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2. APPLICATION
FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AT 290 ACACIA AVENUE, A PROPERTY DESIGNATED UNDER PART V
OF THE ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT AND LOCATED IN THE ROCKCLIFFE PARK HERITAGE
CONSERVATION DISTRICT DEMANDE DE
NOUVELLE CONSTRUCTION AU 290, AVENUE ACACIA, PROPRIÉTÉ DÉSIGNÉE AUX TERMES DE
LA PARTIE v DE LA LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE
DE L'ONTARIO ET SITUÉE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DE
ROCKCLIFFE PARK |
COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1.
Approve the application for new
construction at 290 Acacia Avenue according to plans submitted by Robin Fyfe on
May 3, 2010.
2.
Issue the heritage permit with a
two-year expiry date from the date of issuance.
3.
Delegate authority for minor design
changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth Management Department.
(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for
consideration of this application under the Ontario
Heritage Act will expire on August 1, 2010)
(Note: Approval to Alter this property
under the Ontario Heritage Act must
not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a building
permit.)
RECOMMANDATIONS DU COMITÉ
Que le Conseil :
1.
approuve la demande visant à
construire, au 290, avenue Acacia, un immeuble conforme aux plans qui ont été
soumis par Robin Fyfe le 3 mai 2010.
2.
délivre le permis en matière de
patrimoine, qui expirera deux ans après la date de délivrance.
3.
délégue au directeur général du
Service de l’urbanisme et de la gestion de la croissance le pouvoir d’approuver
de légères modifications à la conception.
(Nota : Le délai réglementaire de 90 jours d’examen de cette
demande, exigé en vertu de la Loi sur le
patrimoine de l’Ontario, prendra fin le 01 août 2010.)
Nota : L’approbation de la demande de modification aux termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario ne signifie
pas pour autant qu’elle satisfait aux conditions de délivrance d’un permis de
construire.)
DOCUMENTATION
1. Deputy City Manager’s report,
Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability, dated 13 May 2010
(ACS2010-ICS-PGM-0106).
2. OBHAC Extract of Draft Minutes of 3 June
2010.
Report
to/Rapport au :
Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee
Comité
consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti d’Ottawa
and / et
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City
Manager, Directrice municipale adjointe, Infrastructure
Services and Community Sustainability, Services
d’infrastructure et Viabilité des collectivités
Contact Person/Personne-ressource : Richard Kilstrom,
Acting Manager/Gestionnaire intérimaire, Development Review-Urban
Services/Examen des projets d'aménagement-Services urbains, Planning
and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
(613) 580-2424, 22379 Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory
Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:
1.
Approve the application for new
construction at 290 Acacia Avenue according to plans submitted by Robin Fyfe on
May 3, 2010.
2.
Issue the heritage permit with a
two-year expiry date from the date of issuance.
3.
Delegate authority for minor design
changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth Management Department.
(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this
application under the Ontario Heritage
Act will expire on August 1, 2010)
(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements
for the issuance of a building permit.)
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que
le Comité consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti d’Ottawa
recommande au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement de recommander à son
tour au Conseil :
1.
D’approuver la demande visant à
construire, au 290, avenue Acacia, un immeuble conforme aux plans qui ont été
soumis par Robin Fyfe le 3 mai 2010.
2.
De délivrer le permis en matière de
patrimoine, qui expirera deux ans après la date de délivrance.
3.
De déléguer au directeur général du
Service de l’urbanisme et de la gestion de la croissance le pouvoir d’approuver
de légères modifications à la conception.
(Nota : Le délai
réglementaire de 90 jours d’examen de cette demande, exigé en vertu de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario,
prendra fin le 01 août 2010.)
Nota : L’approbation
de la demande de modification aux termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario ne signifie pas pour autant
qu’elle satisfait aux conditions de délivrance d’un permis de construire.)
BACKGROUND
290 Acacia Avenue is currently a vacant lot located in the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District. The Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District was designated in 1997 under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act by the former Village of Rockcliffe Park. The property is a corner lot at the corner of Acacia Avenue and Fernhill Road (Documents 1 and 2).
In 2007, City Council approved an application under the Ontario Heritage Act to demolish the existing building 290 Acacia Avenue and build a new building on the site. The house was in poor structural condition. The new construction was not carried out and the owner decided to sell the property. The new owner has submitted an application for new construction on the site.
