5.          OFFICIAL PLAN AND ZONING - 40 BARNSTONE DRIVE

 

PLAN OFFICIEL ET ZONAGE - 40, PROMENADE BARNSTONE

 

 

 

Committee recommendations

 

(This application is subject to Bill 51)

 

That Council:

 

1.         Approve and adopt an amendment to the Official Plan, Volume 2A, South Nepean Areas 4, 5 and 6, to redesignate 40 Barnstone Drive from Business Park to Mixed Density Residential, as detailed in Document 2.

 

2.         Approve an amendment to the Zoning By-law 2008-250, to change the zoning of 40 Barnstone Drive from Development Reserve Zone (DR) to Residential Fifth Density Zone, “A” Subzone, with an Exception (R5A[XX]), and to delete the “Heritage Overlay”, as shown on Document 1 and as detailed in Document 3.

 

 

RecommandationS du Comitι

 

(Cette demande est assujettie au Rθglement 51)

 

Que le Conseil :

 

1.         approuve et d’adopter une modification au Plan officiel, Volume 2A, zones 4, 5 et 6 de Nepean Sud, visant ΰ changer la dιsignation du 40, promenade Barnstone de Zone de parc d’affaires ΰ Zone rιsidentielle ΰ densitιs mixtes, 1 comme l’explique le Document 2.

 

2.         approuve une modification au Rθglement de zonage 2008-250, afin de changer le zonage du 40, promenade Barnstone de Zone d’amιnagement futur (DR) ΰ Zone rιsidentielle de densitι 5, Sous-zone « A », dotιe d’une exception (R5A[XX]), et de supprimer la dιsignation « ΰ valeur patrimoniale », comme l’illustre le Document 1 et l’explique le Document 3.

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.                  Deputy City Manager's report, Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability, dated 20 February 2009 (ACS2009-ICS-PLA-0041).

 


Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comitι de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council/et au Conseil

 

20 February 2009 / le 20 fιvrier 2009

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability

Services d'infrastructure et Viabilitι des collectivitιs

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Danny Page, Acting Manager/Gestionnaire intιrimaire, Development Approvals/Approbation des demandes d'amιnagement, Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance

(613) 580-2424, Danny.Page@ottawa.ca

 

Gloucester-South Nepean/sud (22)

Ref N°: ACS2009-ICS-PLA-0041

 

 

SUBJECT:

OFFICIAL PLAN and zoNING - 40 BARNSTONE DRIVE (FILE NOs. d01-01-08-0014 / d02-02-08-0104)

 

 

OBJET :

PLAN OFFICIEL et zonage - 40, promenade barnstone

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the  recommend Council:

 

1.      Approve and adopt an amendment to the Official Plan, Volume 2A, South Nepean Areas 4, 5 and 6, to redesignate 40 Barnstone Drive from Business Park to Mixed Density Residential, as detailed in Document 2.

 

2.      Approve an amendment to the Zoning By-law 2008-250, to change the zoning of 40 Barnstone Drive from Development Reserve Zone (DR) to Residential Fifth Density Zone, “A” Subzone, with an Exception (R5A[XX]), and to delete the “Heritage Overlay”, as shown on Document 1 and as detailed in Document 3.

 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comitι de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil :

 

1.         d’approuver et d’adopter une modification au Plan officiel, Volume 2A, zones 4, 5 et 6 de Nepean Sud, visant ΰ changer la dιsignation du 40, promenade Barnstone de Zone de parc d’affaires ΰ Zone rιsidentielle ΰ densitιs mixtes, 1 comme l’explique le Document 2.

 

2.         d’approuver une modification au Rθglement de zonage 2008-250, afin de changer le zonage du 40, promenade Barnstone de Zone d’amιnagement futur (DR) ΰ Zone rιsidentielle de densitι 5, Sous-zone « A », dotιe d’une exception (R5A[XX]), et de supprimer la dιsignation « ΰ valeur patrimoniale », comme l’illustre le document 1 et l’explique le Document 3.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

These applications affect 40 Barnstone Drive. The property is located on the southwest quadrant of Cresthaven and Barnstone Drives, as shown in Document 1. The site contains an area of 1.96 hectares, bounded by Cresthaven Drive to the northwest, Barnstone Drive to the northeast, and the unopened road allowance for the extension of Strandherd Drive to the southwest. The parcel is vacant and is surrounded by vacant lands to the northwest, existing residential development to the northeast and southwest and a retirement residence to the southeast.

