Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

24 May 2009 / le 24 mai 2009

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability

Services d’infrastructure et Viabilité des collectivités 

 

Contact Person/Personne-ressource : Richard Kilstrom, Manager/Gestionnaire, Policy Development and Urban Design/Élaboration de la politique et conception urbaine, Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance Élaboration de la politique et conception urbaine

(613) 580-2424 x22653, Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca

 

Rideau-Goulbourn (21)

Ref N°: ACS2009-ICS-PGM-0079

 

 

SUBJECT:

FERNBANK COMMUNITY DESIGN PLAN: OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT; TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN;  MASTER SERVICING PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

 

 

OBJET :

Plan de conception communautaire de FERNBANK : modification au Plan officiel; Plan directeur des transports; Plan directeur de viabilisation et plan de gestion environnementale

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:

 

1.                  Approve the Fernbank Community Design Plan in Document 3, the Transportation Master Plan in Document 4, the Master Servicing Plan in Document 5 and the Environmental Management Plan in Document 6, which have been submitted under separate cover.

 

2.                  Approve Official Plan Amendment No. XX to the City of Ottawa Official Plan (2003), as detailed in Document 2, to implement the Community Design Plan.

 

 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement recommande que le Conseil approuve :

 

1.                  le Plan de conception communautaire de Fernbank (document 3), le Plan directeur des transports (document 4), le Plan directeur de viabilisation (document 5) et le Plan de gestion environnementale (document 6), qui ont tous été fournis sous pli séparé;

 

2.                  la modification no XX au Plan officiel de la Ville d’Ottawa (2003) selon les détails fournis dans le document 2, dans le but de mettre en œuvre le Plan de conception communautaire.

 

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

Assumptions and Analysis:

 

The Fernbank Community Design Plan (CDP) is a plan for a new community that is 674 hectares in size that will contain 9700 to 11000 dwelling units, with an estimated population of 28000 to 31350 people and 2500 to 2650 jobs.

 

In August 2005, the Ontario Municipal Board allowed appeals by Del, Brookfield and West Park Estates to designate their lands between Stittsville and Kanata as urban in the 1997 Regional Official Plan. In Order 2092, the Board requested that a modification to the 1997 Plan be prepared to guide future development of the area according to policies similar to those in the 2003 Official Plan regarding community design plans.  Recognizing that the designation of the area was also appealed in the 2003 Official Plan, Council subsequently settled the 2003 Plan appeals by supporting a ‘Future Urban Area’ designation for the area and setting additional requirements for the community design plan. 

 

The purpose of a community design plan is to establish a community-wide land-use framework that reflects the principles, objectives and policies for community development as directed by the Official Plan. The CDP provides a level of detail between Official Plan policy and development approval and enables communities to establish incrementally over time in an optimum and coordinated manner. Community design plans are used as a tool to guide the preparation and review of applications for development.

 

The Fernbank CDP establishes the arrangement of the public road network, municipal water and stormwater management and sanitary sewer infrastructure, rapid transit corridor, the location of high, medium and low density residential areas, mixed use areas, schools, parks and open space linkages. The Plan also includes a Demonstration Plan, which illustrates one way in which the land use plan could be implemented: design guidelines providing a framework of design criteria for the overall identity and structure of the proposed Fernbank community and an Implementation Plan describing the mechanisms which will guide the administration and implementation of the CDP.

 

The proposed Official Plan Amendment in Document 2 is required to implement the Fernbank CDP.  The Amendment makes a number of revisions to Official Plan schedules to account for the changes in land use and the transportation network required for the Fernbank community.  Policies are added to Section 5.3 Implementation, requiring landowners to enter into private agreements to share and front end the costs of the major infrastructure projects and public amenities.

 

Three concurrent and integrated Class Environmental Assessment Studies/Master Plans were initiated to support the CDP: a Transportation Master Plan to provide for a road and transit network and a pedestrian and cycling plan; a Master Servicing Plan for water, storm drainage and sanitary services; and an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the natural environment and stormwater management/outlets. These reports have been prepared in conjunction with the community design plan for lands within the study area of the Fernbank Community.

