The Planning and Housing Committee today approved development applications that could soon see 342 new dwellings built in Hintonburg and Westboro.
The Committee approved Official Plan and zoning amendments to facilitate an infill project southwest of Somerset Street West and Bayswater Avenue(link is external) in Hintonburg. The proposal includes a 16-storey addition to the existing 17-storey building at 52 Bayswater Avenue. The addition would have 76 residential units and ground floor commercial space. A new six-storey building is also planned along the Somerset Street West portion of the site, with another 25 dwellings and additional commercial space.
The Official Plan amendment would expand the boundary of the secondary plan for this area to fully include the Somerset Street West portion of the property. Like the zoning amendment, it would also increase permitted height for the 16-storey building, allowing for further development of this underused site and growing this 15-minute neighbourhood.
The Committee also approved a zoning amendment to facilitate development of a 22-storey building southwest of Scott Street(link is external) and Clifton Road in Westboro. The building would have 241 dwellings and ground-floor commercial space. A six-storey base is planned along Scott Street and a four-storey base would face Clifton Road.
As the result of an earlier zoning amendment for the site, the applicant has committed to providing a community benefit as part of redevelopment, including a contribution of $450,000 toward affordable housing initiatives in Kitchissippi Ward. It also includes the design and construction of a refrigerated rink and utility building at Lion’s Park, valued at $1.1 million. The amendment is primarily needed to increase tower height from 68.5 to 69 metres.
The Committee also approved applications for developments in Ottawa’s west end. In Stittsville, an approved zoning amendment would facilitate a larger park within an ongoing subdivision development along Cope Drive(link is external). The applicant plans to add several lots that had been planned for residential use to the park boundary. The amendment would facilitate that change and create new residential lots elsewhere in the subdivision to accommodate 22 townhouse dwellings.
In Kanata North, the Committee approved Official Plan and zoning amendments to facilitate a five-storey, 103-unit apartment building southwest of Old Carp Road and Halton Terrace(link is external). The amendments would increase permitted height from four to five storeys and would require the development to provide an accessible sidewalk along Old Carp Road, connecting to the existing sidewalk on Halton Terrace.
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 467 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, March 26.