OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT DOCUMENT 2

Land use

Utilisation du sol

INDEX

The Statement of Components

PART A – THE PREAMBLE

Purpose

Location

Basis

PART B – THE AMENDMENT

Introductory Statement

Details of the Amendment

PART C – THE APPENDIX

THE STATEMENT OF COMPONENTS

PART A – THE PREAMBLE, introduces the actual Amendment but does not constitute part of Amendment No. X to the City of Ottawa Official Plan

PART B – THE AMENDMENT, consisting of the following text and maps constitutes the actual Amendment No. X to the City of Ottawa Official Plan.

PART C - THE APPENDIX, does not form part of the Amendment but is provided to clarify the intent and to supply background information related to the Amendment.
PART A - THE PREAMBLE

Table of Contents

1.0 Purpose

2.0 Location

3.0 Basis

4.0 Introduction

4.1The Planning Area

4.2 Objectives

4.3 Community Collaboration and Issues

4.4 Background History

4.5 Demographics

5.0 Policy Overview – City of Ottawa Official Plan

5.1 Compatibility and Community Design

5.2 Official Plan Designations

6.0 Existing Conditions and Issue Analysis

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Land Use

6.3 Heritage

6.4 Open Space, Parks, Community Facilities and Schools

6.5 Zoning

7.0 Transportation and Utility Infrastructure

7.1 Road Network

7.2 Transportation/Traffic Studies

7.3 Bicycle Routes

7.4 Transit

7.5 Infrastructure

7.5.1 Water

7.5.2 Sanitary Sewers

7.5.3 Stormwater Management

7.5.4 Conclusions

8.0 Existing Challenges and Opportunities

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Sector Characteristics

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of Amendment No. X is to add the Richmond Road/Westboro CDP to the Official Plan as a Secondary Plan. This Secondary Plan will provide Official Plan policy guidance on Council’s direction on the future development of the area.

2.0 Location

The lands affected by the amendment are shown on Map 1 below.

3.0 Basis

On June 28, 2005 Planning and Environment Committee approved the terms of reference for the Richmond Road/Westboro Community Design Plan (CDP). The planning study had been previously requested by the Committee in response to three development applications along Richmond Road. In addition, two community associations in the area requested that a CDP study be undertaken in order to have a plan in place to guide future development.

The goal of the study was to develop a broad and integrated twenty-year vision for the Richmond Road/Westboro area in order to guide both private development and the undertaking of public works. The study commenced in September 2005 and was completed in April 2007.

On June 9, 2007, City Council approved the Richmond Road/Westboro CDP and directed that it be conferred secondary plan status in order to recognize the importance of the contributions of the community at large in developing their community vision while respecting the call for intensification within the Official Plan.

This Amendment is divided into three main sections which have been extracted from the Council-approved CDP document, as follows: Part A - Preamble, provides background information on the Planning Area as it is today; Part B – The Amendment, contains the planning strategy, which will become the Secondary Plan; and, Part C - the Appendix, which does not form part of the Amendment but contains the CDP implementation measures, design guidelines and illustrations on how Richmond Road/Westboro could look like in the future in keeping with the policies of the CDP. The Amendment reflects the recommended framework for CDPs as described in Policy 2.5.6 of the City of Ottawa Official Plan, as amended by OPA Number 28, and as further refined in the Terms of Reference.

4.0 Introduction

The purpose of a CDP, on which the Secondary Plan is based, is to translate the principles and policies of the Official Plan to the community level. CDPs must therefore conform to the Official Plan. They are to provide an opportunity for the early involvement and discussion by all parties about how future development should occur in a community.

The CDP was also based on the Official Plan 20/20 Guiding Principles. Of particular importance to Richmond Road/Westboro are the Principles promoting:

Compact, well-designed, vibrant, safe and less auto-dependent communities;
Attractive streetscapes with street trees, accessible open spaces, and other pedestrian amenities;
Provision of parklands, recreational pathways and facilities;
Protection of natural diversity;
Mainstreets with uninterrupted networks of active, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented uses;
Community design plans that provide specific criteria for areas identified for intensification;
A choice in housing;
Support for a strong, healthy business community.

The planning area is divided into nine sectors, as described in Section 8.1, in order to address the distinct issues applicable to each sector. It was a challenge at times to have a full discussion of the broad issues affecting the entire planning area because of its large size and diversity.

4.2 Objectives

The following objectives for the Richmond Road/Westboro area established the basis for the policies set out in the CDP:

· To consider the CDP as the backbone for any significant change in the community, in keeping with the Official Plan and other related urban design principles;

· To identify appropriate locations for intensification and infill that will be compatible with adjacent land uses, such as in the vicinity of the Westboro Transitway Station;

· To ensure that infill development is well-integrated and compatible in scale and character with existing neighbourhoods;

· To create an attractive, pedestrian-friendly built environment;

To create a well-designed and vital pedestrian streetscape along the designated Traditional Mainstreets (Richmond Road and Scott Street);
To ensure the provision and preservation of public greenspace and linkages to the Ottawa River to meet community needs through such actions as collaborative efforts with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and the adjacent local communities to create greenspace plans;
To support City programs aimed at protecting the ecological integrity of the Ottawa River;
To recognize of the importance of community involvement and partnerships in building a better community;
To balance the transportation needs among pedestrians, cyclists, transit and motorists;

To ensure that a collaborative community building approach is integrated into the CDP that emphasizes shared values, mutual obligations and builds trust and responsibility within the community.

4.3 Community Collaboration and Issues

The preparation of the Richmond Road/Westboro Community Design Plan involved the participation of numerous dedicated people from the surrounding community, representing a wide variety of interests, including the community associations, condominium associations and residents from the surrounding neighbourhoods, the Westboro BIA, and the NCC. All these groups collaborated in the preparation of the Plan and were represented on the Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) under the leadership of City Councilors Shawn Little (2005-06), Christine Leadman (2007-) and Alex Cullen. At four PAC meetings, property developers attended in order to make presentations for specific sites.

The PAC generally supports the recommendations of the CDP. Where the PAC does not agree with the recommendations for an individual property, it is noted in the text, with a rationale.

Prior to the CDP study getting underway, a Richmond Road corridor community workshop was held in June 2005. The workshop established a vision for the future development of the Richmond Road corridor - “mixed-use development at a human scale” - and criteria addressing building heights and setbacks, streetscaping, pedestrians, parking, and land use. The workshop focused on two sections of Richmond – between Tweedsmuir and Island Park Drive and between Sherbourne and Golden. Although the workshop findings contributed to many of the recommendations of the Richmond/Road/ Westboro CDP, it was recognized following the workshop that the CDP would need to look at a larger geographic area than considered by the workshop participants. The PAC membership was expanded to include Woodroffe North, Woodpark and Ambleside community representatives.

The main CDP consultation events included:

· First Public Open House to introduce the study (November 29, 2005). This open house was held jointly with the Richmond Road Widening Environmental Assessment study (before it was cancelled) and the McKellar Park/Highland Park/Westboro Area Traffic Management Study. Attendance in excess of 500;

· Community Workshop- March 8, 2006

· Second Public Open House (April 3, 2006) to review the preliminary vision and the results of the workshop. Attendance in excess of 300;

· Third Open House (March 22, 2007) to review the draft CDP. Attendance in excess of 200.

4.3.1 First Public Open House – Issue Identification

The following are the highest ranked issues identified by those who filled out comment sheets from the first open house:

· Preserve the scale and character of existing neighbourhoods;

· Preserve, enhance and extend green space and recreational facilities, including Byron Tramway Park as a green buffer and pedestrian link;

· Provide urban design guidelines;

· Improve pedestrian/cycle links;

· Ensure compatibility of new development;

· Provide a land use plan;

· Define character, scale and mix of uses for Richmond Road and Scott Street.

4.3.2 Community Workshop and Second Open House – Preliminary Vision

The following were the main comments from the community workshop and second open house:

· Preserve/enhance green space including all of the Atlantis-Selby and Rochester Field/Maplelawn lands;

· A range of opinions for the preliminary vision’s maximum building heights, including some reductions proposed in specific sectors;

· Existing Transitway stations are appropriate locations for intensification;

· Building form, massing setbacks, shadowing and other urban design issues are important in considering intensification proposals;

· Avoid creating a wall of medium/high rise buildings that block views to the Ottawa River and overshadow existing low profile neighbourhoods;

· Richmond Road is not a traditional mainstreet like Westboro Village over its whole length and each sector has a distinct character;

· Revise unifying vision/overall strategies/principles by adding statements on liveable communities, enhancing transit, green pedestrian/cycle links, add to/enhancing green space, links to other neighbourhoods, Ottawa River as a unifying community backbone;

· Need traffic and servicing impact analysis of preliminary vision.

4.3.3 Third Open House – Draft Community Design Plan

Comments on the draft community design plan from the third open house and public/technical circulation included the following:

· Must confirm absolutely the preservation of Atlantis-Selby as green space;

· Additional greenspace, community parks with active uses should be a priority;

· CDP proposal for moderate intensification is good and not overwhelming;

· Intensification should only be allowed if existing roadway infrastructure can support it- no high rises

· Concern about cut-through traffic on streets south of Richmond;

· Recognition of the need to increase use of transit, with some concern regarding the feasibility of achieving a 40% transit modal share target;

· Much improved concept from previous open house;

· The City should find small pockets of greenspace in this area and work to have these areas zoned so that trees may be planted to enhance the streetscape;

· Support improved bicycle and pedestrian links and westward extension of Byron Tramway Park;

· Add CDP as a Secondary Plan to the Official Plan.

4.4 Background History

The Westboro area began as ribbon development along Richmond Road in the mid-late 1800s^. (Elliot, Bruce S. The City Beyond, 1991). However, Woodroffe North has the distinction of being the first settlement in 1809. All Saints Anglican Church was built in 1865, followed by the Skead’s Mills post office in 1874 and the Nepean Town Hall in 1896. In 1899 the post office was renamed Westboro and the Ottawa Electric Railway began work on a streetcar line. Development at first was slow, but by 1905 a population of 500 allowed the area to acquire police village status. Development of Richmond Road commercial uses, adjoining residential areas and industrial uses continued in ensuing decades. In 1950 the Westboro area was officially annexed to the City of Ottawa.

Richmond Road 1920s

During the 1970s City Council adopted the position that citizens should be involved in the shaping of their communities. A development plan for the Westboro area was begun in the late 1970s and was approved by City Council in early 1980. The Plan established land use and zoning provisions as well as transportation and social policies for the area. The Plan’s key principles were included in the former City of Ottawa Official Plan in 1991. However, they were not carried forward into the new Official Plan adopted by City Council in 2003.

The CDP was undertaken because several rezoning applications for substantial increases in maximum building height were viewed by the neighbouring residential communities as being incompatible with the existing character of Richmond Road and adjacent residential uses. Also, the area lacked a vision to guide future development and no analysis had been undertaken on the cumulative impacts of intensification on Richmond Road and the surrounding communities. Preservation of existing green space was another significant community issue. Development trends in other areas in other parts of the city prompted local community groups to work together to ensure that, though the preparation of a CDP, future development would be more compatible with existing uses and green spaces would be preserved and expanded.

4.5 Demographics

The actual population of the planning area is 8910 (2006 estimate, based on the number of dwelling units). However, the Richmond Road/Westboro planning area boundaries do not coincide with the applicable census tracts. Thus for the demographic analysis, a larger area had to be considered, with a population of close to three times that of the planning area (see Table 1).

