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10. MOTION – DELETION OF CENTRUM BOULEVARD EXTENSION
MOTION - SUPPRESSION DU PROLONGEMENT DU BOULEVARD CENTRUM
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Committee recommendationS
That Council direct that staff:
1. Initiate an Official Plan amendment to the Town Centre Secondary Official Plan (former City of Cumberland) to delete the Centrum Boulevard extension;
2. Review the feasibility of replacing the Centrum Boulevard extension with a pedestrian pathway; and
3. Schedule the amendment for a public hearing no later than the Planning and Environment Committee meeting of August, 2010.
RecommandationS DU Comité
Que le Conseil enjointe au personnel :
1. D’introduire une modification au Plan officiel pour le Plan officiel secondaire de centre-ville (ancienne Ville de Cumberland) afin de supprimer le prolongement du boulevard Centrum;
2. D’examiner la faisabilité de remplacer le prolongement du boulevard Centrum par un sentier pédestre;
3. Prévoir une audience publique concernant la modification au plus tard à la réunion du Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement du 10 août.
Documentation
1. Deputy City Manager's report Planning, Transit and the Environment dated 15 March 2010 (ACS2010-CCS-PEC-0011).
2. Extract of Draft Minutes, 23 March 2010.
Report to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
15 March 2010 / le 15 mars 2010
Submitted by/Soumis par : Councillor/Conseiller Bob Monette
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Councillor/Conseiller Bob Monette, Orléans
613-580-2471, Bob.Monette@ottawa.ca
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Ref N°: ACS2010-CCS-PEC-0011 |
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SUBJECT: |
MOTION – DELETION OF CENTRUM Boulevard EXTENSION |
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OBJET : |
MOTION - SUPPRESSION DU PROLONGEMENT DU BOULEVARD CENTRUM |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council direct that staff:
1. Initiate an Official Plan amendment to the Town Centre Secondary Official Plan (former City of Cumberland) to delete the Centrum Boulevard extension;
2. Review the feasibility of replacing the Centrum Boulevard extension with a pedestrian pathway; and
3. Schedule the amendment for a public hearing no later than the Planning and Environment Committee meeting of August, 2010.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’enjoindre au personnel :
1. D’introduire une modification au Plan officiel pour le Plan officiel secondaire de centre-ville (ancienne Ville de Cumberland) afin de supprimer le prolongement du boulevard Centrum;
2. D’examiner la faisabilité de remplacer le prolongement du boulevard Centrum par un sentier pédestre;
3. Prévoir une audience publique concernant la modification au plus tard à la réunion du Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement du 10 août.
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Section 77 (12) of the Procedure By-law, Councillor Monette requested that the following motion be placed on the Planning and Environment Committee Agenda of March 23, 2010:
WHEREAS the East-West extension of Centrum Boulevard has been identified within the City of Ottawa’s Official Plan since April 8, 1987;
AND WHEREAS the east-west extension of Centrum Boulevard does not have the support of adjacent residents or the developer that owns the lands;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council direct that staff:
1. Initiate an official plan amendment to the Town Centre Secondary Official Plan (former City of Cumberland) to delete the Centrum Boulevard extension;
2. Review the feasibility of replacing the Centrum Boulevard extension with a pedestrian pathway; and
3. Schedule the amendment for a public hearing no later than the Planning and Environment Committee meeting of August, 2010;
DISCUSSION
Comments from Planning and Growth Management
Removal of the east-west Centrum Boulevard extension roadway link would create a distinct division between the central commercial area of the Town Centre and the future high density residential development to the east. Deletion of the link therefore would have a negative impact from both a community planning perspective, as well as from a traffic and transit perspective.
The area is designated as a Mixed-use Centre in the Official Plan, which policies encourage the development of “complete neighbourhoods” and suggest that where a concentration of single-use activity occurs (e.g. the high density residential lands to the east), their interface with the surrounding community should be improved through physical linkages. Achieving connectivity between the two ends of the community is critical to realizing a mixed-use centre that provides the residential uses with easy access to commercial uses and services. Conversely, the roadway link will provide improved access to local businesses in the Town Centre which are currently under considerable competition from other nearby commercial concentrations (Innes Road, St. Joseph Boulevard).
From a traffic perspective, deletion of the Centrum Boulevard connection would force vehicular, as well as transit connections between the two ends of the neighbourhood to run along St. Joseph Boulevard and Prestone Drive. However, St. Joseph Boulevard is currently nearing capacity. Replacement of the Centrum Boulevard roadway link with a pedestrian link will not adequately address the need for transit connectivity within the mixed-use centre.
There are no rural implications
CONSULTATION
This item will be advertised in the local dailies as part of the Public Meeting Advertisement on Friday preceding the Planning and Environment Committee meeting.