This report has been prepared because all new construction in heritage conservation districts required City Council approval.
DISCUSSION
Recommendation 1:
290 Acacia Avenue is located in the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District (HCD). The Rockcliffe Park HCD was designated for its cultural heritage value as an early planned residential community first laid out by Thomas Keefer in 1864. The district is also important for its historical associations with Keefer and his father-in-law, Thomas MacKay, the founder of New Edinburgh and the original owner of Rideau Hall. The picturesque nature of the village also contributes significantly to the cultural heritage value. The Statement of Heritage Character (Document 7) notes that today, the “Village of Rockcliffe Park is a distinctive community of private homes and related institutional properties within a park setting.”
The Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study contains guidelines for the management of development in the district. The guidelines related to buildings and landscape are applicable to this proposal:
Section iv) Buildings
4.
Any application to construct a new building or
addition should be reviewed with consideration of its potential to enhance the heritage
character of the Village.
5.
New buildings and additions should be of their
own time, but should also harmonize with the existing cultural landscape. They
should be sited and designed so as to retain the existing topography. The use
of natural materials should be encouraged.
Section v) Soft and Hard Landscape
1.
The dominance of soft landscape over hard
landscape should be recognized as an essential feature of the past history and
present character of the Village.
2.
New buildings, fences and other landscape
features or alterations and additions to existing buildings and features,
should be designed and sited so as to protect and enhance significant qualities
of the existing landscape.
The complete Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study was
previously distributed to all OBHAC members and is on file with the OBHAC
Coordinator (Document 8).
The proposed new house is two storeys in height at the front and due to the grade change, it is three storeys at the rear. In form, the building is a basic-gable ended house facing onto Acacia Avenue in a similar manner as the house that was previously on the property. A minor variance will be required to allow a reduced side yard setback to accommodate the building facing onto Acacia Avenue. For the purposes of the Zoning Bylaw, the front yard of this property faces onto Fernhill Road. However, the house on this property always has fronted onto Acacia Avenue.
The front façade features a large glass block entrance feature and two large panels of glazing that are split in the middle with opaque spandrel panels to provide horizontal articulation. The glass block entranceway and the divisions of the windows on the front façade are reminiscent of the multi-pane leaded glass windows of the surrounding Arts and Crafts style buildings. The house will be clad in stucco, with metal clad wood windows, and asphalt shingles. Elevations and a perspective drawing are included in Document 3.
The applicant has also submitted a landscape plan (Document 5) that retains and enhances the existing vegetation on the property. The front of the house will be formally landscaped with a circular driveway and flowers and small shrubs. A stone path will lead around the rear of the house where there will be a small lawn area and a heavily wooded area at the north corner of the lot. The plans for the house also include an elevated gazebo style balcony.
Staff supports this application because the proposed house is contemporary in style, yet sympathetic in form and massing to the other houses in the area. The proposal respects the existing site, topography, and surrounding landscape. The landscape of the lot will be enhanced through the landscape plan and while some new hard landscaping will be introduced through the new stone pathway, on balance the soft landscaping will be greater than the hard landscaping.
Recommendation 2:
The Ontario Heritage Act does not provide any timelines for the
expiry of heritage permits. A two-year expiry date is recommended to ensure
that projects are completed in a timely fashion and according to the approved
heritage permit.
Recommendation 3:
Minor design elements including materials may evolve in consultation
with staff prior to the issuance of a building permit. Delegation of approval
to the General Manager of Planning and Growth Management would allow potential
changes to be approved without having to return to Committee and Council.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
CONSULTATION
The Rockcliffe Park Resident’s Association was informed of the proposal and had the following comments:
“The Development Review Subcommittee met with Mr. Fyfe on March 24th
to review preliminary sketches, and again on April 30th to review a
more developed design. Drawings showing landscape treatment, exterior
materials, and neighbouring houses for context had been requested.
Landscape
A landscape plan prepared by John Szczepaniak was reviewed. The
relatively compact footprint and woodland approach to landscaping preserves the
majority of trees but nevertheless requires the removal of several trees of
significant size. Positive features include the retention of many
existing trees, reduced asphalt area compared to the former semi-circular
driveway, and new planting with native species ranging from trilliums to
serviceberry.