 

The applicant intends to build a Planned Unit Development on the site, consisting of 160 “apartment flat” condominium units. However, the residential use is not permitted in the current Business Park designation of the Secondary Plan and in the DR – Development Reserve Zone of Zoning By-law, hence the applications.

 

The Applications 

 

Secondary Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment

 

The approval of the Secondary Plan Amendment will permit a residential use. The approval of the rezoning proposal will permit a residential use in the form of a Planned Unit Development with reduced minimum yard setbacks and bicycle parking requirements, and will permit the development of 10 separate three and one half storey buildings containing 16 apartment flats each.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Official Plan

 

The site is designated General Urban Area in the Official Plan. This designation permits the development of a full range of housing types and employment, retail and service uses in order to support the development of sustainable communities. In addition, development applications are further evaluated in accordance with Policy 4.11 to ensure that proposed uses are compatible with and complement the surrounding land uses.

 

Furthermore, the Official Plan provides that in all urban communities outside the Central Area, opportunities will be sought to balance housing and employment opportunities, whereby a target ratio of at least 1.3 jobs per household will be reflected in the amount of land designated for employment and residential development.

 

 

Compatibility

 

The site is surrounded by medium density residential communities to the southwest and to the northeast, vacant employment land to the northwest and a retirement residence to the southeast. The proposed residential development on the subject site should therefore be compatible with the existing and long-term uses in this area.

 

Housing and employment balance

 

According to the City’s analysis, the jobs/housing ratio within the South Urban Community currently approximates 1.25 jobs per household potential. However, the analysis took only account of lands designated Employment or Enterprise Area on Schedule ‘B’ of the Official Plan (Volume 1) and did not include smaller parcels that are designated in Secondary Plans. There are approximately nine hectares of such smaller parcels north of the site, within a 750-metre distance, which, if included in the analysis, would significantly improve the jobs/housing in this community.

 

Secondary Plan 

 

The site is subject to the South Nepean Secondary Plan (Areas 4, 5 and 6).  The main purpose of the Secondary Plan is to facilitate the application of the general planning principles expressed in the Official Plan, and to provide a framework for addressing planning issues affecting or characterizing specific areas of the city.

 

The South Nepean Secondary Plan designates the site as Business Park. This designation does not permit residential uses.  It permits a wide range of commercial uses including offices, hotels, institutional uses, health and fitness recreational uses, banks, gas bars, and community facilities such as places of worship.

 

The Business Park designation was applied on the site during the mid 1990s, when there was some concern about the jobs/housing ratios for the immediately adjacent subdivisions. As indicated above, currently the jobs/housing ratio within the South Urban Community approximates 1.25 jobs per household potential, but this ratio could increase if vacant smaller parcels of lands that are designated for employment were included in the calculation. However, the Secondary Plan states “the Business Park designation applies to office developments characterized by high design standards including corporate head offices and research facilities.”  The site would be too small to accommodate the scale of development intended in the Secondary Plan.

 

As well, with the South Nepean Town Centre re-design, the Barrhaven South Community Design Plan, the Longfields Community Design Plan and with the increased interest in the South Merivale Business Park, staff are confident that the population to employment scenarios have been substantially enhanced to the point where the concept of conversion of this small parcel of land to residential use can be considered more favourably. The proposed medium density residential development that will be permitted by the proposed designation and zoning will be more consistent and compatible with the character of existing mixed residential development in the immediate area.

 

Provincial Policy Statement

 

The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) directs that “Planning authorities may permit conversion of lands within employment areas to non-employment uses through a comprehensive review, only where it has been demonstrated that the land is not required for employment purposes over the long term and that there is a need for the conversion.”

