Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

11 May 2006 / le 11 mai 2006

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager/

Directeur municipal adjoint,

Planning and Growth Management /

Service de l'urbanisme et de la gestion de la croissance

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Karen Currie, Manager / Gestionnaire

Development Approvals / Approbation des demandes d'aménagement

(613) 580-2424 x28310, Karen.Currie@ottawa.ca

 

Gloucester-Southgate (10)

Ref N°: ACS2006-PGM-APR-0119

 

 

SUBJECT:

ZONING - 1501 Hunt Club Road (FILE NO. D02-02-06-0021)

 

 

OBJET :

ZONAGE - 1501, chemin hunt club

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to the former City of Ottawa Zoning By-law to change the zoning of 1501 Hunt Club Road from R1D and L2 to R3F and L2 as shown in Document 2.

 

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement recommande au Conseil d'approuver une modification au Règlement de zonage de l'ancienne Ville d'Ottawa, de façon à faire passer la désignation de zonage de la propriété située au 1501, chemin Hunt Club, de R1D et L2 à R3F et L2, comme l'illustre le document 2.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

This property is located on the northwest corner of Cahill Drive and Hunt Club Road, on the southerly edge of a residential community known as Greenboro.  The property is currently a vacant parcel of land having an area of approximately 7.4 hectares.  Surrounding area uses consists of detached and townhouse dwellings to the east and to the west, a City pathway along the northerly property line and car dealerships and other related industrial uses on the south side of Hunt Club Road.

 

The property is currently zoned R1D, Detached House Zone, and L2, Leisure Linkage Zone.  The L2 zone is occurring on the north side of the property, adjacent to a City pathway system, and is wedge shaped

 

A subdivision application is being processed concurrently with the zoning application. The applications to rezone and subdivide this property have been made to accommodate the construction of 58 semi-detached and 64 detached dwelling units on 93 proposed lots (Document 3).  These dwelling units will front onto three public streets.  One street will intersect east side Cahill Drive with the other intersecting the north side of Hunt Club Road.  The Hunt Club Road intersection will be limited to right-in and right-out only traffic movements.  A continuous sound attenuation wall is being proposed along the Hunt Club Road street frontage as per the recommendations of the noise study’s findings submitted with the zoning and subdivision applications. Additional studies submitted included a traffic assessment, and water and sewer servicing proposal, and were under review at the time of writing this report.  The preliminary staff review of these studies support in principle the residential development proposal.

 

Proposed Zoning

 

The applicant is requesting to rezone the property to an R3F, Converted House/Townhouse Zone, which limits the residential unit types to detached, semi-detached and townhouse dwellings.  The applicant is also requesting a portion of the R1D zoned lands be rezoned to L2 in order establish a pedestrian linkage from the proposed residential development to an existing east-west City pedestrian pathway system.  Finally, a southerly sliver of the L2 lands are being rezoned to R3F which will form part of some of the northerly residential rear yards.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

City Council Approved Official Plan

 

The City Council Approved Official Plan designates this property as General Urban Area.  This designation permits a full range of residential development as well as permitting employment service, cultural, leisure, entertainment and institutional uses with the goal to attain complete and sustainable communities.  To ensure that land uses are appropriate where proposed, the Official Plan contains polices indicating that development should form an integral part of the community and be compatible with surrounding neighbourhood uses.  To achieve this, the amendments to the Zoning By-law will regulate the location, scale and type of land uses.  The Strategic Directions Section of the City Council Approved Official Plan for development is to create livable communities that have a balance of facilities, including commercial uses servicing neighbouring residential development. 

 

The proposed development complies with the City Council Approved Official Plan polices in that:

 

·           The proposal for detached and semi-detached dwellings represents a similar building form found within the neighbouring community

·           The proposed zone designation that regulates the building height, setbacks, and lot dimensions area are essentially the same of those residential developments to the north and west of this property,

·           The development will be integrated with the pedestrian pathway system similar to existing surrounding area residential housing developments, and

·           Through the plan of subdivision, a proposed sidewalk system will provide a desired pedestrian linkage between Hunt Club Road and the neighbourhood pathway system.

 

Former Regional Official Plan

 

The Official Plan of the former Region designates the subject property as General Urban Area.  Lands having a General Urban Area designation are intended to be used primarily for residential purposes, as well as permitting supportive shopping, service and community facilities where appropriate.  The proposal to amend the zoning designation of the subject property to permit detached and semi-detached dwellings house conforms to the General Urban Area Designation.  The proposed rezoning also complies with the Regional Development Strategy which promotes sensitive intensification inside the Greenbelt. 

 

Former City of Ottawa Official Plan – Volume 1

 

Applicable Official Plan Policies dealing with "Moderate Residential Development" state that City Council may provide opportunities for moderate residential development along arterial roadways, on under utilized sites adjacent to developments which have been built at minor and moderate intensities, and adjacent to areas with existing community and neighbourhood services.  The rezoning conforms with this policy statement in that Hunt Club Road is an arterial road, the subject sites have significant large redevelopable lot areas, and there is an adjacent similar residential developments.  In addition, the rezoning will conform to the Official Plan Policies dealing with "Factors to Assess Moderate Residential Development Proposals" which consider such matters as adequate transportation capacity, ability to accommodate outdoor amenity areas, hard service capacity, and area availability of institutional, commercial and recreational services.