Table 1 - Demographics - Planning Area and Surrounding Neighbourhoods
Census Year (Stats. Can.)	Population	Age Group Percentages (0-19, 20-64, 65+)	Dwellings
1976	25,118	Not Available	Not Available
1981	23,816	19%, 62% 19%	10,700
1986	23,809	18%, 60%, 22%	10,970
1991	24,145	18%, 59%, 23%	11,420
1996	25,011	19%, 59%, 22%	11,790
2001	25,216	19%, 60%, 21%	12,040
2006	25,536		12,235
2011**	31,967		16,261
2021**	31,625		16,760
** City of Ottawa Projections

The census tract areas are in many respects typical of inner city/inner suburban areas in Ottawa. Since 1976 these are has undergone, and are projected to undergo, changes highlighted by the following:

· Between 1976 and 1991 the population shrank by 1,309 (5.2%) while between 1981 and 1991 the number of dwellings increased by 720 (6.7%). The decline in population despite an increase in dwelling units is mostly due to declining household size;

· The percentage of youth, adults and seniors making up the total population did not change significantly between 1981 and 2001;

· Population projections between 2001 and 2011 show an increase of 5,550 (21%) and then stabilizing, reflecting intensification and infill development that has taken and will take place.

5.0 Policy Overview - City of Ottawa Official Plan

5.1 Compatibility and Community Design

The City’s growth management strategy, set out in the Official Plan, includes intensification of development in the urban area over the next 20 years. However, the Official Plan also notes that introducing new development in existing neighbourhoods that have developed over a long period of time requires a sensitive approach to differences between new development and the established area. In this regard, the Official Plan sets out strategic directions to ensure the compatibility of new development in established communities.

In the Official Plan, compatible development is defined as development which, although not necessarily the same as or similar to existing nearby built form, must co-exist with it without causing undue adverse impact on surrounding properties. In the planning area, these include overlook, shadowing, existing views, increased noise, traffic and infrastructure impacts, particularly where Richmond Road and Scott Street properties abut mature and established low profile residential neighbourhoods.

A new vision for an area established through the CDP will provide guidance for development to address compatibility and to evolve toward achievement of that vision while respecting overall community character. The Richmond Road/Westboro CDP policy, design guidelines and zoning recommendations were developed in keeping with these Official Plan policy directions.

5. 2 Official Plan Designations (see Map 2)

Richmond Road between Island Park Drive and the Ottawa River Parkway and Scott Street between Island Park Drive and Churchill are designated as Traditional Mainstreets in the Official Plan. Such streets offer significant opportunities for renewal and intensification through more compact forms of development, a lively mix of uses and a pedestrian-friendly environment. The September 2006 Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) decision confirmed the Traditional Mainstreet designation.

Traditional Mainstreets, such as Westboro Village, described in the next section, are generally developed prior to 1945, typically within a tightly knit urban fabric. Buildings are often low profile and mixed use, with narrow frontages and are set close to and address the street in a more pedestrian-oriented and transit-friendly environment.

Some Traditional Mainstreets, built after 1945, display a blend of these traditional characteristics and those of Arterial Mainstreets (e.g., larger lots and buildings, auto orientation). Richmond Road west of Golden Avenue and Scott Street fit this category to varying degrees. Richmond Road adjacent to the Woodroffe North community had more of the characteristics of a pre-1945 Traditional Mainstreet. Redevelopment over the years has resulted in a greater automobile orientation. The policies of the CDP, in keeping with the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law, promote redevelopment that is more pedestrian oriented and locates buildings closer to the street. Over time, the community anticipates that residential and compatible commercial uses will provide residents with a range of services to meet most of their needs within walking distance.

The surrounding residential neighbourhoods are designated General Urban Area, which permits a full range of housing types in combination with conveniently located local employment, service, cultural, leisure, entertainment and institutional uses. Because of the broad nature of this designation, the Zoning By-law will establish more specific lists of permitted uses and development regulations in order to achieve compatibility. New development must relate to existing community character, and enhance and build upon desirable established patterns and built form. Residential intensification should help achieve a balance of housing types and tenures to provide a full range of housing for a variety of demographic profiles.

7.0 Transportation and Utility Infrastructure

7.1 Road Network

Richmond Road, Scott Street, Churchill Avenue between Scott and Richmond, and Woodroffe Avenue are designated as arterial roads in the Official Plan. Arterial roads serve through traffic between points not directly served by the road itself and limited direct access is provided to only major parcels of adjacent lands. Churchill Avenue south of Richmond Road is a major collector. Such roads serve neighbourhood travel between collector and arterial roads and may provide direct access to adjacent lands. Churchill north of Scott, Lanark, Broadview and Byron Avenues are collectors - roads that serve neighbourhood travel to and from major collector or arterial roads and usually provide direct access to adjacent lands. Island Park Drive and the Ottawa River Parkway are federally owned roads.

All other roads within the planning area boundaries are local roads that provide direct access to adjacent lands and serve neighbourhood travel to and from collector or arterial roads.

All the road classifications are subject to the transportation policies in Section 2.3.1 of the Official Plan in relation to transportation demand management, walking cycling, transit, right-of-way protection and parking.

Richmond Road has an existing developed right-of-way (ROW) of 13 metres in the west at Woodroffe to 19 metres at Golden. The Official Plan protects for a 26-metre ROW from Carling to Golden and 20 metres from Golden to Western. There is limited opportunity for increasing the ROW on the north side until near Cleary Avenue and westward, where strip plazas and car lots could be redeveloped and property acquired to increase the ROW for such things as bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks or transit priority measures. This would avoid cutting into Byron Tramway Park, which is not acceptable to the community and would be counter to the objectives of the Secondary Plan. However, as noted below in Section 4.2, the four-lane section could be narrowed to two or three lanes between Broadview and Fraser to allow for widened sidewalks.

Scott Street and Churchill Avenue also have ROW widenings protected for in the Official Plan.

7.2 Transportation/Traffic Studies

During the preparation of the CDP, three transportation-related studies were being conducted in the area. First, the Richmond Road Widening Environmental Assessment began examining the potential widening of Richmond Road to four lanes from Golden Avenue to Carling Avenue, as per the policies of the City of Ottawa Transportation Master Plan (TMP). However, City Council cancelled the study, as part of the 2006 budget deliberations, after the first open house had been held.

Secondly, the McKellar Park/Highland Park/Westboro Area Traffic Management Plan is examining existing cut-through and other local traffic issues on the streets south of Richmond Road and is currently developing options to address these issues for community review. An area concern, shared by the PAC, is that cut-through traffic will increase as a result of future intensification along Richmond Road. The PAC would have liked the CDP and the area traffic management study to have also examined and proposed measures to address such potential future increases.

With regard to the suggestion of broadening the scope of the McKellar Park Highland Park/ Westboro Area Traffic Management Plan to consider any spill-over traffic from potential redevelopment onto residential streets, it is important to recognize that area traffic management is primarily an operational process intended to address existing traffic issues deemed to be of a significant nature (i.e., not easily resolved through an operational review) within neighbourhoods. The typical recommendations of these studies are various traffic management measures (usually in the form of traffic calming) that are both warranted given current conditions, and supported by the community given these conditions. Such measures, however, often have secondary impacts, especially for area residents. Attempting to consider future issues based on development potential that may or may not occur over the 20-year perspective of the CDP/Secondary Plan, and implement measures based on these, would likely be problematic for everyone involved. As well, the McKellar Park Highland Park/ Westboro Area Traffic Management Plan is already well underway, and broadening the scope would significantly delay the study, and lead to additional frustrations for many of the people involved and concerned about today’s problems.

In addition, Transportation Impact Assessment (TIA) Guidelines, approved by Council in 2006, now require TIA studies, with varying degrees of complexity, as part of individual site plan/rezoning applications that meet the guideline targets or have operational concerns. TIAs evaluate, among other operational issues, the potential for community impacts resulting from the proposed development, with a focus on the potential for neighbourhood infiltration by site-generated traffic.

Traffic conditions are monitored on a regular basis and if future problems do develop on a particular street, the City will revisit these operational issues.

The third transportation study is the CDP transportation impact study, which examined the impact of full build-out under the existing zoning and the proposed CDP recommendations. This study differs from standard transportation impact studies in recognition that the usual approach was not as applicable to established neighbourhoods that are intensifying. The study departs from the underlying assumption that there is always enough space to provide additional roadway capacity. Instead, a higher transit modal share (TMS) target of 40% is proposed to accommodate the increased travel demand without having to increase roadway capacity. A combination of transit priority measures and facilities, improved pedestrian and cycling facilities and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs outlined below will be needed to help achieve the target. Since this is a new approach to transportation impact analysis, a transportation management implementation plan will need to be undertaken to examine in greater detail how the 40% target can be achieved and how the City and developers can implement the various measures.

The following is a summary of the study findings:

The traffic generated by full build-out under the CDP can be safely accommodated on the area road network. A fundamental concept of this would be very strong transit supportive measures and enhanced pedestrian facilities where applicable;
Maximum development potential was used for comparison purposes only – Section 6.11 of the CDP and Section 3.1 in Part C - the Appendix of the Secondary Plan outline the important proviso that is highly unlikely that every property will redevelop to its full potential;
It will not be necessary to widen Richmond Road to a four-lane arterial throughout the corridor as a result of full build-out under CDP and the Secondary Plan;
In order to provide higher Levels of Service (LOS) at key intersections, certain intersection modifications (additional turning lanes and tapers) would be required under the present TMS. At the preliminary design level, the modifications are feasible. However, with a 40% TMS in the corridor, these intersection modifications would not be required;
The projected LOS at the Richmond/Island Park Drive intersection (Saturday peak) and the Richmond/Churchill intersection (AM/PM peaks) would exceed their theoretical capacities under 2021 projected background traffic growth plus potential traffic generation if there were to be full build-out under the CDP proposals (see the second bullet above). For Island Park Drive, the projected future LOS is closely correlated to the north-south traffic movements at the intersection using the Champlain Bridge. Increased capacity for inter-provincial traffic is being studied as part of the Inter-Provincial Bridge Crossings Study;
The low projected LOS at the Richmond/Churchill intersection cannot be readily addressed by intersection modifications because of the proximity of adjacent buildings. However, vehicles will operate at lower speeds through Westboro Village, in an area that experiences high pedestrian movements;
The Richmond/Woodroffe intersection will operate above its theoretical capacity in 2021 under full build-out and no increase in existing transit usage. However, the proposed intersection modifications and transit priority measures will improve the intersection’s LOS;
The quality of transit service along the Richmond corridor is relatively low, which results in a low TMS. The need and potential to improve the quality of transit service is significant. The Official Plan TMS target for 2021 is 30%, although along main transit corridors and close to downtown, a substantially higher TMS than the overall City average will have to be achieved to compensate for other areas that will not meet the 30% TMS target;
To help increase the TMS to approximately 40%, the City will have to implement several physical, operational and policy transit priority measures. The objective of the physical and operational measures is to improve transit travel times compared to car travel times. Physical measures include bus queue jumps at critical intersections as well as a new Transitway stop at the west end of the corridor and improved connections to Transitway stations, while operational measures include signal priority as most intersections;
TDM measures outlined in the transportation impact study should be implemented, in partnership with the existing City TDM program, as part of new developments in the area to encourage non-automobile travel modes and to help achieve the 40% TMS target;
Pedestrian and cycling improvements in the corridor will also be required to help increase the TMS. Sidewalks need to be upgraded along most of Richmond. As described in Section 1.3 in Part C - the Appendix to the Secondary Plan, sidewalks between Golden and Woodroffe should be widened to a minimum of 2.0 metres as part of any future reconstruction of Richmond Road. As well, the four-lane section of Richmond between Fraser and Broadview could be reduced to two-three lanes where possible to allow for widened sidewalks. Section 4.3 below outlines the Official Plan designated existing and future on/off–road cycling facilities;
With a 40% TMS, the future 2021 traffic, including full build-out under the CDP, could be accommodated safely on the existing road network without any modifications to intersections in the corridor. This finding reinforces the importance of a higher TMS to the City’s intensification goals, and as such, 40% should become the City’s target for future transit use in the corridor;
Future TIA studies, when required for individual site plan/rezoning applications, should follow the same approach. Instead of focusing on intersection modifications to increase vehicular capacity, they should propose physical, policy and planning measures that will improve the pedestrian/cycling environment and transit operations. These studies should include an evaluation of the current TMS, so that a continuous assessment of transit conditions in the corridor can be maintained over the twenty-year time horizon established by the CDP, as well as an evaluation of appropriate TDM measures.