 

Section 5.2.2 of the Official Plan directs that when considering amendments that affect the use of a specific site or sites, the City will also consider whether there is a need to add the site or sites to the lands already designated for the proposed use. 

 

The City is currently conducting the five-year comprehensive review of the Official Plan. As part of that exercise, staff are reviewing the current need for Employment/Industrial lands. However, as stated earlier, this review focuses only on lands designated Employment or Enterprise Area on Schedule ‘B’ of the Official Plan (Volume 1), and does not take account of smaller parcels such as those designated in secondary plans.  This is consistent with Policy 3.6.5 – Employment Area and Enterprise Area, which provides the following two criteria for Employment/Enterprise Areas: function and size.

 

Function

 

Employment Areas are designated to enable a variety of functions:

 

§                     Noxious industrial uses that impose constraints on other uses locating nearby and require a buffer between these and other uses;

 

§                     Uses that, while not noxious, are incompatible with other uses because of noise, lights and around the clock operation, etc.; and

 

§                     Prestigious uses (usually office or combinations of office/clean industrial) with a signature address and a desire to locate among other similar uses.

 

Due to its small size, the subject site is not suited for the functions intended by the Official Plan for Employment/Enterprise Areas.

 

Size

 

The ability to designate land as Employment Area is also determined by its ability to accommodate at least 2000 jobs, and to provide large parcels of land at affordable prices.

 

Due to its small size and to the building height limit in the area, the site cannot accommodate the minimum number of jobs intended in the Official Plan. 

 

In view of the above criteria, it is staff’s opinion that the proposed redesignating of the site is appropriate as the land is not of a scale that would be captured by the purview of the PPS policies for Employment Areas.

 

Proposed Secondary Plan Designation

 

The applicant is requesting an amendment to the Secondary Plan to change the land use designation from Business Park to Mixed Density Residential. This land use will permit the development of low-rise apartment buildings. As a specific policy of the Secondary Plan, higher density residential forms are to be located in proximity to Arterial and Collector Roads and Rapid Transit. The subject site is located at the intersection of Strandherd Drive (arterial) and Cresthaven Drive (collector) and adjacent to the future Bus Rapid Transit within the Strandherd right-of-way. The higher development density in this proposal is transit supportive.

 

Proposed Zoning

 

The applicant is seeking an amendment to the Zoning By-law to rezone the property from DR- Development Reserve to a site-specific R5A – Residential Fifth Density zone, “A” Subzone in order to build stacked apartment flats.  The proposed site specific amendment to the R5A Zone includes the following minimum requirements: a front yard of three metres whereas six metres is required; a corner side yard of three metres whereas 4.5 metres is required; a rear yard of five metres whereas six metres is required; and 40 bicycle parking spaces whereas 80 spaces are required. In addition, the applicant is requesting the deletion of the “Heritage Overlay” on the subject lands, as there are no known heritage features associated with the site.

 

The intent of minimum yard setback provisions in the Zoning By-law is to ensure that buildings do not extend too far into the yards because of potential privacy concerns and shadowing impacts. In this proposal, the general intent and purpose of the By-law is not being compromised because the proposal maintains acceptable separation distances to surrounding developments. The height of the proposed buildings approximates 13 metres, whereas the height of existing townhouse developments to the northeast and southwest of the site is about 11 metres. Since the site is bounded by roads on two sides and a right-of-way on one other side, staff are satisfied that no overlook or shadowing will result to surrounding developments. The requested R5A zoning is compatible with surrounding land uses and developments. The requested reductions in minimum standards meet the general intent and purpose of the Zoning By-law, will not produce any adverse impact on neighbouring land uses and are required to permit the proposed development.

 

With regard to the “Heritage Overlay”, staff concurs that there are no heritage features associated with the site and it can be deleted.

