.  

 

A private approach to the property would be situated directly opposite an existing access to a single-family home on the north side (Document 3).  In total, fourteen private approaches currently exist along the road in this area - thirteen on the north side (all to single-family homes) and one on the south side to a hydro installation.  The proposed access would therefore be the first to a residence on the south side.  Most of these accesses were in place before jurisdiction of the road was transferred to the former Region in 1997.  However, the construction permit for one of these homes was issued in 2003 and two others appear to have been built since that transfer.

 

Between Trim Road and the Ottawa/Rockland boundary, Regional Road 174 functions as a two-lane undivided rural arterial road.  The speed limit is 90 km/h and passing is prohibited in both directions throughout that segment and clearly delineated by double solid centrelines.  From a visibility perspective, the proposed access would be ideally situated as the available sight distance when egressing the site at that location, far exceeds the stopping distance requirements for traffic travelling in either direction on Regional Road 174. 

 

In discussions with staff of both Planning and Growth Management and Legal Services, it was determined that the “controlled access” designation of this road segment could be changed to facilitate approval of private approach requests.  However, there was also consensus amongst staff that to minimize the negative impacts on public safety that would arise if numerous accesses were approved in close proximity to each another, it is still desirable to keep the number of accesses throughout this road segment to an absolute minimum.  Therefore, it is appropriate to continue to inform developers that access to Regional Road 174 from abutting properties on this road segment will only be considered if, and only if, access from other City roads is not technically possible, and, a report on the matter is approved by Transportation Committee and Council.  For that reason, it is still desirable to retain the “controlled access” designation associated with this road segment and have Committee and Council waive Provision 64.2.b of the Traffic and Parking By-law for those situations where access to abutting properties cannot be achieved from adjacent roads.    

 

In summary, it is the opinion of City staff that there are no technical or safety concerns for a private approach at the proposed location.

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

Public consultation is not required.  The Ward Councillor, staff of the Department of Planning and Growth Management, the Department of Corporate Services, Legal Services Branch and staff of the Department of Public Works and Services, Traffic and Parking Operations Branch, are all in support of the waiver.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no financial implications regarding this report.

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1 - Key Plan 1678 Regional Road 174

Document 2 - Topography of Property at 1678 Regional Road 174

Document 3 - Site Plan 1678 Regional Road 174

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

The Department will advise the applicant of Council's decision.

 

DOCUMENT 1

                                                                                   KEY PLAN 1678 REGIONAL ROAD 174

 

 

 

 

DOCUMENT 2

                                       TOPOGRAPHY OF PROPERTY AT 1678 REGIONAL ROAD 174
 

 

        DOCUMENT 3

                                 SITE PLAN 1678 REGIONAL ROAD 174

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WAIVER TO PROVISION 64.2B OF THE TRAFFIC AND PARKING BY-LAW 2003-530, 1678 REGIONAL ROAD 174

DÉROGATION À LA DISPOSITION 64.2.B DU RÈGLEMENT 530-2003 SUR LA CIRCULATION ET LE STATIONNEMENT, 1678, ROUTE RÉGIONALE 174

ACS2006-PWS-TRF-0013                                                             Cumberland (19)

 

Appearing before Committee to answer questions of clarification on this matter were Public Works and Services staff Michael Flainek, Director of Traffic and Parking Operations, and John Buck, Manager, Traffic and Safety Services.

 

The following delegation, in support of the staff recommendation, was present at the meeting, but did not address the Committee:

§         Mr. J. Hakim.

 

Councillor Bloess questioned whether the proposed private approach would impede future widening and future controls on that section of road.  Staff responded that if and when future widening of that area occurs, the review would encompass looking at a service road to accommodate the numerous accesses that have been granted over time, and it would be an additional expense to safely accommodate those accesses.  Staff felt that, from a safety point of view, the limited control access requirements should remain in place and would need to be considered as individual lots are reviewed in future.  Councillor Bloess is concerned there would be safety issues with allowing another access on the road, noting that the road is probably at its limit in terms of volumes.  Staff advised speed surveys conducted on that road have determined that this access satisfies all site distance requirements and poses no technical problem from that perspective.  The Councillor then noted he would dissent on the staff recommendation.

 

Councillor Legendre could not understand Councillor Bloess’ concern, given that many accesses have already been granted and that staff do not see this as a safety concern.  Staff reiterated there is no safety concern from their point of view.

 

That the Transportation Committee recommend Council approve the waiver of Provision 64.2.b of the Traffic and Parking By-law 2003-530, to permit a private approach to a controlled-access road.

 

CARRIED with Councillor Bloess dissenting