7.3 Bicycle Routes

Schedule “C” in the Official Plan designates Island Park Drive, Scott to Roosevelt, Roosevelt to Richmond, and Richmond west of Roosevelt as part of the primary urban cycling transportation network. North of Scott Street there is an existing signed route crossing the Transitway using Kirchoffer and the underpass to Westboro Beach to connect to the Ottawa River Capital Pathway.

The cycling network also includes the off-road shared multi-use paths along the Ottawa River (Ottawa River Capital Pathway), along Scott, and in the Byron Tramway Park, although this path is interrupted between Eden and Golden as well as west of Redwood. An opportunity exists to extend this pathway west of Redwood to where Byron intersects with Richmond, across Richmond to Ambleside Park and connecting to the existing pathway to the Ottawa River Parkway west of Ambleside.

The 2008 Cycling Plan adds to this network by adding bicycle lanes west of Golden (short term, by 2015) and wide shared lanes east of Golden to Island Park Drive (long term (2015-2025). The Cycling Plan also recommends that Byron Avenue be equipped with wide shared lanes, with a preferred width of 4.5 metres, exclusive of any space provided for on-street parking, and that Scott Street be provided with cycling lanes east of Churchill Avenue.

7.4 Transit

The transportation impact study concluded that the goal of increasing the TMS to 40%, which is greater than the 30% of the TMP, is essential to accommodate current and future travel without any major modifications to, or widenings of, the existing road network. TMS will increase only if the current level of transit service is improved in terms of accessibility and operating performance. Thus, an integrated strategy must be developed and implemented to introduce transit service improvements along the Richmond Road corridor. Similarly, appropriate location(s) for additional Transitway stations need to be identified to serve area residents. The combined impact of strategies and measures stemming from these studies would be decreased reliance by area residents on private vehicles.

Peak period, express, and regular bus routes run along the Transitway, with the Westboro and Dominion stations located in the planning area and Lincoln Fields station just to the southwest of the planning area. Peak period route 50 runs along Richmond eastward to Woodroffe and then joins the Transitway. Regular bus routes not on the Transitway include the Number 2 on Richmond and the Number 18 on Richmond west of Churchill. Other regular routes serving the area include Numbers 151, 16, 87 and 156. OC Transpo regularly reviews bus routes and adjusts services to accommodate demand.

The TMP references a potential Transitway station in the New Orchard area. Its primary purpose would be to provide Transitway access to existing residents in the Ambleside-McEwen area. Pedestrian access, physical site arrangements and other issues will need to be addressed before a decision can be made on the development of a new station in the New Orchard area, or elsewhere in the planning area.

Westboro Transitway Station

7.5 Infrastructure

The following infrastructure analysis was undertaken as part of the CDP study.

7.5.1 Water

The entire planning area is located within the PD-1W pressure zone. Increased domestic flow demand due to intensification can be easily accommodated by the existing water distribution system. Most locations within the planning area produce sufficient hydrant flows to meet the requirements of the building code to meet new construction. The two locations (99 New Orchard and McRae Avenue) where this may not be the case can be mitigated relatively simply at modest cost and minimum street disruption as part of future redevelopment.

The present local distribution system is mainly from 50 to 80 years old, and largely consists of unlined cast iron piping 152mm and 203mm in diameter. Part of the existing watermain on Richmond Road was replaced with 305 mm diameter pipe from Broadview to Island Park Drive between 2003 and 2005.

7.5.2 Sanitary Sewers

Richmond Road/Westboro drains to the West Nepean Collector, which is one of the City's largest sanitary sewer collectors, running along Scott Street, the Transitway and the Ottawa River Parkway. All potential intensification sites are at or near the downstream end of the sewer subcatchment areas draining to the Collector. None of these sites are routed through a pumping station since all are located on ground elevations that are high enough to avoid impact on local sewers from surcharging in the Collector during wet weather conditions.

A review of city-wide basement flooding during the rainfall event of September 9, 2004 indicates that none of the properties considered for intensification were subject to basement flooding resulting from City sewer surcharging.

Existing foundation and roof drainage plumbing connected to the sanitary sewer system causes problems with extraneous flow to the system, and although the extent of the problem cannot be quantified at this time, it is known from past experience to be a significant volume of the peak flow during major wet weather events. A positive result of redevelopment in any form can be expected through the elimination of these drainage connections to the sanitary sewers

7.5.3 Stormwater Management

Stormwater management will be required in the drainage area to ensure that peak flows in the storm sewers are not increased due to development. While the system age is largely 25 to 50 years, the design storm used was 1:5 years or less and as such, there is little or no capacity to accommodate increased peak run-off flow from redevelopment.

Consequently, due to these restrictions in available pipe capacity, it is expected that redevelopment will require on-site attenuation of storm runoff for major storms up to the 100‑year event in order reduce peak flows to the City storm sewer to a level that will match pipe capacity. This has been standard practice in Ottawa for several years and wherever it is implemented at the targeted sites it should provide a net benefit to the level of protection against surcharging and flooding in the City sewers.

Intensification within this built-up area may provide limited opportunity for on-site stormwater quality treatment; however, it should still be given consideration on a site-by-site basis. The City is currently developing a stormwater management strategy that will identify city-wide opportunities for stormwater management retrofit to address stormwater quality concerns and other stormwater management issues in the existing built-up drainage areas.

7.5.4 Conclusions

The extent of land use intensification proposed in the CDP and the Secondary Plan can be considered modest in comparison to more centrally located areas, and can be serviced by existing City water and sewer infrastructure with a few exceptions that will require upgrading and/or minor extension.

The following can be concluded:

Redevelopment in Richmond Road/Westboro is subject to existing City policies that require compliance with Building Code requirements that are of a higher standard for fire protection than was applied when the community originally developed;
Reduction of peak flows in the sanitary system due to extraneous wet weather inputs should also result from the process of redevelopment. These flows will partially offset the increase in sanitary flow due to higher population;
Since formation of the new City by amalgamation in 2001, peak flow surcharging in the West Nepean Collector through this area has been significantly reduced by diversion of upstream wet weather flow to the Lynwood collector through new pumping stations at Woodroffe and at Crystal Beach. The properties identified for intensification are at ground elevations that are now well above wet weather surcharge levels in the Collector;
Redevelopment will have a beneficial effect on the City storm sewer system by reduction of peak flows through on-site attenuation and controlled release to better fit system capacities in the various sewer catchments crossing this linear area to outlets in the Ottawa River.

8.0 Existing Challenges and Opportunities

8.1 Introduction

Richmond Road/Westboro is not a homogeneous area. Different parts or sectors (see Map 7) have distinct characteristics and issues that require distinct policy interventions. For example, despite Richmond Road and Scott Street being designated Traditional Mainstreets in the Official Plan, the character of Richmond Road changes substantially throughout its length in the planning area. Further, Scott Street has its own character distinct from Richmond Road.

The varying land use characteristics of Richmond Road, Scott Street and the adjacent residential communities, as well as the public input received during the CDP study and an analysis of the existing built and open space environments, have helped to identify a set of overall issues to be addressed, based on the Plan’s objectives, as follows:

Common vision for redevelopment

The need for a common vision that is shared by local community associations, area residents, property owners, City Council and staff, regarding future redevelopment in an established community;

Access to the Ottawa River

Improving access to the Ottawa River, considering the presence of three transportation corridors presently dividing the community or otherwise limiting access: Richmond Road outside Westboro Village, the Transitway, and the Ottawa River Parkway;

Potential for intensification

Evaluating the appropriate level of intensification in the community, considering both the overall capacity of the area to sustain new development, and also the Official Plan intensification/ compatibility policies;

Identifying and preserving distinguishing features

Identifying the distinguishing features of the community that should be preserved along with opportunities for change;

Appropriate Traditional Mainstreet-oriented use

Identifying the appropriate land uses that shall be permitted along Richmond Road under the Traditional Mainstreet designation, considering both its existing traditional and blended traditional/arterial mainstreet character;

Streetscape

Redefining an appropriate streetscape along distinct segments of the mainstreet where existing built areas present an eclectic arrangement of land uses, building sizes and setbacks. These include segments of Richmond Road to the west and east of Westboro Village and along Scott Street;

Scale of built development

Defining an appropriate scale for each of the sectors of the planning area in order to guide future infill development and decisions regarding site plan control, rezoning, and Committee of Adjustment applications;

Design guidelines

Elaborating design guidelines to address compatibility issues, including transition in building setbacks, height, footprint and massing along Richmond Road and other areas, where appropriate;

8.2 Sector Characteristics

Table 2 below elaborates on these issues and describes the existing characteristics of each sector of the Richmond Road/Westboro area as shown on Map 7 on the previous page, as well as some of the distinct challenges and opportunities that each present.

