2. ZONING – 282 SOMERSET STREET WEST ZONAGE –
282, RUE SOMERSET OUEST |
Committee recommendation
(This matter is
Subject to Bill 51)
That Council approve an amendment to the
Zoning By-law 2008-250 to change the zoning of 282
Somerset Street West as shown in Document 1 and as detailed in Document 2.
Recommandation DU Comité
(Cette question est assujettie au Règlement
51)
Que le
Conseil approuve une modification au Règlement de zonage no 2008-250
en vue de changer le zonage du 282, rue Somerset Ouest comme le montre le
document 1 et l’explique le document 2.
DOCUMENTATION
1.
Deputy
City Manager’s report, Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability,
dated 18 May 2011.
2.
Extract
of Draft Planning Committee Minutes of 14 June 2011.
Report to/Rapport
au :
Comité de
l'urbanisme
and Council / et
au Conseil
18 May
2011 / le 18 mai 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
SUBJECT: |
ZONING
– 282 SOMERSET STREET WEST (FILE NO. D02-02-11-0092) |
|
|
OBJET : |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to
the Zoning By-law 2008-250 to change the zoning of 282 Somerset Street West as shown in
Document 1 and as detailed in Document 2.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme
recommande au Conseil d’approuver une modification au Règlement de zonage no 2008-250
en vue de changer le zonage du 282, rue Somerset Ouest comme le montre le
document 1 et l’explique le document 2.
The subject property is located on the south side of Somerset Street
West between O’Connor Street and Metcalfe Street. Originally a residential
area, this stretch of Somerset Street has evolved into a mixed use area with
businesses occupying many of the original Victorian homes. In other instances,
demolition of the original homes has resulted in their replacement with newer
and often larger buildings.
The property is located on a rectangular interior lot having an area of
599.5 square metres, frontage on Somerset Street of 17.9 metres and an average
depth 33.5 metres.
Currently on the site is The Somerset Inn located in a three-storey
home, approximately 604 square metres in size. Considered a very good
example of the Queen Anne residential architectural style, the building was
originally built in 1895, with additions to the east and south of the building
sometime between 1902 and 1912. Located within the Centretown Heritage
Conservation District, the building is a Category 2 Heritage Building.
Immediately to the east of the subject property is a 10-storey
apartment building; to the west, The Canadian College of Health Leaders, which
is a converted single family dwelling. Immediately across the street on the
north side of Somerset Street are low profile residential buildings. Other uses
in this block include Mama Teresa Ristorante, low profile residential units in
original Victorian homes, newer mid-rise residences and a surface parking lot.
Abutting the property to the south, having frontage on MacLaren Street, is an
8-storey apartment building with a personal service establishment on the ground
floor, and abutting the rear corners of the subject lot are an embassy and The
National Association of Friendship Centres in a 21/2‑storey heritage
building.
Existing Zoning
The existing zoning for the subject property is Residential Fourth
Density Subzone T Exception 479 (R4T [479]), with a Heritage Overlay. The
Residential Fourth Density Zone permits a wide range of residential uses. The
exception [479] specifically permits a rooming house. Currently, the property
is used as an inn, a permitted use in the R4T zone.
Purpose of Zoning Amendment
This zoning amendment proposes to add an office use
to the existing zoning of the property. The owner (Royal Society of Canada)
plans to use the site as its
National Headquarters, while maintaining the third floor bedrooms for
out-of-town guests. No external renovations to the building or the site are
proposed, thereby fully retaining the heritage value of the building.
In addition to the applicant’s proposal, staff is recommending that Exception
[479] be removed and a new exception be added that allows office and rooming
units ancillary to an office use, as detailed in Document 2.
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 direction of the Official Plan supports redevelopment of
existing employment uses at a higher density. For instance, the creation of an
office building, as proposed, that replaces a lower-density use on previously
developed land and encourages intensification of jobs within areas designated
Central Area, Mixed-Use Centre, Town Centre, Traditional Mainstreet, Arterial
Mainstreet, Employment Area and Enterprise Area.
Land Use Designation
(Section 3.6.6)
The subject property is designated “Traditional Mainstreet”
on Schedule B of the Official Plan. The
policies recognize that mainstreets perform a dual role of providing adjoining
neighbourhoods with a range of daily goods and services and, because they
traverse many communities, providing more specialized functions that serve the
needs of others living beyond the borders of any one neighbourhood. The
policies acknowledge this diversity and provide for change and renewal that
takes into account the character of the street and adjacent areas.
The unique role of mainstreets has been identified and
policies specific to non-residential uses support the provision of office space
to serve local businesses, residents, institutions and tourism
destinations.
Centretown Secondary Plan
The applicable
Secondary Plan places emphasis on conserving and improving the residential
character of Centretown. The site is located within the medium profile residential
area of the Centretown Land Use Plan.