Streetscape
The proposed house is similar in general form, setbacks, grading, and
relationship to neighbours as the majority of houses on this part of
Acacia. The proposal maintains the typical formal relationship of front
façade to street. As noted in the comments of March 29th,
because this is a corner lot with the narrower frontage at the side on
Fernhill, a variance is required to reduce what is considered a rear yard to
permit the house to be sited consistently with its neighbours. The
Committee supports the variance for this reason.
Mass and Scale
The house, like most of its neighbours, is longer and narrower along
the street axis. Although more contemporary in expression, it has similar
proportions with two habitable stories and visible pitched roof. The
steep roof has a comfortable proportion in relation to the height of the
dwelling due to the narrow plan.
Similar to the demolished house, the garage occupies part of the
basement and is entered off Fernhill. Because of the fall of the land, the
garage is entered directly from street level. A benefit of this site
feature is the removal of garage doors and parking from the more formal street
frontage.
Materials
A muted and consistent palette of materials/colours is proposed.
Charcoal grey roof and window frames, dove grey stucco and window spandrels,
transparent glass and glass block. This will tend to emphasize the
overall simple form of the house and also to foreground the trees and plantings
of the site. The objective of the original village design was for houses
in a continuous landscape, which this design respects.
Overall the Committee finds the proposal consistent with the intent of
the management guidelines for the area.”
Heritage Ottawa is aware of the project.
Adjacent property owners were notified by letter of the date of the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee and Planning and Environment Committee meetings and were provided with comment sheets to be returned to OBHAC.
COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR(S)
This proposal is excellently adapted to the
necessities of the site’s difficult topography.
It fits well in the context of the existing homes on Acacia.
The proposal is deficient in only one
respect. It does not conform to the
Comprehensive Zoning By-Law as recently approved by Council. That change was made to respect the
long-standing practice in the village with respect to driveways and therefore
did not introduce a new element in Village planning. The amendment added the following text: “- maximum driveway width is 6.1 m -
maximum driveway width is 3.05 m at the street lot line, and in the case of a
semi-circular driveway, the maximum driveway width, for both accesses combined,
must not exceed 6.1 metres.” As
will be seen, this proposal calls for 3 driveway connections to the road system
and not, at most, the two that would be allowed.
As the RPRA’s Development Review
Sub-Committee notes, it is a positive feature that the garage doors are not
facing the more formal street frontage.
The proposal would meet the requirements of the zoning by-law by doing
without the semi-circular driveway and would have the added benefit of further
reducing the amount of “hard landscaping” (i.e. the paving) in front.
As noted there is a variance which is
required due to the way rear yard definition applies to this narrow corner
lot. That variance is fully supported.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:
There are no legal/risk management implications associated with this report
CITY STRATEGIC PLAN
Objective
F 2: Respect the existing urban fabric, neighbourhood form and the limits of
existing hard services, so that new growth is integrated seamlessly with
established communities.
The City wants to protect the qualities and characteristics that define what is unique and special about each community while accommodating new growth.
Review applications as part of the development and infrastructure approval process for neighbourhood compatibility and the preservation of unique identities of our communities and villages.
Objective
E 8 : Operationalize the Ottawa 20/20 Arts & Heritage Plan.
2.1.2 Identify and Protect
Archaeological and Built Heritage Resources, Streetscapes, Public and Symbolic
Civic Places and Cultural Landscapes.
2.1.2.2 The City will preserve distinct built heritage, streetscapes and cultural heritage landscapes that serve as landmarks and symbols of local identity in both urban and rural districts, as outlined in the Official Plan.
TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no direct financial implications associated with this report.
APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS
This application was completed
within the 90-day time period prescribed by the Ontario Heritage Act.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Location Map
Document 2 Current Conditions
Document 3 Elevations
Document 4 Streetscape
Document 5 Landscape Plan
Document 6 Cultural Heritage Impact Statement/Heritage Planning Rationale.
Document 7 Statement of Heritage Character- Rockcliffe Park
Document 8 Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study (previously distributed to OBHAC members and on file with the Committee Co-ordinator.)
DISPOSITION
City Clerk and Solicitor Department, Legislative
Services to notify the property owner and the Ontario Heritage Trust
(10 Adelaide Street East, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3)
of Council’s decision to approve the heritage permit.