Table 2 - Existing Characteristics, Challenges and Opportunities by Sector

Sector	Location	Existing Characteristics	Challenges and Opportunities
Sector 1 – Ambleside Area	Richmond Road between the Ottawa River Parkway and the eastern lot line of 1025 Richmond	Existing high-density cluster helps create a sense of community (± 3000). Staggered apartment building layout on Ambleside Drive provides visual access to the Ottawa River. Park Place apartment building out of scale with the adjacent Woodpark residential area to the south and the Woodroffe North residential area to the east.	Automobile-oriented uses on Richmond Road – Need to create a better pedestrian orientation to the street that enhances the image of the adjacent residential community. Existing large building setbacks and inadequate street definition/ alignment, as well as the design and height of some buildings, acts as a visual barrier between the Ottawa River and Richmond Road. This building form should be avoided by new infill. Opportunity to address the lack of a pedestrian pathway and connection to the Ottawa River Parkway/ Transitway green space through Byron Tramway Park. High-rise/high density development impacts on surrounding lower density/lower profile communities.
Sector 2 – Woodroffe North	Richmond Road between the eastern lot line of 1025 Richmond and the eastern lot line of 747	Two areas behind the commercial/ residential properties fronting Richmond Road: Low profile Woodroffe North residential area; and the	Opportunity for mixed-use development to replace existing commercial uses that do not contribute to a mainstreet character. Automobile-oriented uses that remain
Sector 2 – Woodroffe North	Richmond	Unitarian Church campus The mix of commercial uses, some non-conforming, at ground level in apartment buildings, one storey strip malls, purpose-built single use buildings and two medium profile apartment buildings contribute to a sense of visual chaos along Richmond. Varying depth and width of lots along Richmond that back onto a low profile residential area limits future development opportunities. Auto-oriented uses, (both non- conforming and exceptions to the permitted zoning) contribute to a pedestrian unfriendly landscape. Access to the Ottawa River Parkway open space.	need to create a better pedestrian orientation to the street that enhances the image of the adjacent residential community. The compatibility/impact of future infill development along Richmond with the existing residential community. A streetscaping strategy to address community concerns related to safety, access and appearance of the existing undefined streetscape and commercial signage Provide a westerly continuation of the pedestrian pathway in Byron Tramway Park. Community opposed to any new street connections to Richmond Road. Development approvals need to ensure an adequate transition between new development on Richmond Road and existing low profile residential uses to the north.
Sector 3 - Skead Street Area	Richmond Road between the eastern lot line of 747 Richmond and the rear lot lines of the lots on the east side of Fraser Avenue	Townhouse development oriented away from Richmond and detached dwellings facing the street. Some improvement in the landscaping of Byron Tramway Park (e.g., pathway and benches). McKellar/Bingham House (a designated heritage building).	Informal secondary access points to the Ottawa River Parkway are mostly private in nature. Limited opportunities for infill development.
Sector 4 – Maplelawn/495 Richmond	Richmond Road between the rear lot lines of the lots fronting the east side of Fraser and Dominion/ Golden Avenues.	Maplelawn House and gardens, a landmark heritage site Six-storey Amica of Westboro Park project - appropriate infill in terms of scale. Rochester Field provides visual opening towards the Ottawa River Parkway corridor.	Rogers building could be redeveloped with mixed use in the long-term, taking advantage of its location near the Dominion Transitway station. Retain Rochester Field/Maplelawn’s green space presence on Richmond and behind 495 Richmond. Create a recreational pathway link to the Ottawa River.
Sector 5 – Westboro Village	Richmond Road between Dominion/ Golden Avenues and Tweedsmuir Avenue	Diverse commercial mix of neighbourhood stores, specialty shops and public facilities. Building continuity (especially west of Churchill Avenue). Good building/street interaction and pedestrian orientation (particularly west of Churchill). Externally lit commercial signage.	Through a streetscaping strategy and urban design guidelines, address the existing: · Inappropriate overhead lighting; · Location of street furnishings (lack of space); · Temporary quality of landscaping; · Wide range of building quality, façade materials and storefront designs; · Inadequate transition (backs of buildings and parking lots) between commercial and residential use on Madison Avenue; and · Inadequate transition between apartment buildings on Dominion and Berkley and the existing low profile residential fabric.
Sector 6 - East Village	Richmond Road between Tweedsmuir Avenue and Island Park Drive	Impact of the Great Canadian Superstore on the street. Concentration of heritage buildings on south side of Richmond east of Kirkwood.	Through a streetscaping strategy and urban design guidelines, address: Lack of continuity and building alignment; Power lines crossing the street; and, Convent wall not contributing to a mainstreet character.
Sector 6 - East Village		Front lawn of Canadian Banknote building. Many lots on Richmond have shallow depths and back onto low profile residential communities.	Opportunity for new Traditional Mainstreet-oriented, mixed-use development to replace existing industrial uses, underused lots and car lots that do not contribute to a mainstreet character.
Sector 7 – Scott Street and Westboro Transitway Station	Scott Street and Westboro Transitway Station area, including former CBC site.	Presence of a major Transitway station and Transitway corridor. Narrow lot depth on the north side of Scott restricts future development opportunities. Industrial /auto-oriented uses create a pedestrian unfriendly landscape.	Try to improve the limited access to the Westboro Beach community north of the Transitway corridor. Through a streetscaping strategy, define the public space on south side of Scott, which currently has no sidewalk and no street trees. Opportunity for mixed-use/employment infill development on Scott to take advantage of the proximity of the Transitway station. Recognize the redevelopment and intensification opportunity presented by the former CBC building site adjacent to the Transitway station, while addressing the issues of compatibility and traffic impact on Lanark and other streets in Sector 8.
Sector 8 – Westboro Beach/ Atlantis-Selby	Area north of Scott Street to the Ottawa River Parkway.	High profile area bordered to the west and east by a low profile residential community. Access to the south limited by Transitway corridor. Access to the river and Westboro Beach limited by the Ottawa River Parkway.	Improve continuity between the east and west sectors of the community and mitigate the barrier effects of further large-scale developments. Improve pedestrian connections to the south across the Transitway and north to the river across the Ottawa River Parkway. Determine the future designation of, and the means by which, the Atlantis-Selby greenspace will be preserved.
Sector 8 – Westboro Beach/ Atlantis-Selby		Island Park Towers and Metropole buildings - out of scale with the surrounding community. Limited opportunities for infill development. The Jules Leger Centre and the City’s Bloomfield Yards are long-term existing land uses that could potentially be redeveloped at sometime in the future for residential and/or community use. Highly valued green spaces along the Ottawa River Parkway (Atlantis-Selby lands).	Ensure compatibility of new infill development with existing low profile areas of the neighbourhood.
Sector 9 – McRae Street and Churchill Avenue	Between Richmond Road and Scott Street	No sidewalks along McRae Avenue – Power lines and an industrial/parking lot character detract. Churchill – mixed low profile residential/ commercial uses.	Inadequate pedestrian linkages on these streets between Westboro Village and the Transitway station. Opportunity for new mixed-use/employment infill taking advantage of location between Westboro Village and the Transitway station.

Sector

Location

Existing Characteristics

Challenges and Opportunities

Sector 1 – Ambleside Area

Richmond Road between the Ottawa River Parkway and the eastern lot line of 1025 Richmond

Existing high-density cluster helps create a sense of community (± 3000).

Staggered apartment building layout on Ambleside Drive provides visual access to the Ottawa River.

Park Place apartment building out of scale with the adjacent Woodpark residential area to the south and the Woodroffe North residential area to the east.

Automobile-oriented uses on Richmond Road – Need to create a better pedestrian orientation to the street that enhances the image of the adjacent residential community.

Existing large building setbacks and inadequate street definition/ alignment, as well as the design and height of some buildings, acts as a visual barrier between the Ottawa River and Richmond Road. This building form should be avoided by new infill.

Opportunity to address the lack of a pedestrian pathway and connection to the Ottawa River Parkway/ Transitway green space through Byron Tramway Park.

High-rise/high density development impacts on surrounding lower density/lower profile communities.

Sector 2 – Woodroffe North

Richmond Road between the eastern lot line of 1025 Richmond and the eastern lot line of 747

Two areas behind the commercial/ residential properties fronting Richmond Road: Low profile Woodroffe North residential area; and the

Opportunity for mixed-use development to replace existing commercial uses that do not contribute to a mainstreet character.

Automobile-oriented uses that remain

Sector 2 – Woodroffe North

Richmond

Unitarian Church campus

The mix of commercial uses, some non-conforming, at ground level in apartment buildings, one storey strip malls, purpose-built single use buildings and two medium profile apartment buildings contribute to a sense of visual chaos along Richmond.

Varying depth and width of lots along Richmond that back onto a low profile residential area limits future development opportunities.

Auto-oriented uses, (both non- conforming and exceptions to the permitted zoning) contribute to a pedestrian unfriendly landscape.

Access to the Ottawa River Parkway open space.

need to create a better pedestrian orientation to the street that enhances the image of the adjacent residential community.

The compatibility/impact of future infill development along Richmond with the existing residential community.

A streetscaping strategy to address community concerns related to safety, access and appearance of the existing undefined streetscape and commercial signage

Provide a westerly continuation of the pedestrian pathway in Byron Tramway Park.

Community opposed to any new street connections to Richmond Road.

Development approvals need to ensure an adequate transition between new development on Richmond Road and existing low profile residential uses to the north.

Sector 3 - Skead Street Area

Richmond Road between the eastern lot line of 747 Richmond and the rear lot lines of the lots on the east side of

Fraser Avenue

Townhouse development oriented away from Richmond and detached dwellings facing the street.

Some improvement in the landscaping of Byron Tramway Park (e.g., pathway and benches).

McKellar/Bingham House (a designated heritage building).

Informal secondary access points to the Ottawa River Parkway are mostly private in nature.

Limited opportunities for infill development.

Sector 4 – Maplelawn/495 Richmond

Richmond Road between the rear lot lines of the lots fronting the east side of Fraser and Dominion/ Golden Avenues.

Maplelawn House and gardens, a landmark heritage site

Six-storey Amica of Westboro Park project - appropriate infill in terms of scale.

Rochester Field provides visual opening towards the Ottawa River Parkway corridor.

Rogers building could be redeveloped with mixed use in the long-term, taking advantage of its location near the Dominion Transitway station.

Retain Rochester Field/Maplelawn’s green space presence on Richmond and behind 495 Richmond.

Create a recreational pathway link to the Ottawa River.

Sector 5 – Westboro Village

Richmond Road between Dominion/ Golden Avenues and Tweedsmuir Avenue

Diverse commercial mix of neighbourhood stores, specialty shops and public facilities. Building continuity (especially west of Churchill Avenue).

Good building/street interaction and pedestrian orientation (particularly west of Churchill).

Externally lit commercial signage.

Through a streetscaping strategy and urban design guidelines, address the existing:

· Inappropriate overhead lighting;

· Location of street furnishings (lack of space);

· Temporary quality of landscaping;

· Wide range of building quality, façade materials and storefront designs;

· Inadequate transition (backs of buildings and parking lots) between commercial and residential use on Madison Avenue; and

· Inadequate transition between apartment buildings on Dominion and Berkley and the existing low profile residential fabric.

Sector 6 - East Village

Richmond Road between Tweedsmuir Avenue and Island Park Drive

Impact of the Great Canadian Superstore on the street.

Concentration of heritage buildings on south side of Richmond east of Kirkwood.

Through a streetscaping strategy and urban design guidelines, address:

Lack of continuity and building alignment;
Power lines crossing the street; and,
Convent wall not contributing to a mainstreet character.

Sector 6 - East Village

Front lawn of Canadian Banknote building.

Many lots on Richmond have shallow depths and back onto low profile residential communities.

Opportunity for new Traditional Mainstreet-oriented, mixed-use development to replace existing industrial uses, underused lots and car lots that do not contribute to a mainstreet character.

Sector 7 – Scott Street and Westboro Transitway Station

Scott Street and Westboro Transitway Station area, including former CBC site.

Presence of a major Transitway station and Transitway corridor.

Narrow lot depth on the north side of Scott restricts future development opportunities.

Industrial /auto-oriented uses create a pedestrian unfriendly landscape.

Try to improve the limited access to the Westboro Beach community north of the Transitway corridor.

Through a streetscaping strategy, define the public space on south side of Scott, which currently has no sidewalk and no street trees.

Opportunity for mixed-use/employment infill development on Scott to take advantage of the proximity of the Transitway station.

Recognize the redevelopment and intensification opportunity presented by the former CBC building site adjacent to the Transitway station, while addressing the issues of compatibility and traffic impact on Lanark and other streets in Sector 8.

Sector 8 – Westboro Beach/ Atlantis-Selby

Area north of Scott Street to the Ottawa River Parkway.

High profile area bordered to the west and east by a low profile residential community.

Access to the south limited by Transitway corridor.

Access to the river and Westboro Beach limited by the Ottawa River Parkway.

Improve continuity between the east and west sectors of the community and mitigate the barrier effects of further large-scale developments.