 

Staff recommends approval of this proposal for the following reasons: As the proposal is responding to a need for residential land in Ottawa, it conforms to Section 5.2.2 – Amendments to the Official Plan in Volume 1 of the Official Plan. This is the predominant policy section in the Official Plan for guidance in changing the land use designation of lands. The proposal supports the City’s housing strategy by providing a type of housing that is in short supply in the South Urban Community. The proposal is in accordance with the intent of the Official Plan in terms of providing apartments and other multiple units at higher density on lands that are adjacent to rapid-transit corridors or arterial roads where the site lies adjacent to, or between, developments of a similar nature. The proposal also supports the Official Plan objective of developing greenfields at densities somewhat higher than densities achieved in greenfields in the past. The proposal is consistent with the Official Plan’s policies for locating employment/enterprise areas. 

 

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.

 

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no legal/risk management implications associated with these amendments.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS

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

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1      Location Map

Document 2      Proposed Official Plan Amendment

Document 3      Details of the Recommended Zoning

Document 4      Consultation Details

 

DISPOSITION

 

City Clerk and Legal Services Branch, Legislative Services to notify the owner, South Nepean Development Corporation, 427- Laurier Avenue W, Suite 300, Ottawa, ON K1R 7Y2, applicant, David McManus Engineering, Attn: R. Harrison, 400-30 Camelot Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 5X8,  OttawaScene.com, 174 Colonnade Road, Unit #33, Ottawa, ON  K2E 7J5, Ghislain Lamarche, Program Manager, Assessment, Financial Services Branch (Mail Code:  26-76) of City Council’s decision.

 

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability Department to prepare the by-law adopting the Official Plan Amendment, forward to Legal Services, and undertake the statutory notification.

 

Legal Services to forward the implementing by-law to City Council

 


LOCATION MAP                                                                                                 DOCUMENT 1


PROPOSED OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT                                                 DOCUMENT 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Official Plan  Amendment X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To the Official Plan for the City of Ottawa


AMENDMENT NO. XX

CITY OF OTTAWA OFFICIAL PLAN

 

INDEX

 

THE STATEMENT OF COMPONENTS

 

PART A – THE PREAMBLE

 

Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………………...

Location…………………………………………………………………………………………….Basis………………………………………………………………………………………………...

 

PART B – THE AMENDMENT

 

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………

Details………………………………………………………………………………………………

Implementation……………………………………………………………………………………..

 

PART C – THE APPENDICES

 

N/A

 

 


THE STATEMENT OF COMPONENTS

 

Part A – THE PREAMBLE introduces the actual amendment, but does not constitute part of Amendment No. X to the City of Ottawa Official Plan.

 

Part B – THE AMENDMENT constitutes Amendment No. X to the City of Ottawa Official Plan.

 

PART A – THE PREAMBLE

 

  1. Purpose

 

The purpose of this Official Plan Amendment No. X is to redesignate 40 Barnstone Drive from Business Park to Mixed Density Residential in order to permit residential development.

 

  1. Location

 

The lands affected by the amendment are located on the southwest quadrant of Cresthaven and Barnstone Drives, at 40 Barnstone Drive. A schedule change is required to Schedule A – Land Use, Areas 4, 5 and 6, of the City of Ottawa Official Plan, Volume 2A.

 

  1. Basis

 

Background

 

The applicant has submitted applications for an Official Plan Amendment, a Zoning By-law Amendment, and a Condominium Approval application for the development of a Planned Unit Development consisting of 10 separate three and one half storey buildings containing 16 apartment flats (stacked units) each.

 

Rationale

 

City of Ottawa Official Plan

 

The subject lands are designated as “General Urban Area” in the Official Plan, and as “Business Park” in the Secondary Plan.

 

The proposal is responding the need for residential land in Ottawa, it conforms to Section 5.2.2 – Amendments to the Official Plan in Volume 1 of the Official Plan. This is the predominant policy section in the Official Plan for guidance in changing the land use designation of lands. The proposal supports the City’s housing strategy by providing a type of housing which is in short supply in the South Urban Community. The proposal is in accordance with the intent of the Official Plan in terms of providing apartments and other multiple units at higher density on lands that are adjacent to rapid-transit corridors or arterial roads where the site lies adjacent to, or between, developments of a similar nature. The proposal also supports the Official Plan objective of developing greenfields at densities somewhat higher than densities achieved in greenfields in the past. The proposal is consistent with the Official Plan’s policies for locating employment/enterprise areas. 