 

Former City of Ottawa Official Plan – Volume 2 (Greenboro - Key Principles)

 

The subject property is located in the Greenboro Neighbourhood.  This neighbourhood plan has a strong emphasis in the provision of Open Space including the development and maintenance of a continuous pedestrian system around and through this community.  The development proposal occurs on the south side of this pedestrian system and will extend it to provide a combination pedestrian walkway and sidewalk connection to Hunt Club Road.  The plan contemplates a range of types of ground orientated housing types from detached dwelling to stacked-townhouse dwellings.  The development proposal conforms with this policy direction.

 

In summary, the proposal is consistent with the policies of the former City of Ottawa and Regional Official Plans, as well as with the policies of the City Council Approved Official Plan.  Therefore, the requested Zoning By-law amendment is recommended for approval.

 


ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

 

This property was subject to a preliminary assessment as a potential Urban Natural Area through the City's Urban Natural Environment Evaluation Study which concluded that the vegetation on the site was not significant, and was ranked low for protection.  A Preliminary Tree Planting and Conservation Plan Report was submitted with the development applications recommending that a wooded area at the north westerly end of the site be retained. This is being reviewed as part of the subdivision application.

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

Notice of this application was carried out in accordance with the City’s Public Notification and Consultation Policy.  The Ward Councillor is aware of this application and the staff recommendation.

 

Detailed responses to the notification/circulation are provided in Document 4.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

 

APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS

 

This application was processed by the "On-Time Decision Date" established for the processing of Zoning By-law Amendment applications.

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1      Location Map

Document 2      Zoning Map

Document 3      Draft Plan of Subdivision

Document 4      Consultation Details

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

Corporate Services Department, City Clerk's Branch to notify the owner (Larco Corporation, 104 Centrepointe Drive, Suite 200, Ottawa, ON, K2G 6B1), applicant (D.G. Belfie Planning and Development Consulting Ltd, 21 Pinecone Tr., Stittsville, ON, K2S 1E1), Signs.ca, 866 Campbell Avenue, Ottawa, ON  K2A 2C5, and Ghislain Lamarche, Program Manager, Assessment, Financial Services Branch (Mail Code: 26-76) of City Council's decision.

 

Planning and Growth Management Department to prepare the implementing by-law, forward to Legal Services Branch and undertake the statutory notification.

 

Corporate Services Department, Legal Services Branch to forward the implementing by-law to City Council.

 


DOCUMENT 1

 

LOCATION MAP                                                                                                                           


ZONING MAP                                                                                                        DOCUMENT 2


DOCUMENT 3

 

DRAFT PLAN OF SUBDIVISION

                                                                                                                                                          


DOCUMENT 4

 

CONSULTATION DETAILS                                                                                                        

 

 

NOTIFICATION AND CONSULTATION PROCESS

 

Notification and public consultation was undertaken in accordance with the Public Notification and Public Consultation Policy approved by City Council for Zoning By-law Amendments.  One statutory public meeting for the Plan of Subdivision was also held in the community.

 

SUMMARY OF PUBLIC INPUT

The following is summarized questions and comments received from a public meeting for the proposed plan of subdivision held in accordance with the Planning Act on April 18, 2006 at 14 Tapiola Crescent and through the City Council approved public notification procedures for zoning and subdivision applications.

 

1.         There was a request that there be a sidewalk constructed along Cahill Drive from Southport Drive to Hunt Club Road citing numerous reasons for this, including safety.

 

Response:         The construction of this sidewalk has been requested as a condition in the Draft Plan of Subdivision.

 

2.         What is the anticipated timing for the subdivision’s build out raising concerns about unwanted dust migrating to adjacent residential properties?

 

Response:         This will largely depend on market demand but the developer expects that the final build out for the subdivision will be in about three years.

 

3.         A request for clarification of the precise location for the proposed subdivision’s westerly fence, material of fence and who’s responsibility to maintain it.

 

Response:         The fence will be located six inches within the subject site and it will be the responsibility of the individual purchaser to maintain the fence.  To date the material of the fencing has yet to be determined.

 

4.         There was a question regarding whether or not the developer will be planting trees within the rear yards of those lots.

 

Response:         This in not a typical requirement for a plan of subdivision and is typically left up to the discretion of the individual property owner to landscape rear yard amenity area to suit their own needs.

 

5.         Will there be on-street parking within the subdivision given  there is not any on-street parking allowed along Cahill Drive?

 

Response:  A typical local residential street cross-section will allow for on-street parking in at least one direction.

 

6.         Will the lot dimensioning be comparable to the surrounding area development?

 

Response: The neighbouring area zonings are R3F having the same lot width and area requirements, as well as building setback requirements.