Improve pedestrian connections to the south across the Transitway and north to the river across the Ottawa River Parkway.

Determine the future designation of, and the means by which, the Atlantis-Selby greenspace will be preserved.

Sector 8 – Westboro Beach/ Atlantis-Selby

Island Park Towers and Metropole buildings - out of scale with the surrounding community.

Limited opportunities for infill development. The Jules Leger Centre and the City’s Bloomfield Yards are long-term existing land uses that could potentially be redeveloped at sometime in the future for residential and/or community use.

Highly valued green spaces along the Ottawa River Parkway (Atlantis-Selby lands).

Ensure compatibility of new infill development with existing low profile areas of the neighbourhood.

Sector 9 – McRae Street and Churchill Avenue

Between Richmond Road and Scott Street

No sidewalks along McRae Avenue – Power lines and an industrial/parking lot character detract.

Churchill – mixed low profile residential/ commercial uses.

Inadequate pedestrian linkages on these streets between Westboro Village and the Transitway station.

Opportunity for new mixed-use/employment infill taking advantage of location between Westboro Village and the Transitway station.

PART B – THE AMENDMENT

1.0 The Introductory Statement

All of this part of this document entitled Part B – The Amendment, consisting of the following text, constitutes Amendment No.X to the City of Ottawa Official Plan.

2.0 Details of the Amendment

1. Annex 6, Urban Secondary Plans and Site Specific Policies, to Volume 1 of the Official Plan for the City of Ottawa is amended as per the attached Schedule D;

2. The Official Plan for the City of Ottawa, Volume 2A – Secondary Plans is amended by:

a. adding the following title to the Table of Contents:

Richmond Road/Westboro Secondary Plan;

b. adding the Richmond Road/Westboro Secondary Plan, as follows, after the Secondary Plan of the Former Village of Rockcliffe Park Official Plan:

Volume 2A – Secondary Plans

Richmond Road/Westboro Secondary Plan

1.0 Introduction/Planning Strategy

1.1 Planning Area

1.2 Unifying Vision, Overlying Objectives and Principles

1.3 Polices

a) Transportation Management Implementation Plan

b) Greenspace Network Strategy

Land Use Strategy and Building Profile

c) Sector 1 – Ambleside Area

d) Sector 2 - Woodroffe North

e) Sector 3 – Skead Street Area

f) Sector 4 - Maplelawn/495 Richmond

g) Sector 5 – Westboro Village

h) Sector 6 – East Village

Sector 7 - Scott Street and Westboro Transitway Station Area

i) Scott Street

j) Westboro Transitway Station Area

k) Westboro Beach/Atlantis-Selby

l) McRae and Churchill

m) Heritage Buildings

1.4 Interpretation

Richmond Road/Westboro Secondary Plan

1.0 Introduction/Planning Strategy

The Richmond Road/Westboro Secondary Plan is a guide to its long-term design and development, taking into consideration land use, urban design, zoning, transportation, existing streetscape conditions, compatibility of new development, and other issues of concern to the local communities. The Secondary Plan provides a framework for change that will see Richmond Road/Westboro as we know it today become Richmond Road/Westboro as we will know it tomorrow. A unifying vision and overlying objectives and principles set out the policy context for the specific sectoral strategies that focus on land use and building profiles, as well as a greenspace network strategy. This Secondary Plan is meant to be read and interpreted as City Council’s policy direction for municipal actions, particularly the undertaking of public works and the review of development proposals, city-wide and site-specific zoning changes and Committee of Adjustment applications.

The Secondary Plan is based on City Council’s July 9, 2007 approval of the Richmond Road/Westboro Community Design Plan (CDP), a joint staff-community effort to develop a vision for Richmond Road/Westboro as an attractive and viable place for all who shop, work or live in the area. The CDP provides detailed background information on existing conditions and community issues as well as land use policy and zoning recommendations. Development proposals and public works also need to consider the CDP’s urban design guidelines, proposed streetscaping improvements and other implementation measures.

In addition to the CDP, reference must be made to both the City of Ottawa Official Plan and this Secondary Plan for complete policy direction for the future development of the Richmond Road/Westboro area.

1.1 The Planning Area

Richmond Road/Westboro is bounded on the north by the Ottawa River, on the east by Island Park Drive, on the south by Byron Avenue and on the west by the southerly extension of the Ottawa River Parkway as shown on Schedule “A”. The planning area is part of, or is bounded by, several neighbourhoods that are influenced by their proximity to Richmond Road, including Westboro, Westboro Beach, Champlain Park, Hampton-Iona, Highland Park, McKellar Park, Woodroffe North, Woodpark and Carlingwood.

1.2 Unifying Vision, Overlying Objectives and Principles

The following unifying vision, overlying objectives and principles for Richmond Road/Westboro, set out the desired future and broad policy direction for managing growth and achieving the vision over the 20-year timeframe of the Plan.

This unifying vision derives from four "Guiding Principles":

· Retain all useable public greenspace; increase greenspace where possible;

· Increase recreational facilities;

· Ensure the area develops in such a way as to ensure that it is pedestrian and cyclist "friendly"; and,

· Preserve the scale and character of existing neighbourhoods and ensure the compatibility of new development.

Unifying Vision

Richmond Road/Westboro, including Westboro Village, will continue to be an attractive and liveable urban community, based on “green” principles outlined in the Official Plan, with a wide mix of uses including employment, neighbourhood services and facilities, a range of housing types and choices, excellent transit service and well-designed, compact and inclusive development that will enhance the area’s diversity and vibrancy. Compatible intensification will occur primarily on appropriate sites on Richmond Road and Scott Street and adjacent to existing Transitway stations.

Enhanced existing green spaces and facilities serve both local and city-wide recreational needs. Excellent pedestrian/cycle routes link Westboro Village, existing Transitway stations, other adjacent neighbourhoods, and the Ottawa River open space network, which acts as a green linear spine unifying the area.

Richmond Road provides an important and continuous roadway link to the larger urban community, both to the east, along Wellington Street, and to the west to Carling Avenue. Other arterial and collector streets provide key links to Richmond Road for the neighbourhoods to the south.

Overlying Objectives and Principles

Objective One: Intensification

· Encourage infill/intensification at a human scale that is compatible with the existing community on appropriate key potential redevelopment sites.

Principles:

Preserve the scale and character of established residential neighbourhoods and minimize any adverse impacts of intensification;
Preserve and enhance the human scale (generally low to medium profile) of the Westboro Village traditional mainstreet, Richmond Road;
Consider Churchill Avenue (between Richmond Road and Scott Street) and McRae Avenue to be pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use streets linking the Westboro Village and Scott Street mainstreets;
Consider the traffic impact on north-south residential streets south of the planning area;
Achieve compatible infill/intensification on key redevelopment sites by:

o Providing appropriate setbacks and transition in building heights, including lower heights along the edges of existing low profile residential areas,

o Contributing to the restoration of the urban fabric and helping promote transit usage. The Westboro Transitway Station area has the greatest potential for intensification/high profile buildings with appropriate transition to their surroundings, while Dominion Station has more limited potential;

o Conforming to the maximum recommended building profiles for each sector. Medium and high profile buildings will be limited to sites that are compatible with adjacent uses, such as the Ottawa River Parkway open space, have deeper lots, or have other natural or manmade separations enabling impacts associated with medium and high profile development to be mitigated and where lesser heights abutting existing lower profile buildings can be provided;

o Conforming to the Richmond Road/Westboro CDP design guidelines respecting built form, shared use of facilities, more energy efficient buildings, setbacks, relationship of the building to the adjacent neighbourhood’s character, and other criteria aimed at achieving compatible intensification/ infill development while minimizing impacts on adjacent residential neighbourhoods;

o Respecting a transition in building scale and density and compatibility of land use from Richmond Road to the Ottawa River Parkway in a north-south direction and along Richmond Road between different sectors in an east-west direction;

o Avoiding creating a wall of buildings by using periodic breaks in the street wall where appropriate or variations in building height, building setback and alignment to add interest to the streetscape and to provide space for activities along the sidewalk.

Objective Two: Green Space Network

· Preserve, enhance and add to the green space network that provides access to the Ottawa River and serves local community needs.

Principles

Provide pedestrian/cycle gateways to the Ottawa River Parkway open space network at Rochester Field/Maplelawn, Cleary Avenue, the pathway adjacent to the Jules Leger Centre and other potential locations identified in the Community Design Plan;
Create a safe and attractive pedestrian and cycle-friendly infrastructure that provides links though the area, to the Ottawa River and to other neighbourhoods;
Provide for wider sidewalks where needed, through a setback of buildings fronting Richmond Road;
Transform key streets with street tree planting/landscaping to create informal green pedestrian links to the Ottawa River;
Preserve and enhance Byron Tramway Park, including the westerly extension of the existing recreational pathway network;
Encourage parkland dedication contributions received from Richmond Road/Westboro infill developments to be used to enhance/enlarge local parks and recreational facilities, or to establish new parks and community amenities, as appropriate;

7. Maintain a green buffer between the Ottawa River Parkway and adjoining development;

Promote opportunities for additional recreational facilities in the planning area.

Objective Three: Distinctive Neighbourhoods

Define the distinct urban character of each sector of Richmond Road.

Principle

Define Richmond Road as a sequence of distinct sectors each with its own individual character, including a traditional mainstreet, green gateways, residential areas, as well as residential and mixed-use intensification/infill developments at appropriate locations.

1.3 Policies

Transportation Management Implementation Plan

a) City Council shall undertake a Transportation Management Implementation Plan to examine how a 40% Transit Modal Share target can be achieved in the planning area and how the City and developers can implement the various transportation management measures proposed in the Richmond Road/Westboro CDP, including potential funding mechanisms.

Greenspace Network Strategy

b) City Council shall implement the greenspace network strategy for the planning area, as shown on Schedule “B”, by:

o Establishing Richmond Road and Byron Tramway Park as the gateway to the Ottawa River Parkway open space corridor;

o Ensuring the Richmond/Byron corridor reinforces the link between the planning area and the National Capital Commission (NCC) recreational pathway system through green streets and pathway connections;

o Applying the existing City policies concerning park preservation and improvement and the development of additional parkland in communities undergoing intensification, including investing cash-in-lieu of parkland funds generated by development towards the improvement of park and recreational facilities in the planning area;

o Restoring the Richmond Road streetscape through the enhancement of Byron Tramway Park and the provision of a new widened (where possible) and tree-lined sidewalk on the north side;

o Enhancing Byron Tramway Park with new trees and shrubs;

o Confirming all of the Rochester Field Maplelawn parcel and the Atlantis-Selby lands as major components of the greenspace network strategy and gateway to the Ottawa River Parkway open space corridor. The means of confirming these sites as green space is to be determined via discussions among the City, the NCC (the landowner with federal authority for land use planning of these sites) and the affected community groups;

o Transforming of key local streets, including Ambleside Drive, New Orchard, Woodroffe, Lockhart, Cleary, Berkley, Kirchoffer and Lanark Avenues into green streets through tree planting, landscaping, provision of two-metre sidewalks and dedicated on-road cycle lanes or signed cycle route designations, as appropriate.

Land Use Strategy and Building Profile

The Richmond Road/Westboro Secondary Plan land use strategy is based on the division of the planning area into distinct sectors as shown on Schedule “A”. The strategy sets out policy directives for each sector’s land use character and appropriate building profile. Schedule “C” graphically depicts the building profiles set out by the policies for key potential redevelopment sites in the planning area.