Submitted by Robin Fyfe
290 ACACIA AVENUE is a vacant lot located in the Heritage Conservation
District of Rockcliffe Park, in the City of Ottawa. An attractive mock-Tudor style house was
recently demolished by a previous owner of this lot. There have been two
Committee of Adjustments decisions regarding this property. A Building Permit was issued. The property has changed hands twice
recently. Nothing has been built. The property has been allowed to become
derelict.
Acacia Avenue is one of the longest streets in the Village of
Rockcliffe Park. At the south end it
intersects with Beechwood Avenue and the City of Vanier. At the
north end it intersects with the Rockcliffe Parkway and the Ottawa
River. At the south end the houses are relatively modest with
several semi-detached houses and small apartment buildings. At the north end the houses are quite
grand. They include numerous official
residences such as ‘Waterstone’, the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to
Canada, and ‘Stornaway’, the residence of the Leader of the Opposition.
290 ACACIA AVENUE is located in the block between Mariposa Avenue to
the south and Buena Vista Road to the north, on the corner of Fernhill Road. There are seven lots on the east side of the
street in this block including 290 ACACIA AVENUE. It is one of the most attractive streetscapes
in the Village due to a number of factors:
·
The street is narrow and winding.
·
The houses are generally of similar massing – they tend to be
two storeys with a sloped roof. They
tend to be as wide as the setbacks permit and are relatively narrow in depth.
·
Most of the houses are clad in stucco with half-timbering and
stone detailing.
·
Many of the houses have small windows with leaded panes.
·
Most of these houses do not have garage doors facing the
street. Because the properties slope
down, away from the street, many of the garages are located in the rear yard or
basement.
·
Most of these houses have circular driveways with mature
landscaping in the front yard.
(It is worth noting that the immediate neighbour to the south of 290
ACACIA AVENUE is the exception – 250 Acacia Avenue is relatively modern, has a
flat-roof, has a prominent garage in the front yard, does not have a circular
driveway and, furthermore, the house is clad in red brick!)
The houses on the west side of the street between Mariposa Avenue and
Buena Vista Road (across the street from 290 ACACIA AVENUE) tend to be on
larger lots, tend not to be located parallel to the street and, generally, are
more architecturally idiosyncratic.
It is our intention to build a house for ourselves that fits into this
streetscape, reflects the factors listed above and is as contextual as possible
while still maintaining an aesthetic appropriate to the 21st
century.
290 ACACIA AVENUE is proposed to be as wide as possible – just over
60’. It is only 25’ deep. It has a sloped roof. It is clad in stucco. The basement level is clad in stone. The garage is located in the basement with
driveway access from the side street.
The existing mature street trees will be incorporated into the landscape
plan. There will be a circular driveway.
It is intended, however, for the design of the house to be relatively
contemporary. The massing will be
simplified, almost platonic. The
smooth-finish stucco will not be interrupted with half-timbering. The sloped roof will be unbroken and
pristine. The window openings will be
over-sized. The primary architectural
feature will be a recessed two storey high glass block wall at the entrance for
dramatic interior lighting and passive solar gain – a gesture towards small
leaded panes. The basement level of the
house is conceived as a stone plinth upon which the stucco house sits, almost
like a piece of sculpture.
The landscaping will be relatively formal and somewhat stylized facing
Acacia Avenue and Fernhill Road. The
remainder of the site will be kept as natural as possible with a meandering
woodland path connecting a number of landscape features. A gazebo, at the end of a long bridge-like
deck, will hover high over the garden like a tree-house.
i) Description
The Village of Rockcliffe Park is a planned residential community first laid out in 1864 by Thomas Keefer. It was created as a partial subdivision of the large estate belonging to his father-in-law, Thomas McKay. Development occurred slowly, but in 1908 a Police Village was created, and by 1926 the Village of Rockcliffe Park had been incorporated. The boundaries established in 1908 have remained intact, and the present Village of Rockcliffe Park is a distinctive community of private homes and related institutional properties within a park setting, still true to the spirit of Keefer’s original vision.
ii.) Reasons for Designation:
The Village of Rockcliffe Park is proposed for designation as a heritage district because of:
- The significance of its original design intentions;
- The continuity in its evolution;
- The richness of its current urban condition;
- Its relationship with its wide setting, and
- The importance of its historical associations.
