The Planning and Housing Committee today approved Official Plan and zoning amendments to facilitate one six-storey and one 16-storey residential building on Cleary Avenue, within the Unitarian campus north of Richmond Road. The six-storey building would have 66 affordable units, run in partnership with Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services. The 16-storey tower would have a four-storey base and 148 dwellings.
The building heights for this development are consistent with the secondary plan in effect for the property, provided there is a 30-metre transition zone from the abutting residential properties. The term “transition zone” is not defined in the Official Plan, however, and the amendment would establish a defined setback from the shared property line. The site currently houses institutional uses including a church, retirement residence and daycare, and the zoning amendment is primarily needed to permit residential uses including a mid-rise apartment and a high-rise apartment.
The Committee also approved zoning amendments for two east-end projects that promise residential and commercial growth along Navan Road.
The first is for a subdivision that would add about 330 dwelling units and more than 2,500 square metres of commercial space on lands northeast of Brian Coburn Boulevard and Navan Road. The proposal includes one commercial block near that intersection, with three additional blocks housing six four-storey buildings. Two public streets are planned as well, lined by 67 townhouses, and a public park is proposed at the center of the site. The zoning amendment would extend a General Mixed-Use zoning, already in place on portions of the site, across the entire property to allow the development to proceed. The lands pledged for the public park would have a Parks and Open Space zoning.
A second development in the area proposes 20 stacked townhomes and six semi-detached homes on Renaud Road, between Navan Road and Percifor Way. The approved zoning amendment would allow for a mix of residential zones to facilitate the development.
The Committee approved zoning for a nine-storey residential building east of Kent Street, between Gilmour and James streets. The site, which currently houses the five-storey Kent Medical Building, would be redeveloped with the new building, adding about 218 dwellings and 200 square metres of ground floor commercial space to this pedestrian friendly community. Privately owned space for public use is also proposed, facing Kent Street. At nine storeys, the building is consistent with maximum heights set out in the secondary plan, and the amendment is primarily needed to permit the site to be used for a mid-rise apartment. It would also permit certain commercial uses, including medical facilities.
To help address the housing crisis, Council committed to providing home builders enough opportunities to build 151,000 quality market homes by 2031 – or 15,100 per year. If Council approves, the land-use permissions that the Committee recommended today will help put applicants in a position to build 721 new dwellings in Ottawa. Visit ottawa.ca/residentialdwellings for a graphic showing quarterly progress towards Ottawa’s housing pledge targets.
Recommendations from today’s meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, September 4.