3.             ZONING - 100-126 RIDEAU STREET

 

ZONAGE – 100-126, RUE RIDEAU

 

 

 

Committee recommendationS

 

(This matter is Subject to Bill 51)

 

That Council approve:

 

1.                  An amendment to the Zoning By-law 2008-250 to change the zoning of 100, 102, 104, 104/2, 106, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 and 126 Rideau Street to permit the continued temporary use of a parking lot for a further period of three years commencing on May 28, 2011, as shown in Document 1 and as detailed in Document 2, and

 

2.                  That the implementing by-law not come into effect until May 28, 2011.

 

 

RecommandationS du comité

 

(Cette question est assujettie au Règlement 51)

 

Que le  Conseil approuve:

 

1.                  Une modification au Règlement de zonage 2008-250 visant à changer le zonage des 100, 102, 104, 104/2, 106, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 et 126, rue Rideau afin de permettre la prolongation, pour une période de trois ans commençant le 28 mai 2011, de l’usage temporaire d’un parc de stationnement, comme le montre le document 1 et l’explique en détail le document 2; et

 

2.                  Que le règlement habilitant ne prenne vigueur que le 28 mai 2011.

 

 

Documentation

 

1.                   Deputy City Manager's report, Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability, dated 10 February 2011 (ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0064)


Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

10 February 2011 / le 10 fevrier 2011

 

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, Inner Core/Examen des projets d'aménagement-Services urbains, Unité du Centre intérieur

Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance

(613) 580-2424, 22379 Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca

 

Rideau-Vanier (12)

Ref N°: ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0064

 

SUBJECT:

ZONING - 100-126 Rideau Street (FILE NO. D02-02-10-0092)

 

 

OBJET :

ZONAGE – 100-126, Rue rideau

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Planning Committee recommend Council approve:

 

1.      An amendment to the Zoning By-law 2008-250 to change the zoning of 100, 102, 104, 104/2, 106, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 and 126 Rideau Street to permit the continued temporary use of a parking lot for a further period of three years commencing on May 28, 2011, as shown in Document 1 and as detailed in Document 2, and

 

2.      That the implementing by-law not come into effect until May 28, 2011.

 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme recommande au Conseil d’approuver :

 

  1. Une modification au Règlement de zonage 2008-250 visant à changer le zonage des 100, 102, 104, 104/2, 106, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 et 126, rue Rideau afin de permettre la prolongation, pour une période de trois ans commençant le 28 mai 2011, de l’usage temporaire d’un parc de stationnement, comme le montre le document 1 et l’explique en détail le document 2; et

 

  1. Que le règlement habilitant ne prenne vigueur que le 28 mai 2011.

BACKGROUND

 

The subject property, 100 to 126 Rideau Street, is located on the south side of Rideau Street between Colonel By Drive to the west, Nicolas Street to the east and Besserer Court to the south.  The site is part of the Rideau Centre property and the planned location for its future expansion.

 

The property is currently used as a temporary surface parking lot for the Rideau Centre, with an approximate area of 4,300 square metres.  A parking structure for the Rideau Centre is across Besserer Court to the south. The Rideau Centre is to the west and to the east is a vacant heritage building (former Ogilvie’s Department Store).  The Hudson Bay Company, Byward Market and other commercial businesses are along the north side of Rideau Street.

 

An outdoor public parking lot at 100 to 126 Rideau Street was first approved by City Council in January of 1993, as a temporary use, conditional upon receipt and approval of a site plan.  Site Plan approval was granted in September of 1994.  The property has been receiving extensions to the temporary zoning since then, with the most recent by-law, By-law 2008-283, set to expire on May 28, 2011.

 

Purpose of Zoning Amendment

 

A Zoning By-law Amendment has been submitted by the Viking Rideau Corporation for a further extension of the temporary zoning on the site to permit the continued operation of a public parking lot at this location for an additional three-year period.

 

The owner was initially proposing to redevelop the site to provide for an expansion of the Rideau Centre.  The Site Plan application for this expansion was subsequently withdrawn with another application submitted instead to demolish and rebuild the parking structure, in phases, on the corner of Nicholas and Daly Streets.  That reconstruction has since been completed, and an application for the Rideau Centre Expansion is anticipated to be forthcoming.

 

Existing and Proposed Zoning

 

The existing zoning for the subject property is Mixed Use Downtown Special Exception 1651, subject to schedule 58 (MD [1651] S58).  The exception [1651] permits a parking lot for a temporary period commencing May 28, 2008 and expiring on May 28, 2011.  The property is subject to schedule 58, which determines maximum building heights for the property.

 

The proposed zoning for the subject property would permit the continuation of an outdoor parking lot to exist for an additional three years.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

Official Plan Considerations

 

Strategic Direction (Section 2)


 

Section 2 of the Official Plan sets broad strategic directions to meet the challenge of managing growth, providing infrastructure, maintaining environmental integrity and creating liveable communities within Ottawa. To meet these challenges, polices are set out to pursue a mix of land uses, housing types and compact forms of development which in turn will enable the City to support a high-quality transit system and make better use of existing infrastructure and roads.

