Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and / et
Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Committee
Comité de l’agriculture et des questions
rurales
and Council / et au Conseil
28 December 2007 / 28 décembre 2007
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager
Directrice municipale adjointe,
Planning, Transit and the Environment
Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement
Contact
Person/Personne Ressource : Michael Wildman,Acting Manager/Gestionnaire par
intérim, Infrastructure Approvals/Approbation des demandes
d'infrastructure
(613)
580-2424, 27811 Mike.Wildman@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Planning and Environment Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council approve the “Geotechnical Investigation and Reporting Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa” as detailed in Document 1 for immediate implementation in the review of all development related applications
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement et le Comité de l'agriculture et des affaires rurales
recommandent au Conseil d’approuver les « directives sur les
enquêtes et les rapports géotechniques pour les demandes d’aménagements
adressées à la Ville d’Ottawa », telles qu’exposées en détail dans le Document 1, en vue de leur mise en
application immédiate dans l’examen de toute demande liée à l’aménagement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Assumptions and Analysis:
The recommendation is to approve the “Geotechnical Investigation and Reporting Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa” (see Document 1).
The Official Plan, Sections 4.8 and 4.8.3, requires that Geotechnical Studies be completed to “demonstrate the soils are suitable for development”. Provincial policies also place high regard on such things as slope stability and geotechnical matters.
Financial Implications:
No anticipated costs to be
incurred by the City.
Public
Consultation/Input:
Geotechnical Investigations and Reports, in the context of this report, would be required as a condition of Planning Approvals. As such, consultation occurred with those agencies and internal stakeholders that have a role to play in the production and approval of geotechnical studies for development applications, as well as Geotechnical Engineers who possess expertise in the production of Geotechnical Investigations and Reports for development applications. Finally, members of the development industry were afforded the opportunity to review and comment on the guidelines through the Engineering Liaison Sub-Committee, which is made up of both developers and consultants local to Ottawa.
RÉSUMÉ
Hypothèses et analyse :
La recommandation vise à approuver les
« directives sur les enquêtes et les rapports géotechniques pour les
demandes d’aménagements adressées à la Ville d’Ottawa » (voir le Document
1).
Les sections 4.8 et 4.8.3 du Plan officiel
stipulent que des études géotechniques doivent être réalisées afin
de « démontrer que les terrains peuvent être aménagés ». Les
politiques provinciales insistent grandement sur des points tels que la
stabilité des pentes et les questions d’ordre géotechnique.
Répercussions financières :
Il ne devrait y avoir aucune répercussion financière pour la Ville.
Consultation publique / commentaires :
La présentation d’enquêtes et de rapports géotechniques, dans le contexte
du présent rapport, serait conditionnelle à une approbation de demande
d’aménagement. À ce titre, des consultations ont été effectuées auprès des
organismes et des intervenants internes jouant un rôle dans la production et
l’approbation d’études géotechniques destinées aux demandes d’aménagement,
ainsi qu’auprès d’ingénieurs en géotechnique bénéficiant d’une expertise dans
la production d’enquêtes
et de rapports géotechniques
destinés aux demandes d’aménagement. Enfin, des représentants du secteur de la
construction ont eu la possibilité d’examiner et de commenter les directives
par le biais d’un sous-comité de liaison en ingénierie, constitué de promoteurs
et de consultants de la région d’Ottawa.
BACKGROUND
Geotechnical constraints can have a bearing on the ability to develop a parcel of property, regardless of the size or nature of the development. In reviewing development related proposals such as, Plans of Subdivision, Consents to Sever, Site Plans, Plans of Condominium, Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law applications, and other proposals, it is necessary to determine what geotechnical concerns or considerations there may be in order to both protect the public and ensure proper construction of municipal and private infrastructure. Since amalgamation, there have been no defined performance standards or guidelines intended to guide the preparation of geotechnical studies in support of development applications. Until now, there have been no state-of-practise guidelines that could be relied upon and the burden has rested on the geotechnical engineer of record to produce a report that was to be all-inclusive. It has been a challenge at times getting geotechnical reports to an acceptable level. The “Geotechnical Investigation and Reporting Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa”, which are the subject of this report, have been developed with local geology in mind in order to assist in streamlining the review and acceptance of these studies. This Guideline also has been developed in consideration of the 2004 Council approved “Minimum Requirements for Slope Stability Assessment Reports” and, the associated “Slope Stability Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa”. All documents will support one another.
DISCUSSION
There is a need when reviewing various development proposals to determine whether there are any geotechnical constraints or concerns, whether those constraints or concerns pose a limitation to proceeding with the proposed development and whether those limitations can be over come. In order to respond to the foregoing, though not always the case, it is common for a geotechnical engineer to undertake field reconnaissance, review geological information, perform soils testing, and submit a report detailing the geotechnical engineer’s findings and recommendations.
Since amalgamation, there have been varied approaches in the preparation of the reports, which have posed concerns to the various stakeholders and review staff. This has resulted in delays in finalizing approvals in support of some development applications. Because of the lack of standardized guidelines, there have been instances where there have been disagreements or confusion pertaining to minimum requirements, as well as division on interpretation of results and findings required in order to finalize geotechnical reports.
The intent of the proposed guidelines is to set minimum performance standards which must be met in order to prepare a geotechnical investigation or report. The guidelines are set up such that onus is always on the professional engineer who prepares a geotechnical report to produce a complete and comprehensive study, but with the introduction of these guidelines it will help establish the minimum standards and requirements necessary in producing a satisfactory report; thereby streamlining the review and acceptance of the reports. Through the guidelines, the geotechnical engineer is responsible to identify any situation, which warrants a higher standard of analysis and reporting.
The Guidelines provide direction on the following:
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Applicable Codes and Standards
- Extent of Investigation
- Report Content
- Recommendations and Guidelines
- Inspections
The Guidelines also recognize that geotechnical input is needed in the preparation of Community Design Plans (CDP), so that constraints and opportunities which impact the development potential are known and addressed in advance of finalizing CDP’s.
The “Geotechnical Investigation and Reporting Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa” manual will be used to guide staff when reviewing geotechnical reports. Where there may still be a concern with respect to the recommendations or content of a particular geotechnical report, staff may elect to have an independent Peer Review completed by a qualified geotechnical engineer.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no environmental implications to the City; however, the geotechnical engineer must identify any known environmental issues in the preparation of the geotechnical report and provide recommendations on how to deal with those concerns.
CONSULTATION
In preparing the final draft guidelines, the City consulted many sources for input. The initial draft report was circulated to internal stakeholders in the Public Works and Services Department, and the Planning, Transit and the Environment Department. The Guidelines were also circulated to six local geotechnical firms as well as members of the Engineering Liaison Sub-Committee.
There was some concern expressed by the Engineering Liaison Sub-Committee over flexibility regarding interpretation of the Guidelines, as such, the Guidelines provide for the opportunity for the geotechnical engineer to deviate from the minimum requirements provided that the geotechnical engineer provides a written professional explanation for such deviations. There were very few technical comments from the geotechnical firms that provided input; however, most of the technical comments were addressed where warranted.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
No anticipated costs to be incurred by the City.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 - “Geotechnical Investigation and Reporting Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa”
DISPOSITION
Planning, Transit and the Environment Department to ensure adherence to and administration of “Geotechnical Investigation and Reporting Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa”.