 

 

PART B – THE AMENDMENT

 

1.      Introduction

 

All of this part of this document entitled Part B – The Amendment, consisting of the following text, constitutes Amendment No. X to the City of Ottawa Official Plan.

 

2.      Details

 

The Volume 2A, South Nepean – Areas 4, 5 and 6 Secondary Plan of the Official Plan will be amended by changing the land use designation on Schedule A – Land Use – Areas 4, 5 and 6 from “Business Park” to “Mixed Density Residential”.

 

3.      Implementation

 

The implementation of this Amendment to the Official Plan shall be in accordance with the respective policies of the City of Ottawa Official Plan.


SCHEDULE A - OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT


DETAILS OF THE RECOMMENDED ZONING                                              DOCUMENT 3

 

Proposed Changes to Zoning By-law 2008-250:

 

The lands known municipally as 40 Barnstone Drive and shown on Document 1 will be rezoned from DR to R5A[XX] as follows:

 

A new exception, R5A[XX], will be added to Section 239 - Urban Exceptions and will contain the following provisions:

 

- minimum front yard setback: 3.0m

- minimum corner side yard setback: 3.0m

- minimum rear yard setback: 5.0m

- notwithstanding subsection 111(1) and Table 111A(b) the minimum number of required bicycle parking spaces is 40

 

Further amend the zoning map to delete the Heritage Overlay on the lands known municipally as 40 Barnstone Drive and shown on Document 1.
CONSULTATION DETAILS                                                                                DOCUMENT 4

 

A Community Information and Comment Session was held on January 29, 2009, at the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Centre. Seven persons were in attendance and the concerns expressed are summarized below. The session dealt with the Official Plan amendment, and the rezoning, as well as with some Site Plan aspects.

 

Six written submissions by the public were received.

SUMMARY OF PUBLIC INPUT

 

1) Concerns were expressed about the lack of attractiveness of the proposed buildings.

 

Response

The building elevations shown as part of the circulation of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments are not final. There will be an opportunity to discuss possible improvements to the elevations during the Site Plan Control approval process.

 

2) There were concerns with regard to the provision of more housing instead of recreation or convenience shopping facilities.

 

Response

There is a park or parkland in each of the surrounding neighbourhoods, and the proposed development will have a sodded central courtyard, which will serve as a private amenity area for residents of the proposed development. 

 

3) The land should be retained to develop businesses for the existing community.

 

Response

There are approximately 1.8 hectares of vacant land adjacent to the subject site, on the north side of Cresthaven Drive, which is designated “Business Park” and could accommodate neighbourhood convenience retail.

 

4) Concerns were expressed about the density of the proposed development.

 

Response

The density of the proposed development is appropriate, given the location of the site adjacent to the Strandherd rapid transit right-of-way, and at the corner of an arterial road and a collector road with bus services.

 

5) Traffic is already bad on the local roads and on Prince of Wales Drive.

 

Response

The surrounding road network has existing and planned capacity to accommodate the proposed development, including construction of Strandherd Drive from Crestway Drive to Prince of Wales Drive currently scheduled for 2011/12.

 

6) Concerns were expressed about a potential negative impact of the proposed development on surrounding property values.

 

Response

Staff is not aware of any case where a similar development has resulted in loss of property values to surrounding properties.

 

7) What will be the effect of the proposed development on property taxes in the surrounding communities?

 

Response

It is always more efficient to have a broader tax base. There is no evidence to indicate that the proposed development will cause the taxes of surrounding properties to increase.

 

8) Are sidewalks proposed for this development?

 

Response

There will be a sidewalk along Barnstone Drive.

 

9) The intersection of Barnstone Drive and Cresthaven Drive is dangerous and requires additional stop signs

 

Response

The Ward Councillor was already aware of the issue, and following the Community Information and Comment Session, the stop signs were installed.

 

10) What are the alternative land uses currently permitted by the Secondary Plan?

 

Response

Permitted uses include a wide range of commercial uses such as offices, hotels, institutional uses, health and fitness recreational uses, banks, gas bars, and community facilities such as places of worship.