iii.) Original Design Intentions
The Village of Rockcliffe Park is a rare and significant approach to estate layout and landscape design adapted in Canada from 18th Century English precedents. McKay had adopted this approach in his initial development of the estate, and the original McKay villa and grounds survive as Rideau Hall, the estate of the Governor General of Canada, on the western boundary of the village. When, in 1864, Keefer advertised his Park and Villa lots for private residences, he focused on the picturesque qualities of the scenery, and the importance of curving roads, extensive plantings, and naturalistic settings as key features in any future development. Lots were sold as components of the larger Estate, implying a cohesive landscape approach- purchasers were enjoined from erected anything that would be “inconsistent with the maintenance of the Estate as a park for private residences.” Tree planning on road fronts was an immediate requirement on purchase, and commercial and industrial uses were explicitly banned. This type of ‘suburban’ or borderland development is also a reflection of a particularly North American response to rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 19th Century, with its emphasis on healthy living in a rural or country setting.
iv.) Continuity in Evolution
The Village of Rockcliffe Park today is a remarkably consistent reflection of the ideas set out by Keefer. Although development of the residential lots has taken place very gradually, the ideas of Estate management, of smaller lots as part of a larger whole, of picturesque design, of residential focus, have survived as controlling aspects of the Village’s form and character. This has been in part somewhat fortuitous and unconscious- the cumulative effect of precedent and example. The early estates such as the MacKay villa and Rockcliffe were followed quickly by Birkenfels and Crichton Lodge, which in turn inspired smaller estates on Buena Vista, Mariposa, and Acacia and later Crescent Road. These types of properties continue to establish a Rockcliffe image, which is continually translated by architects and designers into individual variations on the theme. The strong landscape setting is able to embrace a rich diversity of lot and building sizes and configurations.
However, the continuity has also been provided by an active effort by overseers and residents. In the early years, Thomas Keefer and his associates developed special arrangements to control public and private initiatives as Trustees of the MacKay Estate. Later this effort fell to the overseers of the Police Village and then the councillors of the incorporated Village. Considerable energy has been spent by every successive generation to manage development and change, through formal and informal reviews and by a variety of by-laws, planning directives, and special designations. In most communities such initiatives have focused on economic development and minimum property standards; in Rockcliffe there is an extraordinary effort to maintain the scenic qualities, the park setting, the natural features and plantings, the careful informality of streets and services. This continuity of vision is very rare in a community where development has occurred on such a relatively large scale over such a long time period.
v) Current urban condition:
The Village of Rockcliffe Park has combined public and private initiatives to create an unusually rich urban landscape. The deliberately curved roads, without curbs or sidewalks, and the careful planting of the public spaces and corridors, together with the careful siting and strong landscaping of the individual properties, create the apparently casual and informal style so integral to the picturesque tradition. The preservation and enhancement of topographical features including the lake and pond, the dramatic Ottawa River shoreline, the internal ridges and slopes, and the various outcroppings, has reinforced the design intentions. The architectural design of the residences and associated institutional facilities is similarly deliberate and careful, but in the casual elegance and asymmetry of the various English country revival styles which predominate throughout the Village. The generosity of space around the homes, and the flowing of this space from one property to the next by continuous planting rather than hard fence lines, has maintained the estate qualities and park setting envisioned by Keefer. This informal elegance has been a consistent theme throughout the long process of development from the mid-19th Century to the present. There are relatively few examples of the strict neo-classicism that would suggest a more geometric ordering of the landscape.
There is also a set of community practices, intangible rituals that are both public and private, which continue to make sense of this environment- individual and collective outdoor activities, pedestrian and vehicular movement, areas of congregation and encounter, areas of dispersal and isolation. The urban landscape is also sustained by a variety of ongoing planning regulations, reflected most particularly in the current Official Plan and related zoning by-law.