LEGAL/RISK IMPLICATIONS
Should this report be adopted by Council, an Official Plan amendment will be required to be prepared and circulated. A public meeting will be held by Planning and Environment Committee to consider the amendment. Notice of that public meeting will be given in accordance with the standard Official Plan Amendment notice provisions. There are however no further legal/risk management implications to the consideration of the present report directing that such amendment be prepared for consideration.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The Official Plan amendment and the pedestrian pathway feasibility study would be initiated in house; however, depending on the scope of work involved, consultant services may be required. Funding for the potential consulting services is not available within existing budget. In this case, a future request for funds would be brought forward for Council consideration.
The fee for an Official Plan amendment is $15,195, which would not be collected. The staff-time spend on the Official Plan amendment would reduce Planning and Growth Management's revenues, as resources would be re-allocated from revenue-generating activities.
The Planning and Growth Management Department will implement the directions of Committee and Council.
MOTION - DELETION OF CENTRUM boulevard EXTENSION
MOTION - SUPPRESSION DU PROLONGEMENT DU boulevard CENTRUM
ACS2010-CCS-PEC-0011 Orléans (1)
The following written submissions were received in relation to this item and are held on file with the City Clerk:
· Letter dated 22 March 2010, from Andrew Thomson, Senior Vice President, Forum Equity Partners Inc.
· E-mail dated 18 March 2010 from Peter and Hazel Fraser
· E-mail dated 17 March 2010 from Annette Amyotte and M. J-Paul Chartrand
· Letter dated 22 March 2010 from Berthe Pagé
· Comments received 19 March 2010 from Howard McCracken
· Letter dated 21 March 2010 from Lorraine Delaney
· E-mail dated 21 March 2010 from Marc G. Charbonneau
· E-mail dated 21 March 2010 from Christine Charbonneau and Marcelle Charbonneau
· E-mail dated 22 March 2010 from Pierrette Thibaudeau
Committee members began by posing questions to staff with regards to Councillor Monette’s motion. Councillor Feltmate referenced the Stonehaven and Bridlewood areas in here ward where a road link was removed, and the City has subsequently had to go back and fix this inadequate linkage. She inquired as to whether the removal of the Centrum Boulevard extension could pose the same problems, and what the impacts of removing it would be. Paul Jordan, Program Manager, Design Review and Implementation, explained that, in this case, the proposed extension would be secondary, and there would still be access from the Orleans Town Centre development to St. Joseph Boulevard.
As to why staff are in opposition to the motion, John Moser, General Manager of Planning and Growth Management explained that staff has concerns with abandoning the extension at this time it at this time; however, he indicated that if the motion were approved, staff would go and look at it with an open mind and meet with the affected constituents. He confirmed it would likely take six to seven months for staff to do the work and bring their recommendations back to Committee and Council. He noted it had been 25 years since the establishment of this link in the Official Plan. He emphasized that this was an important mixed-use area and staff wanted to look at it from all angles.
In response to questions from Councillor Bellemare regarding the City’s partnership with Forum Equity Partners for the Orleans Town Centre, Lauren Reeves, Planner III explained that the partnership agreement had originally required Forum to construct the link; however, that requirement was subsequently removed. She confirmed that, if the link were to proceed, the City would be responsible for any remaining costs.
Councillor Monette noted that the extension had been removed from the site plan and the funding had been removed. He suggested the extension did not make sense to residents, developers or himself as ward Councillor, noting it would cut through a high-density residential area that is home to many seniors. He suggested that when the extension was first added, it was never envisioned that there would be three seniors’ buildings and the Eastern Ontario Seniors Park in the vicinity. He noted that he had canvassed in the seniors buildings and neighbouring homes and had not heard any support for the extension. He explained that his motion was intended to have staff examine the issue to see if the City still needs or wants the extension. He emphasized that the aim is to create a pedestrian-friendly community.
Councillor Monette read from a letter sent by Forum Equity Partners indicating their support for the removal of the extension. A copy of the letter is held on file with the City Clerk.
Jean-Guy Dumont, President of the Board of the seniors’ condominium buildings, spoke in support of the motion. He noted that the sidewalks were inadequate, and people use the street to get around. He suggested eliminating the extension would save the City money. He also raised some concerns with regards to flooding.
Berthe Pagé, Charles Rowen and Ria Koster were also present to speak in support of the motion. It was indicated that they would not need to speak if Committee was prepared to approve the motion.
That Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council direct that staff:
1. Initiate an official plan amendment to the Town Centre Secondary Official Plan (former City of Cumberland) to delete the Centrum Boulevard extension;
2. Review the feasibility of replacing the Centrum Boulevard extension with a pedestrian pathway; and
3. Schedule the amendment for a public hearing no later than the Planning and Environment Committee meeting of August, 2010.
CARRIED
P. Feltmate dissented