Report to/Rapport au:

Planning and Development Committee/

Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’aménagement

21 January 2002 / le 21 janvier 2002

Submitted by/Soumis par: Ned Lathrop, General Manager/Directeur général

Development Services Department/Services d’aménagement

Contact/Personne-ressource: Grant Lindsay, Manager, Development Approvals/ Gestionnaire, Approbation des demandes d’aménagement

580-2424 ext. 13242, Grant.Lindsay@city.ottawa.on.ca

Ref N°: ACS2002-DEV-APR-0017

SUBJECT: CASH-IN-LIEU OF PARKING - 740, 790, 840 SPRINGLAND DRIVE / 2660 NORBERRY CRESCENT

OBJET: RÈGLEMENT FINANCIER DES EXIGENCES DE STATIONNEMENT - 740, 790, 840, PROMENADE SPRINGLAND / 2660, CROISSANT NORBERRY

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Planning and Development Committee approve an application for a cash-payment–in-lieu of providing 36 parking spaces to permit a total of 34 apartment dwelling units in four existing apartment buildings in the amount of Thirty-Six ($36.00) Dollars subject to the following conditions:

1. The applicant enter into an agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor and that payment be received upon execution of the agreement;

2. The agreement contain the condition that the parking credit shall only apply to permit interior building alterations to create a total additional 34 dwelling units and,

3. The approval be considered null and void if the provisions of condition 1. have not been fulfilled within six months from the time of Committee approval.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’aménagement approuve une demande de règlement financier des exigences de stationnement, portant sur 36 places de stationnement, en vue de permettre 34 appartements répartis dans quatre immeubles existants pour la somme de trente-six dollars (36 $), sous réserve des conditions suivantes :

1. le demandeur conclut une entente à la satisfaction du chef du Contentieux et acquitte le paiement indiqué lors de l’exécution de cette entente;

2. l’entente stipule notamment que le crédit de stationnement ne s’applique que dans le cas des modifications intérieures aux immeubles en vue de la création de 34 logements additionnels;

3. l’approbation est considérée nulle et sans effet si les dispositions de la condition 1. n’ont pas été respectées dans les six mois suivant l’approbation du Comité.

BACKGROUND

The subject property is currently developed with four medium-rise apartment buildings that together contain 761 dwelling units. The applicant wishes to convert a portion of the basement of each building that is currently used for storage purposes to a total of 34 apartment dwellings. An application to the Committee of Adjustment to permit an increase in density from 60 units to 143 units per hectare was approved July 27, 2001 and is now final and binding.

According to the Zoning By-law, 36 additional parking spaces are required for the proposed conversion. No additional parking is proposed, as the applicant believes the Zoning By-law overestimates the demand for parking in this instance. As no transfer of responsibility for parking is anticipated, the applicant is requesting consideration of only a nominal cash payment of one ($1.00) dollar per space.

DISCUSSION

The Department is recommending approval of a reduced cash-in-lieu of parking payment based on the following points of consideration:

1. EVALUATION OF PARKING DEMAND

The Zoning By-law requires that a total of 870 parking spaces be provided for the existing development (749 for tenants and 122 for visitors). The proposed addition of 34 dwelling units requires an additional 31 spaces for tenants and six spaces for visitors for a total of 907 parking spaces. There are currently 757 parking spaces provided on-site. This development predates the current zoning parking requirements for apartment buildings, which explains the shortfall in required vs. actual provided parking.

The applicant has submitted apartment records from 1992 to present that indicate a maximum tenant parking usage of 489 parking spaces (1992) with a 92% apartment occupancy rate. When the required 122 visitor parking spaces are included, the parking usage totals 611 spaces. A site visit and parking usage survey of surrounding streets indicate that they are well used, possibly by apartment residents who do not wish to pay for on-site parking. A license plate survey of parkers was undertaken by the applicant to provide a detailed analysis of on-street parkers however, the Provincial Ministry of Transportation no longer will release the necessary plate information to do so. If 100% of the existing on-street parking capacity of surrounding streets, which amounts to 85 vehicles, was included in estimating parking demand, the effective parking usage would be 696 vehicles. This effective parking demand still yields a surplus of 61 spaces on-site, which is more than adequate to accommodate the zoning requirement of an additional 37 parking spaces.

The Department is aware that new tenants may simply park on the street rather than pay for use of surplus on-site parking. However, this scenario is less likely as available on-street parking becomes scarce and a less convenient alternative to on-site parking.

The Department also examined the possibility of increasing on-site visitor parking in an effort to reduce on-street parking. The applicant has indicated 37 parking spaces on-site have been designated for visitors. The Zoning By-law requires that 122 parking spaces be provided. A limited survey of visitor parking facilities however, did not indicate these are well used in the evening hours. Consequently, it does not appear that the designation of additional visitor parking on-site would necessarily reduce on-street parking in this area.