 

7.         Safety concerns were raised with respect to the Cahill Drive and Hunt Club Road intersection design.  Suggestions include a dedicated east-bound left-turn signal being install preventing dangerous U-turn movements, a wider road width where Cahill drive interests Hunt Club Road and the need for merge and deceleration lanes along Hunt Club Road.

 

Response:         A dedicated left turning lane will be required on Hunt Club Road as a condition of subdivision approval.  The remaining road improvement suggestions will be considered through the subdivision process.

 

8.         There was a suggestion that some sort of traffic calming be considered where the pedestrian pathway system crosses Cahill Drive particularly when there will be an increase in traffic with the development of this subdivision.

 

Response:         This will be considered through the subdivision process.

 

9.         The west bound 80 km/hr speed limit sign along Hunt Club Road should be set back further east from Cahill Drive.

 

Response: This request will be forwarded to Public Works and Services for consideration.

 

10.       A number of individuals wanted the wood lot area to be preserved, indicating that it was a habitat for wildlife, and is an important asset to the community.

 

Response:         Through the City’s Urban Natural Area Environmental Evaluation Study it was concluded that the wood lot had a low rating primarily due to a significant presence of  non-native, invasive species.  A Preliminary Tree Planting and Conservation Plan Report confirmed this study’s findings with the exception of one area where there was a small concentration of native trees.  The Report recommended that only the northerly strip of existing vegetation be retained where the least amount of disturbance would be anticipated and existing patterns of drainage may be maintained.

 

11.       A resident expressed a desire to have the construction traffic access to the site limited to Hunt Club Road only.  This was followed by a question with respect to street cleaning resulting from the construction activity and the frequency of the cleaning.

 

Response:         Construction vehicle access and street cleaning requirements will be regulated through standard City conditions for subdivision approval.

 

12.       Questions were raised with respect to the timing of the installation of the westerly privacy fence and sound attenuation wall.

 

Response:         The completion of the sound attenuation fence is required prior to the first dwelling unit being occupied.  This timing for the installation of the westerly privacy fence would partially be dependent on when that area of the site will be regraded as a condition of subdivision approval.

 

COUNCILLOR’S COMMENTS

Councillor Diane Deans provided the following comments:

 

1.         Considering the increase of traffic that this development will likely bring to Cahill Drive, please ask the developer to install a sidewalk on either side of Cahill Drive between Southport Drive and Hunt Club Road to encourage pedestrian safety.

 

2.         Please ensure that the fence to be installed between the existing homes on Royal Oak Court and the new development is made of an appealing and durable material that requires minimal maintenance by the existing homeowners on Royal Oak Court.

 

3.         Will there be on-street parking available in the new subdivision to avoid overflow into the existing surrounding streets?

 

4.         To assist with the increase in traffic that will occur at the corner of Hunt Club Road and Cahill Drive, please require that the developer install a deceleration lane on Hunt Club Road (going west) to assist with vehicles turning right on Cahill Drive.

 

5.         Where the pedestrian pathway crosses Cahill Drive to the east of the subdivision, please require that the developer install a raised, textured crosswalk to help ensure the safety of pedestrians using this pathway. 

 

6.         Please address the community's concerns regarding the occurrence of U-turns at the intersection of Hunt Club Road and Cahill Drive.  Perhaps a prohibition of U-turns or the installation of a left-turn signal would help to mitigate this situation.

 

7.         Please evaluate the need for intersection modifications on Cahill Drive at Hunt Club Road, as raised by the residents at the public meeting on April 18th.  They have expressed concerns for the narrowness of Cahill Drive being problematic for the safe flow of traffic.

 

8.         Please ensure that any environmentally significant trees are identified and protected throughout this development.

 

9.         Please require that the developer only allow their construction vehicles and supplies to access the subdivision site from Hunt Club Road.  Construction traffic should be restricted from the surrounding neighbourhood roads. 

 

10.       Please require that the developer construct the permanent privacy fencing along the westerly perimeter of the site (near Royal Oak Court) before any further development occurs on the site. 

 

11.       Please consider and address the traffic impact that this development will have on the vehicular speed and volume along Cahill Drive.

Response:

 

Councillor Diane Deans comments largely reflects the comments received though the public consultation process for the zoning and subdivision applications which have been responded to above.

 

 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMENTS

Ottawa Forests and Green Space Advisory Committee

 

The Ottawa Forests and Green Space Advisory Committee reviewed the Tree Planting and Conservation Plan report and indicated the following: 

 

While this would mean the loss of 0.7 hectares of green space, the area is vegetation which is mostly degraded and of low environmental value.  The developer has adequate plans for mitigation and new plantings measures, including selection of native species and variety of trees, shrubs and vines.

 

Recommendations:

 

That the small woods in the Southeast corner of the proposed development (Unit 3 in the Environmental Impact Statement) be retained.

 

The new planting of residential and other trees and shrubs be comprised of mainly native species, and as large-diameter trees as possible, so that the effects of the new trees on the local environment can accrue as soon as possible.

Response:

 

The question for the retention of the woods identified as Unit 3 has been forwarded to the developer for investigation and will be addressed through the plan of subdivision together with the species selection and size of plants to be planted within the subdivision.