60 Sweetnam DRIVE - Zoning and Site Plan - Ontario Municipal Board hearing
60, BOULEVARD SWEETNAM - ZONAGE ET PLAN
D’IMPLANTATION - AUDIENCE DE LA COMMISSION DES AFFAIRES MUNICIPALES DE
L’ONTARIO
ACS2007-CMO-LEG-00 STITTSVILLE-KANATA WEST/OUEST
Tim Marc, Senior Legal Counsel, recalled the history of the application and Council’s previous decision on the matter. He noted a pre-hearing occurred in early December 2007 with a second scheduled for January 25, 2008. A full hearing is planned to commence on May 12, 2008. With respect to options, he advised Committee could do nothing that would lead legal counsel to defend the existing commercial zoning on the site. Conversely, Committee could recommend to Council a zoning other than commercial.
Moved by P. Feltmate:
That the meeting of the
Planning and Environment Committee move In Camera pursuant to Section
13(1) f) of the Procedure By-law to receive advice that is subject to
solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that
purpose.
CARRIED
The meeting resumed in open session and Committee heard from public delegations.
Doug Kelly, Soloway Wright, explained that after Council’s original decision, the applicant did
undertake additional architectural work to make the project increasingly
compatible with the Community.
Ted Fobert, FoTenn Consultants, stressed the original application was supported by staff and this
Committee, but was turned down by Council.
Subsequently, a site plan application was filed in October 2007,
including all necessary studies and a Landscape Plan. The original proposal called for four buildings with eight units
each at the corner of Sweetnam Drive and Harry Douglas Drive, both minor
collector roadways in the Granite Ridge Subdivision in Stittsville. The land area totals 1.2 acres with a
building coverage of 22 per cent. In
terms of acceptable density standards, it is reasonable given an urban
environment as it sits adjacent to townhouses, a park, Poole Creek and a nearby
industrial area. He touched on the rezoning
of this area in the nineteen nineties.
The area has largely developed as a single-family, low-density
neighbourhood, which does not support the local commercial designation
currently in place.
Mr. Fobert explained Cavanaugh Construction has evolved the design
considerations for this property by changing the looks of the buildings to add
more brick and stone. The fourth floor
was altered to lower the mass and the scale of the development to be more compatible
with adjacent properties, which can be developed to a maximum height of 11
metres. The transition is very
consistent and the distance is approximately 55 feet. There is no parking requirement, as a landscaped area is required
along both streets. Mr. Fobert
urged Committee to reconsider the initial decision in light of the new design
features and given the policy framework of the City.
Mr. Kelly suggested the third option would tie the zoning application to
Site Plan Control approval.
With respect to the redesign of the buildings, Councillor Qadri asked if
consideration occurred in terms of height and the number of units, as requested
by the community. Mr. Kelly stated
the proponent did look into those issues, but found that it would not be economically
feasible to undertake this type of unit with the new materials as proposed.
Mr. Purchase explained a large portion of the concerns focussed on the architectural
elements and the applicant decided to address those with the new design
elements and materials.
Councillor Qadri responded that at the public meetings, quite a few
comments related to the height and density of the project. Mr. Purchase noted the height perception is
minimized through the proposed redesign.
In response to a question from Councillor Feltmate, Mr. Purchase noted the
top windows on the fourth level are now lower, addressing some of the earlier
concerns.
Grant Lindsay, Manager of Development Approvals Central/West, confirmed
that Planning staff continued to support the application.
Moved by S. Qadri:
WHEREAS
the Official Plan states that when considering a proposal for residential
intensification through infill or redevelopment in the General Urban Area, the
City will recognize the importance of new development relating to existing
community character so that it enhances and builds upon desirable established
patterns and built form and consider its contribution to the maintenance and
achievement of a balance of housing types and tenures to provide a full range
of housing for a variety of demographic profiles; and
WHEREAS
the subject lands are currently zoned Local Commercial (CL) under By-law No.
40-99 of the former township of Goulbourn and the Applicant sought a rezoning
to permit residential development; and
WHEREAS Council on 23 May 2007 rejected the rezoning
request on the basis that the proposed development was not appropriate for this
site; and
WHEREAS
this matter is now before the Ontario Municipal Board.
1.
That the property be zoned to Dwelling, Stacked
Townhouse, limited to a maximum height of two and one half storeys; and
2.
That the maximum number of units permitted is 24;
and
3.
That Legal Services consult with an external
Planning expert to determine such other performance standards that may be
deemed necessary to establish the aforementioned use.
THAT pursuant to the Planning Act, subsection 34(17) no
further notice be given.
CARRIED
That the Planning and Environment Committee receive this report for
information.
Received