  

This report seeks approval of the Fernbank CDP, the Transportation Master Plan, the Master Servicing Plan, the Environmental Management Plan and the Official Plan Amendment required to implement the Fernbank CDP.

 

Legal/Risk Management Implications:

 

The Fernbank Community Design Plan has been prepared using an integrated planning and environmental assessment process. The Official Plan Amendment is required to implement the Fernbank CDP.  The Transportation Master Plan, Master Servicing Study, and Environmental Management Plan were prepared in accordance with the Planning Act provision of the Municipal Engineers Association Environmental Assessment Process.   As such, the Official Plan amendment, Transportation Master Plan; a Master Servicing Study; and an Environmental Management Plan are subject to all normal notice requirements and rights of appeal by any person or public body to the Ontario Municipal Board under the provisions of the Planning Act.  As this has been done through the integrated process, the notice of adoption will reflect that approval under the Environmental Assessment Act is being sought and there will not be a separate process for Part II Order ("bump up") requests.

 

If no notice of appeal is filed and the time for filing an appeal has expired, Council’s decision to adopt the amendment and infrastructure master plans will be final and the portion of the Official Plan and the Master Plans that has been amended will come into effect on the day after the last day for filing a notice of appeal.

 

Enactment of this Official Plan Amendment, Transportation Master Plan; a Master Servicing Study; and an Environmental Management Plan will enable Council to implement the Fernbank Community Design Plan.

 

Financial Implications:

 

Development Charges

Development of major servicing infrastructure, parks and recreational trails within Fernbank will be financed as per the Development Charges By-law.

 

Cost Sharing/Front-End Agreements

As development proceeds within the Fernbank Community Design Plan, innovative implementation strategies will be required in order to ensure the timely advancement of municipal infrastructure and community amenities and facilities.  A cost sharing/front end agreement will be established within the Fernbank community to provide for landowners who wish to front-end and share the costs contemplated in the development of major spine infrastructure (roads, sewer and water) and public amenities, and in doing so, front end for those benefiting landowners who choose not to participate in the upfront funding of the costs contemplated in a comprehensive cost sharing agreement that addresses community land and shared infrastructure principles.

 

There will also be a master parkland agreement established within the Fernbank community to create a mechanism, which allows for compensation of parkland dedication that may be inequitably distributed across the Fernbank CDP.

 

New Infrastructure: Water, Wastewater, Stormwater Management and Drainage Servicing:

The build-out of this area will ultimately result in the City’s acquisition of the following new infrastructure:

 

 

The number of stormwater management ponds is a function of the preservation of the Carp River West Tributary and the rehabilitation of the upper reach of the Monahan Drain, as well as the existing drainage divides within the development area that require the maintenance of flows to existing subwatersheds. 

 

Requisite funding will be required for operation and maintenance as the City gradually assumes this new infrastructure over time. It is anticipated that the development will reach full build-out in approximately 20 years. 

 

At build-out, the estimated annual operation and maintenance costs, in 2009 dollars, for the Fernbank community will be:

 

Watermains: approx. 76 kilometres                   $540,000 (7,100 $/km/year)

Sanitary sewers: approx. 76 kilometres $365,000 (4,800 $/km/year)

Storm sewers: approx. 76 kilometres                $220,000 (2,900 $/km/year)

Stormwater management:                                  $550,000 (ponds and channel maintenance)

 

These estimated annual costs represent approximately 0.7 per cent of the total annual operational budget for these services and will be recovered through the water and sewer rate.

 

Requisite funding will also be required for operation and maintenance the new transportation infrastructure as the City gradually assumes infrastructure that will be built over time (rapid transit, arterial and collector roads, local streets and sidewalks.