2. OTHER PLANNING OBJECTIVES

The new City of Ottawa continues to experience very low vacancy rates for residential rental accommodation. This application will permit minor intensification of an existing building resource and is expected to provide needed affordable housing with no additional requirements for municipal servicing.

Staff view the support of this application as an opportunity to sustain the principles of “Smart Growth” in the new city. As stated, this satisfies a demand for lower cost housing within the urban area where existing City facilities exist such as public transit, recreational facilities, schools, libraries, etc.; instead of having to construct new municipal facilities at significant City cost in the newer growth areas.

CONSULTATION

The application was subject to Early Notification. Ten letters were received in opposition to the application. No letters were received in support. The Ward Councillor is aware of the application.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The standard Cash-in-lieu of Parking formula calculation requires a contribution of $94,588.00 to the Parking Development Reserve Fund. Approval of the staff recommendation will reduce the payment to $36.00, which is $94,552.00 less than the normal requirement.

ATTACHMENTS

Document 1 Location Map

Document 2 Fact Sheet

Document 3 Consultation Details

DISPOSITION

Department of Corporate Services, Secretariat Services to notify the Agent (Barry Padolsky Associates Incorporated Architects, 377 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa, ON, K1N 9N8, and Owner (Norberry Apartments, 2660 Norberry Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1V 6N2) of Committee's decision and the requirement for a Cash-in-lieu of Parking Agreement.

Legal Services to prepare Cash-in-lieu of Parking Agreement

LOCATION MAP Document 1

FACT SHEET Document 2

740, 790, 840 SPRINGLAND DRIVE / 2660 NORBERRY CRESCENT

APARTMENT BUILDING

Cash-in-Lieu of Parking - Standard Method of Payment Calculation

Unrounded and (rounded) calculations

Existing Development Tenant Parking Visitors

2660 Norberry Crescent (251 units) 242.10 (242) 40.63 (41)

740 Springland Drive (168 units) 167.40 (167) 26.52 (27)

790 Springland Drive (171 units) 170.10 (170) 27.03 (27)

840 Springland Drive (171 units) 170.10 (170) 27.03 (27)

Total Required Parking 749.70 (749) 121.21 (122)

Grand Total Required Parking 749.70 (749) + 121.21 (122) = 870.91 (871) spaces

Proposed Development Tenant Parking Visitors

2660 Norberry Crescent (257 units) 247.50 (248) 41.65 (42)

740 Springland Drive (178 units) 176.40 (176) 28.22 (28)

790 Springland Drive (179 units) 177.30 (177) 28.39 (28)

840 Springland Drive (181 units) 179.10 (179) 28.73 (29)

Total Required Parking 780.30 (780) 126.99 (127)

Grand Total Required Parking 780.3 (780) + 126.99 (127) = 907.29 (907) spaces

Parking Required Proposed Development 907.29 spaces (907)

Parking Provided 757.00 spaces (757)

Parking Credits (estimated) 113.91 spaces (114)

Parking Deficiency 36.38 spaces (36)

36.38 spaces at $2600.00 per space = $94,588.00

Cash-in-lieu of Parking – Reduced Payment Calculation

The Applicant is requesting a reduced payment of 1.00 per space on the basis the Zoning By-law overestimates the demand for parking according to a usage survey of existing parking facilities.

36 spaces @ 1.00 per space = $36.00

CONSULTATION DETAILS Document 3

NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS

Notification and consultation procedure carried out in accordance with Early Notification Procedure P&D/PPP/N&C #2a approved by City Council for Cash-in-lieu of Parking Applications.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

This application was subject to Early Notification, which required the posting of an on-site information sign. A public meeting was also held on July 11, 2001 to discuss the proposed development.

Summary of Public Comments

Those in opposition to the application cited poor property maintenance as their chief concern, along with increased on-street parking. Other respondents cited increased traffic and noise as their concern. Tenants in the building were concerned about the loss of storage space.

Response

Evaluation of the appropriateness of the subject application is limited to parking supply related issues. An analysis of parking usage data indicates the Zoning By-law does overestimate the demand for parking in this instance and that here is already sufficient on-site parking existing to accommodate the proposed conversion.

COUNCILLOR’S COMMENT

Councillor Wendy Stewart is aware of the application.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND TIMELINE STATUS

The application, which was submitted on June 7, 2001, was subject to a project management timeline. A Mandatory Information Exchange was undertaken by staff.

This application was not processed within the timeframe established for the processing of Cash-in-lieu of Parking applications where Committee approval is required. The application was delayed in order to gather additional parking information.