Sector 1 – Ambleside Area

c) City Council shall encourage the redevelopment of the automobile-oriented land uses along Richmond Road, and will support medium profile residential development with some ground floor neighbourhood-oriented commercial uses along Richmond Road to serve the 3000+ residents in this sector. Given the existing high profile nature of this sector, high profile residential development may be permitted internal to this sector provided that it can be integrated with the existing built form profile and that no adverse impacts for any adjacent low profile areas will result.

Sector 2 –Woodroffe North

d) City Council shall encourage the redevelopment of the automobile-oriented and strip mall land uses along Richmond Road with low and medium profile residential buildings with some ground floor neighbourhood-oriented commercial uses to serve the residents in this sector. The designation of properties as low or medium profile relates to the nature and profile of the land uses to the north. In Sector 2, a low profile height limit is generally appropriate for Richmond Road potential redevelopment sites that are adjacent to, or in the influence area of, the low profile residential neighbourhood north of Richmond Road. Where this is not the case, medium profile residential development with some ground floor commercial will be permitted when such development will not cause undue adverse impacts for adjacent lands.

Sector 3 – Skead Street Area

e) City Council shall protect the existing stable low profile residential character of this sector until such time as redevelopment opportunities in other sectors have been more fully realized.

Sector 4 – Maplelawn/495 Richmond Area

(f) City Council shall:

Encourage new medium profile (along Richmond Road) and high profile mixed use buildings to provide a transition in profile from Richmond Road to the rear of the properties backing onto the Ottawa River Parkway corridor;
Confirm the entire Rochester Field parcel as open space to provide both a green presence on the street and a link to the recreational pathway network along the Ottawa River Parkway and the Ottawa River.

Sector 5 – Westboro Village

(g) City Council shall:

Reinforce the existing traditional mainstreet character of Westboro Village through updated design guidelines, promoting improved storefront facades and street tree planting;

Maintain a sense of human scale in Westboro Village by providing for predominately low and medium profile buildings with a minimum of two storeys, buildings located close to the street, except at the key Churchill Avenue/Richmond Road intersection where wider sidewalks are needed;
Encourage mixed use, including a continuity of ground floor retail/restaurant uses with residential and office uses on the upper floors. Car sales lots and other automobile-oriented uses should be redeveloped with active traditional mainstreet, pedestrian-friendly uses.

Sector 6 – East Village

(h) City Council shall:

Encourage the evolution of the East Village to a more traditional mainstreet character as an extension to Westboro Village and a link to the West Wellington traditional mainstreet east of Island Park Drive, recognizing the varying character of the existing buildings and lot and block sizes;
Maintain maximum building heights as low profile where lots are less than 45 metres in depth and back onto low profile residential areas, and medium profile where lots are greater in depth;
In considering any redevelopment of the Canadian Banknote Company site, encourage the reuse of all or part of the landmark building and retention of the front yard open space where possible, including a public square as a community gathering place;
Consider rezoning the Canadian Banknote Company site and adjacent 175 Richmond Road to TM-Traditional Mainstreet when redevelopment is proposed. Given the lot size, higher building heights may be possible, provided that redevelopment to the rear is compatible with, and provides an appropriate transition to, the adjacent low profile residential neighbourhood, and that existing green space is incorporated into the redevelopment;
Should the Soeurs de la Visitation Convent be redeveloped in the future, encourage the removal of the convent wall and the adaptive reuse of the convent building with mixed use/ground floor commercial along Richmond Road and residential behind, incorporating as much of the existing landscaping as possible. At that time, Council shall consider rezoning the site to TM-Traditional Mainstreet, medium profile along Richmond Road, and low profile residential zoning to the rear to be compatible with the adjacent low profile residential area;
Encourage the retention and use of the heritage buildings on the south side of Richmond Road between Kirkwood Avenue and Island Park Drive for active commercial uses;
Promote a gateway feature, such as a prominent, well-designed building, at the Richmond Road/Island Park Drive intersection to announce the entrance into the East Village.

Sector 7 – Scott Street and the Westboro Transitway Station Area

Scott Street

(i) City Council shall:

Encourage the evolution of Scott Street to a mixed use live/work environment, including ground floor employment/commercial uses, to take advantage of the proximity of the Westboro Transitway Station;
Ensure that new low and medium profile infill development is compatible with and provides an appropriate transition to the adjacent low profile residential community;
Recognize the Granite Curling Club site as a future redevelopment opportunity for a mixed-use project potentially incorporating the existing building.

Westboro Transitway Station Area

(j) City Council shall:

Recognize the 250 Lanark Avenue site as a redevelopment/intensification opportunity, with the southerly half closest to the Transitway station as high profile and the northerly half as medium profile. Mixed use could occur either in the same buildings or separate buildings, with office uses on the southerly half and residential on the northerly half;
Require the proposed redevelopment to be the subject of a sun/shadow study to address potential shadow impacts on the Lanark Avenue residential area;
Require the proposed redevelopment to be the subject of a study to address potential traffic impact issues on Lanark Avenue and adjacent streets;
Enhance the pedestrian walkway to the Transitway from 250 Lanark Avenue to help promote transit use;
Support the development of a public plaza over the Transitway adjacent to the Transitway station in order to create a pedestrian-friendly environment, including streetscaping and a one- or two-storey building, and to provide convenience retail and other services to transit passengers.

Sector 8 – Westboro Beach/Atlantis-Selby

(k) City Council shall:

Confirm the Atlantis-Selby lands as open space to provide both a local community and city-wide attraction;
Maintain the area as a low profile residential area and, specifically for the Bloomfield Yards and the Jules Leger Centre, support low profile residential zoning compatible with the adjacent low profile neighbourhood should these two sites be redeveloped in the future.

Sector 9 – McRae and Churchill Avenues

(l) City Council shall:

Support the redevelopment of Churchill and McRae Avenues as low to medium profile mixed-use streets;
Encourage residential and employment uses as well as commercial uses on the two streets that do not affect the viability of Richmond Road and Scott Street traditional mainstreets;
Ensure that intensification/infill development provides an appropriate transition to the adjacent low profile residential neighbourhood.

Heritage Buildings

(m) City Council shall encourage the preservation and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings within the planning area in keeping with the City of Ottawa’s heritage policies.

1.4 Interpretation

1. Implementation and interpretation of this Chapter shall be made having regard to information in all of the Chapters of the Official Plan.

2. For purposes of this amendment, the term profile is a relative term, which refers to the general height of buildings compared to others in the immediate vicinity. While the policies normally ensure a transition in building profiles, the following general guidelines are also provided:

a. Low profile - buildings from one to four storeys;

b. Medium profile - buildings from five to nine storeys; and,

c. High profile – buildings of 10 or more storeys.

PART C - THE APPENDIX

1.0 Proposed Streetscaping Improvements

1.1 Richmond Road between Golden and Tweedsmuir (Westboro Village)

1.2 Richmond Road between Tweedsmuir and Island Park Drive (East Village)

1.3 Richmond Road between the Ottawa River Parkway and Golden Avenue

1.4 Scott Street, McRae and Churchill Avenues

2.0 Building Envelope Guidelines

2.1 Purpose

2.2 Westboro Village and East Village Guidelines

2.3 Scott Street Guidelines

2.4 Richmond Road West of Golden Avenue Guidelines

2.5 Infill Development Guidelines by Planning Sector

2.6 Utility Services Guidelines

2.7 Intensification Above the Levels in This Plan

3,0 Development Potential

4.0 Development Review Mechanism

5.0 Implementation

5.1 Status of the CDP

5.2 Proposed Zoning Changes

5.3 Implementation Actions

Richmond Road/Westboro Tomorrow

6.0 Introduction

6.1 The 3-D Model

6.2 Sector Views

6.3 Examples of Potential Infill Development and Enhanced Pedestrian Facilities

1.0 Proposed Streetscaping Improvements

This section provides a description of the proposed improvements to the landscape of the public realm, complementing the redevelopment of private properties.

1.1 Richmond Road between Golden and Tweedsmuir (Westboro Village)

The streetscaping of Westboro Village generally meets City design standards for Traditional Mainstreets. However, supplementary work and associated follow-up studies should be undertaken in the future to enhance, and in some cases, remediate, the existing situation.

Such supplementary work should include:

Reconstruction of planting boxes, as the existing ones will not accommodate the long-term growth of street trees;
Installation of pedestrian-oriented street lighting;
Construction of pedestrian crossings; and,
Analysis of different scenarios to mitigate the impact of overhead wires, including the option of placing these underground.

1.2 Richmond Road between Tweedsmuir and Island Park Drive (East Village)

This section of Richmond Road does not yet project the image of a traditional mainstreet. Most notable is the absence of either a street-oriented building alignment or a continuous building façade. As a result, additional work should be carried out to foster a stronger pedestrian orientation along this street segment.

Specific work includes:

Creation of a two-metre wide continuous sidewalk;
Planting trees in alignment with the roadway to achieve the dual objective of (a) restoring continuity of the building façade; and (b) mitigate the effects of deep front yards on a number of properties; and,
Installation of pedestrian-oriented street lighting.

1.3 Richmond Road between the Ottawa River Parkway and Golden Avenue

This section of Richmond Road should be subject to an extensive streetscape redesign in conjunction with the more compact and pedestrian-oriented form of redevelopment identified by the CDP. In particular, the City should take advantage of the presence of the linear Byron Tramway Park located on the south side of Richmond Road in order to:

Extend the existing recreational pathway as noted in Section 6.0;
Create an effective buffer zone between the established residential community south of Byron Avenue and the proposed mixed use redevelopment on the north of Richmond Road; and,
Redefine the streetscape by means of a continuous alignment of trees within the linear park.

In addition, alternative streetscaping scenarios should be identified to treat the north side of Richmond Road to:

Provide a continuous two-metre wide sidewalk as part of any future rehabilitation of Richmond Road. Due to the narrow right-of-way between Cleary and Woodroffe, the City may have to acquire additional land to accommodate widened sidewalks and streetscaping measures. The optimal scenario would allow for a separation of the sidewalk from the street by a landscaped boulevard.

Plant street trees, between the curb and the sidewalk, within the existing right-of-way, where possible, and /or between the sidewalk and the building line on private property to help create a continuous streetscape;

The transportation impact study determined that between Broadview and Fraser there is an opportunity to enhance pedestrian facilities by reducing the road cross-section to two to three vehicular lanes, where possible, with the extra lanes being converted to provide widened sidewalks and streetscaping.

1.4 Scott Street, McRae and Churchill Avenues

Theses roadways should be redesigned in order to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment. Measures to support this objective should include:

Construction of a two-metre wide continuous unobstructed sidewalk, separated from the street by a landscaped boulevard to allow tree planning and improved street lighting;
Installation of pedestrian-oriented street lighting; and,

The development of new bicycle path along McRae Avenue extending to the Ottawa River along the Hydro corridor.

2.0 Building Envelope Guidelines

2.1 Purpose

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide urban design guidance in response to two objectives:

· To promote redevelopment that will:

- reinforce the existing character of well-defined Traditional Mainstreet sections, namely Westboro Village between Golden and Tweedsmuir, and the developing mainstreet between Tweedsmuir and Island Park Drive;

- contribute to the creation of a renewed urban form, including buildings located close to the street and a stronger pedestrian orientation, in the other sections of Richmond Road and on Scott Street; and,

· To guide infill development in each of the nine planning sectors identified previously.

Where there is no established building pattern or defined character in a sector, the first new infill buildings need to feature high quality architecture in order to set the standard for future infill development.