 

The strategic directions of the Official Plan recognizes that although priority is to be given to reducing car dependency, all modes of transportation, including car travel need to be provided for.  The extension of the parking lot use is to be limited to a temporary three-year term to set the stage for redevelopment of the site that is more in conformity with this Official Plan direction.

 

Land Use Designation (Section 3.6.6)

 

The subject property is designated “Central Area” on Schedule B in the Official Plan.  The policies acknowledge that, in order to promote the Central Area’s vitality, walking, cycling and transit to and in the downtown core will need to be prioritized.

 

The unique role of the Central Area has been identified and policies specific to parking support the provision of short-term parking to serve local businesses, residents, institutions and tourism destinations and to limit the provision of long-term parking.

 

The Official Plan also discourages the provision of temporary surface parking lots on vacant sites and requires new temporary surface parking lots within the Central Area to be subject to a rezoning to assess their impact on the pedestrian environment.  The Official Plan also provides that where a rezoning permits temporary surface parking, the City will require that the visual appearance of such parking areas be enhanced and screened through the use of substantial vegetation, while ensuring adequate public safety.

 

Review of Development Applications (Section 4)

 

The review of development applications includes considerations of walking, cycling, transit, roads and parking lots.  The relevant policy to be considered in this case is that parking areas for motorized vehicles are to require screening from the street with low shrubs, trees, landscaped berms, decorative walls and fences.

 

Details of Proposed Zoning

 

The subject property currently provides primarily short-term parking that is moderately priced, to support the vital interests of local businesses in the Rideau Centre and ByWard Market area.  Long-term parking use is limited, which is consistent with the policy directions of the Official Plan.  To respond to the policy directions to provide screening and landscaping where surface parking is provided, the site was subject to site plan control and the owners are required to maintain the property in accordance with the approved site and landscape plan.


 

Temporary Use and Zoning By-law

 

The parking lot is proposed to be permitted only as a temporary use for a three-year period ending in 2014.  Given that the proposed parking lot use does not satisfy the long-term vision for the site, and given staff’s desire to ensure that the owner seeks redevelopment, it is recommended that the use only be permitted on a temporary basis.

 

Conclusion

 

The Department is satisfied that the objectives set out in the Official Plan related to the strategic directions for parking in the Central Area and the provisions for an enjoyable, safe and secure pedestrian environment, are being met.  The subject parking lot, in addition to being well integrated with the pedestrian environment along Rideau Street, addresses a need for short-term public parking for the Rideau Centre.

 

CONSULTATION

 

Notice of this application was carried out in accordance with the City's Public Notification and Consultation Policy. 

 

COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR(S)

 

Although Councillor Fleury concurs with staff’s recommendation, the Councillor hopes to see a plan submitted for the development of this property before the expiry of the temporary zoning permit.

 

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no legal/risk management implications associated with this report.

 

CITY STRATEGIC PLAN

 

N/A

 

TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no direct financial implications associated with this report.

 

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    Details of Recommended Zoning

Document 3    Consultation Details

 

DISPOSITION

 

City Clerk and Solicitor Department, Legislative Services to notify the owner, applicant, 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.

 

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

 

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


LOCATION MAP                                                                                                    DOCUMENT 1

 


DETAILS OF RECOMMENDED ZONING                                                           DOCUMENT 2

 

Proposed Changes to the Comprehensive Zoning By-law

 

Exception 1651 of Section 239, Urban Exceptions is amended by replacing in Column V the text “May 28, 2008 and expiring on May 28, 2011” with the text “May 28, 2011 and expiring on May 28, 2014”.

 


CONSULTATION DETAILS                                                                                  DOCUMENT 3

 

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.

SUMMARY OF PUBLIC INPUT

 

Comments were received from the public regarding this application.  The following contains a summary of the comments and concerns by the community, followed by a response from the Department.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

1.                  This “temporary” zoning seems to have gone on for a long time, how many times can a property apply for this type of zoning?

 

2.                  Why is the City allowing this type of use along a prominent street in the Central Area?

 

RESPONSE FROM DEPARTMENT TO PUBLIC INPUT

 

Temporary parking can be granted by means of zoning amendments for periods of up to three years.  There is no legislation that prohibits the property owner from applying for temporary parking whenever the previous approval expires.  Any request for a temporary zoning is subject to Council approval, who has the discretion to not approve the request.

 

For privately owned properties, the City does not have the ability to force development.  Development occurs based on the development industry’s determination of the demand.  The Official Plan has a vision for how the City should develop and it is the intention of the Zoning By-law to permit the desired development over the long term.  Despite the fact that this temporary zoning has been in place for some time, it has been determined that this extension does not impede the City’s vision for the area over the long term.