vi.) Relationship with its wider setting:
The Village of Rockcliffe Park has an important and integral association with its larger setting, as a result of patterns of historical development. With the Rideau Hall estate there is a symbiosis that dates back to Keefer’s original vision of the village set within the larger grounds of this original villa. With Rockcliffe Park, there is a deliberate relationship again defined by Keefer, who saw the park as a natural extension and highlighting of the village’s picturesque setting. This relationship was further strengthened with the expansion of the park to the east, and with the addition of the Rockeries. Beechwood Cemetery has also served as a compatible landscape boundary to the southeast from the earliest period of settlement through to the present. These various border areas create important gateways to the village, and help establish its particular character. The views to and from the Ottawa River, the Beechwood escarpment, and the other park areas are integral to the picturesque quality of the Village. These extensions also form an integral part of the Village’s environmental ecosystem. It is unusual to have the internal character of a neighbourhood so strongly reinforced by adjacent land uses; it once again reflects the foresight of the original planners.
vii.) Historical Associations
The most important historical associations of the village as a whole are with the MacKay/Keefer family, major players in the economic, social, cultural and political development of Ottawa. The village today is a testament to the ideas and initiatives of various key members of this extended family, and their influence in shaping this key piece of Canadian landscape. Additional associations have occurred more randomly throughout the history of the village, as people of regional, national, and international significance have resided here and made this community their home base. Such associations are in some ways more private than public, and are an aspect of the village that is preserved more in the intangible continuities and oral traditions of village life than in the stones and mortar of monuments and plaques.
There are also specific associations with individuals who, whatever their prominence elsewhere, have made special contributions within the Village at a public and private level. These people have been part of an unusual form of self-governance, which has blurred the lines between formal and informal participation in the affairs of the Village.
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Ottawa built heritage Advisory
Committee Draft
Minutes extract 41 3 June 2010 |
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Comité consultatif sur le
patrimoine bâti d’ottawa ébauche de l’extrait du Procès-verbal 41 le
3 juiLLET 2010 |
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APPLICATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AT 290 ACACIA AVENUE, A PROPERTY
DESIGNATED UNDER PART V OF THE ONTARIO
HERITAGE ACT AND LOCATED IN THE ROCKCLIFFE PARK HERITAGE CONSERVATION
DISTRICT
DEMANDE DE NOUVELLE
CONSTRUCTION AU 290, AVENUE ACACIA, PROPRIÉTÉ DÉSIGNÉE AUX TERMES DE LA PARTIE
V DE LA LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO ET SITUÉE DANS LE DISTRICT DE
CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DE ROCKCLIFFE PARK
ACS2010-ICS-PGM-0106 Rideau-Rockcliffe (13)
Member Fyfe declared a Declaration of Interest on this item and left the room for the duration of discussion.
Lesley Collins, Heritage Planner provided a PowerPoint presentation outlining the details of the application and answered questions. Robin Fyfe, owner, was also present to answer questions and provided a detailed handout to support the application. Ms. Collins noted that a minor variance will be required to allow a reduced side yard setback to accommodate the building facing onto Acacia Avenue. She noted a minor variance may also be required to add the third driveway connection. Staff supports the application because the proposed house is contemporary in style, yet sympathetic in form and massing to the other houses in the area. The proposal respects the existing site, topography, and surrounding landscape. The landscape of the lot will be enhanced through the landscape plan and while some new hard landscaping will be introduced through the new stone pathway, on balance the soft landscaping will be greater than the hard landscaping.
In terms of consultation, Ms. Collins noted the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association has reviewed the proposal and has indicated it finds the proposal consistent with the intent of the management guidelines for the area. The Ward Councillor is also supportive, including of the minor variance that will be required.
Member Maheu indicated he would declare a Declaration of Interest when the request for a Minor Variance is considered by the Committee of Adjustment as he is a member of that body.
David Jeanes, Heritage Ottawa advised that Heritage Ottawa was circulated on the application and has no comment.
Moved by Virendra Sahni:
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Ottawa built heritage Advisory
Committee Draft
Minutes extract 41 3 June 2010 |
|
Comité consultatif sur le
patrimoine bâti d’ottawa ébauche de l’extrait du Procès-verbal 41 le
3 juiLLET 2010 |
That the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee recommend that
Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:
1.
Approve the
application for new construction at 290 Acacia Avenue according to plans
submitted by Robin Fyfe on May 3, 2010.
2.
Issue the
heritage permit with a two-year expiry date from the date of issuance.
3.
Delegate
authority for minor design changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth
Management Department.
(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this
application under the Ontario Heritage
Act will expire on August 1, 2010)
(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements
for the issuance of a building permit.)
CARRIED