The following two sets of design guidelines complement one another. The first set is more general in terms of scope and the second is more specific because it provides guidance on infill development issues affecting key areas/sites in the planning area.

2.2 Westboro Village and East Village Guidelines

The section of Richmond Road located between Golden Avenue and Island Park Drive presents a potentially well- defined Traditional Mainstreet character. In Westboro Village that character already exists as a tightly knit urban fabric with narrow frontage buildings, and a good building continuity and interface with the sidewalk. In the East Village this Traditional Mainstreet character is under development. Therefore the purpose of these guidelines is to preserve and enhance these features in Westboro Village and to promote their development in the East Village.

Streetscape

Create a strong edge on the street by aligning buildings on the front property line or with the average setback of adjacent buildings, provided that this setback relates to the overall character of the Village;

Maintain a ground-level orientation of buildings, and a direct relation to the sidewalk;

At street corners, create a variation in the building alignment by increasing the setback in order to provide a wider sidewalk or a semi-public amenity area, especially at major intersections, such as Golden, Churchill, Athlone, Tweedsmuir and Kirkwood;

Locate streetscape elements outside of the unobstructed two-metre wide sidewalk, and minimize clutter by grouping elements such as benches, newspaper boxes, bicycle racks and trees.

Built Form

Create well-designed, quality buildings to blend with the rhythm and alignment of storefronts, upper-storey windows and cornice lines of the roofs of existing buildings;

Maintain the regular rhythm of individual storefronts; if needed subdivide the façade of long buildings in multiples of a single storefront;

Use periodic breaks in the street wall or minor variations in building setback and alignment to add interest to the streetscape, provide space for activities adjacent to the sidewalk;

Maintain the distinction between ground floor and upper levels. The ground floor should be characterized by the presence of display windows and recessed entrances, making the façade transparent and pedestrian oriented; upper floors should be more opaque with articulated openings in the façade;

Relate the proportions of new construction to those of neighbouring buildings, but always ensure a continuity of a minimum building height of two storeys;

Minimize space between buildings; when a side yard is necessary to provide pedestrian or vehicular access or for parking, minimize the interruption of the streetscape and enhance this space with proper landscaping, an architectural fence or a low wall to restore a continuity in the building line and/or mitigate the visual impacts of parking;

If the proposed height of a building exceeds three storeys, step the additional storeys back as per the provisions of the TM zone, starting from the third floor;

Locate taller buildings at major intersections, such as Golden, Churchill, Athlone, Tweedsmuir and Kirkwood, provided that the lot depths are sufficient to accommodate such buildings;

Select facing materials that relate to those traditionally used in the Village, such as stone, brick and stucco; avoid metal cladding and mirrored glass, especially at the ground floor level;

Ensure that the architectural features of a building respond to the actual history and character of the street;

When building on corner sites, continue the level of architectural detailing on both facades of the building;

Use only wall-mounted, window or projecting signs; when more than one sign is applied to a building, they should relate to one another in terms of type, colour and placement;

Design buildings to accommodate signage; use signs to accentuate architectural features rather than hide them;

Use externally lit signage, as it is a common feature in the Village;

For buildings that front on Madison and Danforth, ensure an appropriate articulation of the façade of the building, and minimize the impact of entrance ramps and garage doors on the street

Ensure existing dwellings to the north and south of Richmond retain adequate sunlight and privacy and minimize overlook.

Parking and Landscaping

· Provide only the minimum number of parking stalls required by the Zoning By-law, taking into account the presence of parking on the street;

· Locate surface parking in the rear yard with vehicular access off side streets and laneways; where properties are landlocked in the middle of a block and no other alternative exists, parking may be provided in side yards and access may be off Richmond;

· Provide a minimum three-metre wide landscaped area along the edge of a parking lot fronting on a public street;

· Provide a minimum three metre landscape area, which may include a solid wall or fence in addition to planting, at the edges of sites adjacent to residential or institutional properties;

· In the East Village where the street wall is discontinuous due to larger lots and varied setbacks:

- incorporate front yards with the streetscape and consider the creation of public plazas complementing the street animation; and

- plant trees at the edge of the building line to complement the alignment of trees between the sidewalk and the street.

2.3 Scott Street Guidelines

Scott Street between Churchill and McRae presently has an industrial and automobile orientation. The purpose of the guidelines is to establish a more pedestrian-friendly environment, taking into account the proximity of the Transitway station and its impact on pedestrian movements.

The redevelopment of Scott Street is based, in general terms, on the same guidelines as those applicable to Westboro Village since the design strategy is to extend the mixed use character along Churchill and McRae to link with Scott and the Transitway station. However, due to the nature of the urban fabric, the following elements should be addressed in these guidelines:

Scott Street is bordered to the north by a green strip including a recreational pathway and the Transitway, with no buildings other than the Transitway station. Development only on the south side of the street creates an incomplete streetscape that does not provide a sense of enclosure; it fosters the definition of a strong edge to the urban fabric. Therefore to provide a sense of enclosure on the south side, a continuous street wall of buildings is recommended, with periodic breaks provided by the north-south street intersections;

Scott Street is a prime location for intensification because of its proximity to the Transitway station. However, a transition in building scale with the established low-density residential community south of Scott is required. The building height and rear setback provisions of the TM zone will be applicable to Scott Street. A two-storey minimum building height is proposed, with a front setback where the building height is greater than 15 metres as per the TM zone provisions;

A variety of uses can be accommodated at ground level including retail, office or other employment uses, but also housing, to take advantage of the proximity to the Transitway station. If housing is located at grade, an adequate separation space from the sidewalk should be provided and be appropriately landscaped;

Provide a minimum three-metre wide landscaped area along the edge of a parking lot fronting on a public street;

Provide a minimum three-metre wide landscaped area, which may include a solid wall or fence in addition to planting, at the edges of sites adjacent to residential or institutional properties.

2.4 Richmond Road West of Golden Avenue Guidelines.

The purpose of these guidelines is to foster the evolution of the existing mixed traditional/arterial mainstreet type of development toward a more compact, mixed-use, pedestrian- oriented form, including buildings located close to the street. These guidelines also aim to help create a continuous and attractive streetscape respecting the character of adjacent established residential communities:

Built Form

Design new development to be compatible with adjacent neighbourhoods, in accordance with the infill guidelines applicable to each planning sector;

Ensure adequate sunlight for sidewalks by building within a 45 degree angular plane measured from the opposite sidewalk curb and setting back the upper floors of buildings above the third storey from the lot frontage;

Use periodic breaks in the street wall or minor variations in building setback and alignment to add interest to the streetscape, and to provide space for activities adjacent to the sidewalk in order to avoid creating a continuous wall effect on the street;

Orient the front façade of the building to the public street and locate its front doors to be visible from the street;

Set the building back from the property line where necessary to accommodate a wider sidewalk;

Avoid blank side walls, especially if they are visible from the street, a parking lot or from a public plaza. If applicable, continue the same level of architectural treatment around the sides of the building;

Maximize the number of residential units with windows on two sides;

Preserve the views to the Ottawa River Parkway open space corridor from north-south streets south of Richmond Road;

Design buildings to accommodate signage; use signs to accentuate architectural features, not to hide them;

Provide sufficient open space around residential buildings to ensure the provision of sufficient sunlight to habitable areas;

Ensure existing dwellings to the north of Richmond retain adequate sunlight and privacy and minimize overlook;

Where appropriate, new buildings should relate to the existing built form of adjacent properties to help create a coherent streetscape in each planning sector;

Create a north-south and east-west transition in the scale and massing of buildings.

Open Spaces, Landscaping and Parking

Connect pedestrian walkways to the street and to adjacent properties to facilitate circulation between properties;

Integrate free-standing signs in landscaped areas;

Locate surface parking in the side or rear yard of buildings and provide a minimum three metre landscape area along the edge of a parking lot fronting a public street;

Provide a minimum three-metre landscape area, which may include a solid wall or fence in addition to planting, at the edges of sites adjacent to residential or institutional properties;

Preserve open spaces in the streetscape to provide for the creation of green streets and pedestrian links toward the Ottawa River;

Link access driveways and parking lots of adjacent properties.

2.5 Infill Development Guidelines by Planning Sector

The following guidelines complement those already defined elsewhere in the Plan and are intended to help ensure that new development will be compatible with the existing features, building scale and adjacent neighbourhoods.

Sector 1 Ambleside Area

· Encourage the conversion/redevelopment of existing automobile-oriented uses fronting on Richmond Road to more pedestrian-friendly, mainstreet uses;

· Design infill projects with a less significant footprint and building height compared with the existing high-rise development. This will help ensure an intermediate scale and massing of development between high-rise buildings oriented toward the Ottawa River and low profile neighbourhoods south of Richmond and to the east;

Provide landscaping that highlights the proximity of the Ottawa River Parkway open space corridor and relates to the site landscaping pattern of existing high profile development;

Provide a clearly defined pedestrian access from the sidewalk to ground floor commercial use;

· Orient new development to enhance and frame McEwen Park.

Sector 2 Woodroffe North

· Encourage the conversion/redevelopment of existing automobile-oriented uses fronting on Richmond Road to more pedestrian-friendly, mainstreet uses;

Design buildings rich in architectural detail that respect the rhythm and pattern of existing or planned buildings on the street through the alignment of such elements as windows, front doors, cornice lines, fascias, etc.;

Ensure the spacing and massing of new buildings with respect to other existing or planned adjacent buildings is particularly sensitive to the general guidelines to provide sufficient light and privacy for residential and institutional uses to the rear and to minimize overlook;

· Create a transition in building height where new development is to be higher than the existing adjacent residential area, with a minimum height of two storeys;

Avoid major alterations to the lot grade and ensure that rear yards are properly landscaped, complementing the existing buffer strip at the rear of lots fronting Richmond Road;

For new infill development on Richmond between Aylen and Pooler Avenues, recognize that the existence of a low profile residential area to the north at a lower elevation will affect the siting and footprint of buildings. Portions of a development closer to Richmond can use the full width of the lot to create a strong edge to the street. However, development at the rear of the lot will need to be particularly sensitive to the general guidelines to provide sufficient light and privacy for residential uses to the rear and to minimize overlook;

For new development on 809 to 747 Richmond inclusive, ensure compatibility and proper spacing of buildings. For buildings along Richmond of six to 14 storeys, above the third floor the width of the building should be no more than two-thirds of the lot width, with the exception of the narrow 761Richmond lot. For buildings of more than 14 storeys (e.g., 793 Richmond) the building width should be no more than 40% of the lot width.

Sector 4 Maplelawn/495 Richmond Road

· Provide a transition between the four to six storey mainstreet scale and built form of Richmond Road and the existing high profile apartment buildings in the easterly part of this sector;

Consider new infill development, particularly for 471 Richmond, as “pavilions in a park” to reinforce the open space/built environment interface characteristics of this sector, extending the presence of Rochester Field/495 Richmond Road eastward toward Berkley Avenue;

Ensure new buildings on Richmond Road define a series of public/semi-public plazas, in order to help provide enhanced access from Richmond to the Dominion Transitway Station.

Sector 5 Westboro Village

Promote the development of a prominent new building to create a landmark at the intersection with Golden Avenue;

· Encourage the conversion of existing non-Traditional Mainstreet-related uses to more Traditional Mainstreet types, in keeping with the existing Village character, especially between Churchill and Tweedsmuir Avenues.

