Report to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjointe,
Planning and Growth Management / Urbansime et Gestion de la croissance
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Grant Lindsay,
Manager / Gestionnaire
Development Approvals / Approbation des
demandes d'aménagement
(613) 580-2424 x13242,
Grant.Lindsay@ottawa.ca
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REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council refuse an application for Demolition Control Approval at 197-201 Wilbrod Street.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement recommande au Conseil de refuser une demande d’approbation
visant la réglementation des démolitions pour le 197-201, rue Wilbrod.
BACKGROUND
The subject property, 197-201 Wilbrod Street, is located on the north side of Wilbrod Street between Cumberland Street and King Edward Avenue. The site is currently occupied by two small houses, which are linked by a garage. Both units are two-storeys in height and have a combined gross floor area of 6,000 square feet. The houses were originally constructed in 1892 and are located within the Sandy Hill West Heritage Conservation District. The houses, which are currently vacant, were formerly used as a rental property with five units. The site is bounded on all sides by residential uses.
The applicant is requesting to demolish the existing houses on the site. The applicant indicates that the existing five rental units are no longer economically viable to operate. The applicant has not provided any plans illustrating how the existing units will be replaced after demolition.
DISCUSSION
City Council Approved Official Plan
The subject property is located within the General Urban Area designated on Schedule B of the City Council Approved Official Plan. The General Urban Area designation permits the development of a full range and choice of housing types to meet the needs of all ages, incomes and life circumstances, in combination with conveniently located employment, service, cultural, leisure, entertainment and institutional uses.
Section 4.5 of the Plan contains policies that pertain to housing. Policy 4.5.5 states that applications for demolition of housing units will not be supported unless replacement units are provided. The applicant, at this time, has not provided nor has the applicant discussed with staff any plan or proposal to have the five units on the subject site replaced upon the demolition of the existing building. As such, the application fails to meet this requirement of the Plan.
Further, as the property is in a Heritage Conservation District, Section 4.6.1.4 of the Plan states that where an owner of a designated heritage property applies for approval to demolish, the City will require that a Cultural Heritage Impact Statement demonstrate that rehabilitation and reuse of the property is not viable. To date this statement has not been provided.
The site is also located in a Low Profile Residential Area in the Secondary Policy Plan for Sandy Hill contained in Volume 2A of the City Council Approved Official Plan. This designation allows primarily residential uses. Public uses that complement the residential uses are also permitted. The residential policies of the Secondary Plan provide for preserving and enhancing the existing stock of good housing. While the applicant contends the existing building cannot be repaired, staff in inspecting the properties has concluded that the homes can be brought back to a condition to provide housing units.
Former City of Ottawa Official Plan
The subject property is located within the Residential Area designated on Schedule A of the former City of Ottawa Official Plan. This designation permits primarily residential uses. Non-residential uses and neighbourhood serving uses are also permitted provided certain policies are satisfied.
The former City of Ottawa Official Plan contains policies in Chapter 3.0 (Housing Development and Residential Areas) relating to the demolition of dwellings. Policy 3.4.1 provides that the existing housing stock be maintained in a condition which will ensure its usefulness in meeting future housing needs and to guarantee that the existing supply of housing is not eroded through unnecessary demolition or conversion to non-residential uses, without replacement units. Policy 3.4.2 of the Plan indicates that City Council, when reviewing and approving development applications shall not permit the loss of housing units through conversion to other uses, demolition or reduction of units within a structure, unless the proponent provides replacement units. Exceptions to this policy may be permitted provided that the proponent can satisfactorily demonstrate that other Official Plan objectives are being met by the proposal and that the positive effects of the proposal outweigh the loss of housing.
The applicant has not demonstrated that the demolition of the existing housing units advances any of the goals of the City’s planning policies as they pertain to housing. Although the applicant has submitted a report indicating that the units are currently in poor condition, subsequent inspections by City staff have revealed that the subject buildings appear to be structural sound and could be returned to their original condition with proper maintenance.
In conclusion, this application does not conform to the goals for maintaining existing housing stock and heritage buildings as set out in the City’s policy framework. The subject buildings are not yet in derelict condition and, as observed by City staff, are viable for rehabilitation. Further, the lack of a proposal for the replacement of some or all of the existing five units on site is not compatible with the City’s policies for permitting the demolition of existing residential buildings.
CONSULTATION
Notice of this application was carried out in accordance with the City’s Public Notification and Consultation Policy. Information signs were posted on-site indicating the nature of the application. The Ward Councillor is aware of this application and supports the staff recommendation. Details of the consultation can found in Document 3.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS
This application was processed by the "On-Time
Decision Date" established for the processing of Demolition Control
applications.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 2 Photographs
of Subject Property
Document 3 Consultation
Details
DISPOSITION
Department of Corporate Services, Secretariat Services to notify the owner (GorFay Reality Company, 303-124 O'Conner Street, Ottawa, ON), applicant (Norman Slover, 100 Gloucester Street, 3rd Floor, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0A4), All Signs, 8692 Russell Road, Navan, ON K4B 1J1, and the Program Manager, Assessment, Department of Corporate Services of City Council’s decision.