Section
3.4.2 of the Secondary Plan sets out directions for regulations on uses in
certain areas of the Plan. Section 3.4.2
c) specifically speaks to the medium profile residential area and states that these
areas shall include a variety of dwelling types suitable for occupancy by one
person, small and medium sized family and non-family households. Buildings or
uses accessory to or compatible with these residential types will be
considered.
Section
3.4.5 relays the importance of preserving irreplaceable architectural styles
which provide character and variety essential to a vital urban environment and
extending the economic life of existing buildings.
When the applicant, the Royal Society of Canada, chose the
subject location for its future national headquarters, it specifically sought a
majestic old building as a way to enhance its image and convey permanence,
stability and dignity.
The proposal achieves two important overarching goals of the Secondary
Plan: it preserves (and restores) a prized heritage building, giving it further
profile as the national headquarters of an important Canadian institution; and
it represents a use that is compatible with the residential character of this
area (and indeed includes a residential use) in the form of a small-scale
office, a use that exists in similar buildings nearby and maintains the
fine-grained mix of uses within the established built form that characterizes
Centretown.
Details of Proposed Zoning
The Zoning By-law Amendment amends the existing Residential Fourth Density Subzone T
Exception 479 (R4T [479]) to Residential Fourth Density Subzone T Exception XXXX (R4T [XXX]) zone, which
will permit an office use. In addition, staff is recommending that the zone be further
amended to allow rooming units
as short term stay facilities ancillary to an office use. The details of the zoning amendment are
contained in Document 2.
Heritage
Considerations
No
external alterations are proposed to this Category 2 heritage building. Its
compatibility with the surrounding neighbourhood will therefore be maintained.
Conclusion
The Department is satisfied that the objectives set out in the Official
Plan, related to the strategic directions for employment uses and the provisions
for the intensification of jobs along Traditional Mainstreets, are being
met. The subject lot, in addition to preserving
the heritage building, addresses a need for employment uses within the downtown
core area. In light of
the discussion above, the Department recommends approval of the Zoning By-law
amendment application.
Notice of this
application was carried out in accordance with the City's Public Notification
and Consultation Policy. No public
comments were received. The Ward Councillor
is aware of this application and the staff recommendation.
Comments received April 20, 2011
1.
When I
met with the applicants (the Royal Society of Canada) it was made clear to me
that this application for a zoning amendment was solely for the purposes of
establishing an administrative headquarters for the Society. I support this use as it will provide
long-term protection for this very significant historic building, and the
proposed institutional use will not affect the character of the heritage
streetscape. As well, there are upper floor residential units proposed to
accommodate visiting officers and fellows from the Society.
It should
be noted that this building has been non-residential for many years, and has previously
been an embassy and an inn.
2.
However,
I do not support the addition of a general office use, which should the Society
decide to relocate, could be easily converted into commercial offices for
lawyers, accountants, consultants, etc.
3.
Therefore,
I wish to see a limitation put on the proposed office use that would restrict
it to not-for-profit associations and societies.
There are no
legal implications associated with this report.
There are no
risk management implications associated with this report.
There are no direct financial implications associated
with this report.
This application was
processed by the "On Time Decision Date" established for the
processing of Zoning By-law amendment applications.
Document 1 Location Map
Document 2 Details of
Recommended Zoning
Document 3 Consultation Details
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.
DETAILS OF RECOMMENDED ZONING DOCUMENT
2
Proposed Changes to the
Comprehensive Zoning By-law
1. Rezone the property as shown on
Document 1 from R4T[479] to R4T[xxxx].
2. Add a new exception to Section 239, for
the property, including the following:
a.
In Column II, the text R4T[XXXX]; and,
b.
In Column III, the text:
Further
Permitted Uses
dwelling
unit
office
rooming
units
c. In Column V, the text:
Provisions
rooming
units are only permitted as short-term stay facilities ancillary to an office
use
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.
RESPONSE TO COUNCILLOR COMMENTS
From a zoning and planning perspective, staff are unable to use
exclusionary language in the by-law.
In staff’s opinion, there is no distinction to be made between the
proposed use relative to offices for lawyers, accountants, consultants, etc.
From a planning point of view, the use that is proposed by the Royal Society of
Canada is a general office use as defined in the City’s Zoning By-law.
The impacts of any of these uses to the site and the surrounding
context are similar.
ZONING
– 282 SOMERSET STREET WEST
ZONAGE – 282, RUE SOMERSET OUEST
ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0121 SOMERSET (14)
(This matter is
Subject to Bill 51)
REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Committee recommend Council
approve an amendment to the Zoning By-law 2008-250 to change the zoning of 282
Somerset Street West as shown in Document 1 and as detailed in Document 2.
Committee received
a letter from the Centretown Citizens Community Association in support of the
application, a copy of which is held on file with the City Clerk.
Kathleen Willis was present on
behalf of the applicant, the Royal Society of Canada, in support of the
application.
The report
recommendation was put to Committee and CARRIED, as presented.