Sector 6 East Village

Restore a continuity in the landscaping of Richmond Road, especially on its north side between Tweedsmuir and Kirkwood Avenues;

Minimize the impact of new housing units overlooking existing residences, especially on Mailes and Lymon Avenues;

· Promote the reuse/redevelopment of existing industrial and automotive-oriented uses to traditional mainstreet type of uses;

Promote the development of a prominent new building within the existing four-storey height limit to create a landmark at the intersection with Island Park Drive.

Sector 7 Scott Street and the Westboro Transitway Station Area

· Encourage the redevelopment of the former CBC site as a new pedestrian-friendly mixed-use office/residential complex, including a landscaped courtyard and improved pedestrian access to the Transitway station;

· Build a new public plaza and potential new building bridging the Transitway station, and improve pedestrian access to the station along McRae and Churchill Avenues;

For 250 Lanark (former CBC site), align new buildings close to the front property line to help define the pedestrian corridor to the east and west;

Provide an appropriate transition with the residential community to the rear and minimize overlook.

Sector 8: Westboro Beach/Atlantis-Selby

· Should any new development be proposed, it must be compatible with the existing adjacent residential community.

Sector 9 McRae and Churchill Avenues

Foster the evolution of these residential/ commercial (Churchill) and industrial (McRae) streets toward an enhanced mixed-use image, with an emphasis on office and residential uses, to create a link from the Village to Scott Street and the Westboro Transitway Station;

Provide an appropriate transition with the residential community to the rear and minimize overlook.

2.6 Utility Services Guidelines

The following guidelines are intended to ensure that utility services are appropriately accommodated and designed as part of the overall streetscape:

Where possible, design utility services so that they do not detract from the public streetscape, either by incorporation into the design of a building; by containment in streetscape features, such as gateways or lampposts: by locating them so they are not visible from the street; or, by landscape screening;
Where possible, cluster or group utilities to minimize visual impact; and
Locate utility services within a common trench to avoid unnecessary over-digging and disruption to municipal rights-of-way.

2.7 Intensification Above the Levels This Plan

Development applications proposing levels of intensification above what is envisioned in the CDP should be evaluated based on the following:

· The building should safeguard exposure to sunlight along the sidewalk;

· The building should not have significant negative effects on surrounding properties and residential neighbourhoods regarding shadowing and visual impact;

· The lower portions of buildings facing Richmond Road in Westboro Village should be designed with vertical distinctions that reflect the existing village character;

· The applicant must address the planning strategy and the urban design guidelines of the CDP and undertake a transportation impact study.

3.0 Development Potential

Table 1 provides a comparison between the maximum development potential under the existing zoning and the maximum development potential as proposed in the CDP and the Secondary Plan for each sector. The number of residential units and square metres of floor space of other uses (e.g., retail, restaurant, office, institutional, institutional, recreational) are compared for each category.

An important proviso in reading the numbers in Table 1 is that maximum development potential has been used for comparison purposes in order to provide a sense of what the impact would be of full build-out under both the existing zoning and the CDP/Secondary Plan projections. It is unlikely that every property will redevelop to its full potential for many years. A few properties may not redevelop for many years because of difficulties of land assembly, existing land uses, property owner intentions, and market conditions, among other reasons. Many properties, if not most, are not developed to their existing development potential under the existing zoning.

For example, redevelopment in Westboro Village will likely continue to include two storey commercial buildings that contain no residential units, along with taller residential/mixed-use projects. Table 1 illustrates what could be developed following the mixed-use principles for Traditional Mainstreets.

The development assumptions are as follows:

· On sites to be zoned TM-Traditional Mainstreet, or GM-General Mixed-Use, ground floor is commercial, upper floors are residential;

· For 250 Lanark Avenue, Table 1 assumes commercial-only buildings on the south half and residential-only buildings on the north half (actual development will be determined at the time of a development application);

· Residential and mixed-use buildings that have been approved but not yet built or not fully occupied by December 31 2006, are included in the existing and proposed development potential columns because the development has established the maximum zoning potential but there were no residents yet to generate traffic impacts;

· Zoning changes would occur as per the CDP/Secondary Plan recommendations;

· In some cases, such as the East Village, some of the potential development under the existing zoning for other uses (e.g., commercial, industrial) has been allocated to residential units in the proposed maximum potential development;

Only properties that have redevelopment potential are included in the table. Properties deemed to not have redevelopment potential, such as existing residential buildings along Richmond Road, and heritage buildings, are not included.

Table 1 - Summary of Maximum Existing and Proposed Development Potential by Sector

	# EXISTING POTENTIAL		# PROPOSED POTENTIAL
Sector	*Other Uses m2	Residential Units	Other Uses m2	Residential Units
1 Ambleside	5384	562	5384	562
2 Woodroffe North	9446	560	9446	548
4 495Richmond/ Maplelawn	1000	316	1000	445
5 Westboro Village	31591	1019	31591	898
6 East Village	24574	133	19797	608
7 Westboro Transitway	31841	0	45660	152
Station (250 Lanark) 7 Scott Street	4693	430	5498	470
9 McRae Avenue	11895	0	3965	79
9 Churchill Avenue	4180	208	4180	208
TOTAL	124604	3228	126521	3970

*Other uses include retail, restaurant, office, industrial, institutional and recreational uses.

# Existing potential is the maximum development potential permitted under the existing zoning and proposed potential is the maximum development that could occur as proposed in the CDP.

This table shows that modest intensification from what can be developed under the existing zoning could occur across the planning area and need not be focused on any one or two sectors. Modest maximum potential increases in the number of residential units from the maximum potential under the existing zoning are shown in Sector 4 and the Westboro Transitway Station area of Sector 7. In Sector 2, potential increases adjacent to the Unitarian Church complex and the Ottawa River Parkway open space are balanced by decreases adjacent to the Woodroffe North community. Redevelopment under the existing zoning would have permitted intensification in all sectors, and in some cases the reductions in the existing maximum building heights are in keeping with the unifying vision and principles of the Secondary Plan and the policy direction for Traditional Mainstreets.

The maximum potential for new residential units is projected to increase from 3228 units under the existing zoning to 3970 units if there were full build-out of every property with redevelopment potential, an increase of only about 750 units. As previously noted, this type of growth will likely take many years to be realized.

Sector 6, East Village has a larger potential increase for residential units based on a proposed shift from industrial use to residential mixed-use on 175 and 145 Richmond, should these properties be redeveloped in the future as per the development assumptions of Table 1. Sector 5, Westboro Village, has the greatest potential for new residential units, although the CDP shows a small decrease in the maximum potential units from the existing zoning potential because of the reduction of much of the existing maximum height limits in the Village from eight storeys to six and four storeys.

For the entire planning area, the total floor area of other uses is proposed not to change significantly from the existing situation, although the type of use could change in some areas and it could be distributed differently. In Sectors 4 and 6 and McRae Avenue, industrial uses would eventually be replaced by mixed use. As previously noted, the Westboro Transitway Station area, particularly 250 Lanark, provides an excellent opportunity for intensification for office employment and residential uses.

Intensification can be achieved in Richmond Road/Westboro that is in keeping with the Official Plan’s growth management strategy while addressing the issues of compatibility with existing neighbourhoods.

4.0 Development Review Mechanism

During the preparation of the CDP, the PAC proposed that "density caps" and "triggers" were needed to monitor intensification in Richmond Road/Westboro on an on-going basis. They felt that a development monitoring/review mechanism was necessary to determine if intensification was having negative impacts on the community (e.g., impact on traffic and infrastructure capacities, level of cut-through traffic, the transit modal share, among others). At a certain percentage increase in the number of residential units in the overall CDP area or subarea, a review mechanism of these impacts would be triggered to determine if the CDP's maximum development potential projections needed to be adjusted, the zoning amended accordingly, and/or future community infrastructure or facility needs should be addressed.

This issue is not unique to the Richmond Road/Westboro area. It has been raised in other CDP studies, and was most recently dealt with, on October 24, 2006, by Planning and Environment Committee in the report on the Queensway Terrace North Interim Control By-law study. The Committee directed staff to consider the Development Review Mechanism model, proposed by the Queensway Terrace North Public Advisory Committee, as part of addressing the interpretation and implementation of the City's intensification objectives during the five-year review of the Official Plan in 2008. The establishment of a development review mechanism to monitor the impact of intensification on established neighbourhoods is a City-wide issue and is better addressed on a City-wide basis. The Richmond Road/Westboro planning area should also be included in the Official Plan review of intensification objectives.

5.0 Implementation

5.1 Status of the CDP

The Richmond Road/Westboro CDP, approved by City Council on July 9, 2007, is Council’s policy for the planning area and is intended to guide City staff, the community and developers in evaluating applications to amend the Official Plan and the Zoning By-law, Committee of Adjustment and site plan control applications, as well as the undertaking of public works.

The PAC position was that the CDP should be added to the Official Plan as a Secondary Plan. Council approved the undertaking of an Official Plan Amendment to confer Secondary Plan status on July 9, 2007.

5.2 Proposed Zoning Changes

The proposed zoning changes to implement the CDP and the Secondary Plan are accompanying the staff report to Planning and Environment Committee and City Council recommending approval of the Official Plan Amendment. These proposed changes, including the maximum building heights, described in Section 6.0 of the CDP, and shown on Maps 3a and 3b below, will be to both the new comprehensive Zoning By-law 2008-250 and the former Ottawa Zoning By-law (because the latter By-law was still in effect at the time of writing this document).

5.3 Implementation Actions

The following is a summary of follow-up actions necessary as part of the implementation of the CDP described previously in the CDP document.

· The City, the NCC and affected community groups work together to determine the means by which all of the Atlantis-Selby lands and Rochester Field/Maplelawn parcel can be retained as green space.

· Cash-in-lieu of parkland funds generated by new development be applied directly towards the improvement of park and recreational facilities and/or the purchase of other lands for park purposes in the planning area.

· The City add the extension of the recreational pathway in Byron Tramway Park to Richardson Avenue to the 2009 Capital Works budget and consider a branch pathway/on-road route, crossing Richmond at the New Orchard signalized intersection and then continuing along New Orchard to the Ottawa River Parkway greenspace to the north. Another branch route along Ambleside could connect to the pathway link to the Ottawa River Parkway greenspace to the west.

· The City examine expanding programming in Churchill Seniors Centre.

Planning, Transit and the Environment undertake a transportation management implementation plan to examine in greater detail how the 40% TMS target can be achieved in the planning area and how the City and developers can implement the various measures proposed, including potential funding mechanisms.

· The City include the provision of a minimum 2.0-metre sidewalks along Richmond Road as part of any future road rehabilitation/reconstruction programs and acquire any lands necessary as part of the right-of-way protection set out in the Official Plan at the time of site plan control approval.

· The Planning Branch undertake the following as outlined in Section 7.0 of the CDP:

- A streetscaping review of Richmond Road in the Westboro Village and East Village;

- A streetscaping plan for Richmond Road between Golden and the Ottawa River Parkway;

- Streetscaping plans for Churchill Avenue, Scott Street and McRae Avenue.

· The Planning Branch take steps, in consultation with the affected residents, to create “Green Streets” on Ambleside Drive, New Orchard, Woodroffe, Lockhart, Cleary, Berkley, Kirchoffer and Lanark Avenues, as outlined in Section 1.3 of the Secondary Plan and Section 5.0 of the CDP.

Prior to the approval of development, utility providers shall confirm availability of services to support the proposed development and proponents shall co-ordinate with utility providers to ensure the necessary provision of utility services consistent with the Secondary Plan policies.