 

Woodlot Acquisition

The moderate-value woodlot is designated as Urban Natural Feature in the Official Plan, which necessitates its acquisition by the City.  This acquisition will be the subject of a future report. 

 

Should acquisition not be possible, then an Official Plan Amendment will be required to permit development.  Such development will be consistent with the underlying Low Density Residential designation in the Fernbank CDP.

 

Parks – Land Banking and Compensation

Prior to the approval of the first plan of subdivision within the CDP area, an agreement will be executed among the landowners to establish a mechanism that allows for the compensation of parkland that may be inequitably distributed across ownership throughout the entire CDP. For the purposes of implementing the Fernbank Community Design Plan, the City will track all revenues and expenditures generated within this growth area. In order to preserve the integrity of the fund, cash-in lieu revenues generated in the Fernbank Community will be spent in Fernbank Community up to final build-out within the CDP planning area.

 

Public Consultation/Input:

 

Consultation is an integral part of both the Planning and Class Environmental Assessment process. Consultation and the exchange of information was undertaken throughout the assessments using a variety of methods including meetings with community associations and the general public, electronic information distribution and regular meetings with the study team, approval agencies, and the three Ward Councillors.

 

Five public open houses were held at key junctures in the Fernbank study to develop the plan.  The last meeting was held on April 27, 2009 to present the proposed CDP, Master Servicing Study, Environmental Management Plan, Transportation Master Plan and Official Plan Amendment. 

 

 

RÉSUMÉ

 

Hypothèses et analyse 

 

Le Plan de conception communautaire (PCC) de Fernbank vise à établir cette nouvelle communauté de 674 hectares qui comportera entre 9 700 et 11 000 unités d’habitation et qui, selon les estimations, comptera une population d’entre 28 000 et 31 350 habitants et entre 2 500 et 2 650 emplois.

 

En août 2005, la Commission des affaires municipales de l’Ontario a accueilli des appels des domaines résidentiels de Del, de Brookfield et de West Park visant à obtenir le zonage urbain de leur territoire situé entre Stittsville et Kanata dans le Plan directeur régional de 1997. Dans l’Arrêté 2092, la Commission a exigé qu’une modification soit apportée au Plan directeur de 1997 afin que les projets d’aménagement à venir soient menés selon des politiques semblables à celles du Plan officiel de 2003 en matière de conception communautaire. Puisque la désignation du territoire a aussi fait l’objet d’appels pour ce qui est du Plan officiel de 2003, la Commission a décidé de donner son appui à une désignation de « future zone urbaine » pour le territoire en question et a établi d’autres exigences relatives au plan de conception communautaire.

 

L’objectif d’un plan de conception communautaire est d’établir un cadre d’utilisation du sol applicable à l’ensemble de la communauté qui reflète les principes, les objectifs et les politiques du Plan officiel en matière de développement communautaire. Le PCC fournit un niveau de détail se situant à mi-chemin entre les politiques du Plan officiel et les documents d’approbation des projets d’aménagement et permet aux communautés de s’établir progressivement d’une façon coordonnée et optimale. Les plans de conception communautaire sont utilisés pour guider la préparation et l’examen des demandes d’aménagement.

 

Le PCC de Fernbank définit la configuration du réseau routier, les infrastructures pour l’approvisionnement en eau potable et pour la gestion des eaux usées domestiques et des eaux pluviales, le corridor de transport en commun rapide, ainsi que l’emplacement des zones résidentielles à forte, à moyenne ou à faible densité, des zones polyvalentes, des écoles, des parcs et des espaces ouverts. Le PCC comprend également un plan de visualisation, qui illustre une façon d’appliquer le plan d’utilisation du sol. Il s’agit de lignes directrices qui constituent un cadre de conception englobant la structure et l’identité générales proposées de la communauté de Fernbank, de même qu’un plan de mise en œuvre qui décrit les mécanismes selon lesquels le PCC sera administré et réalisé.

 

La modification au Plan officiel proposée dans le document 2 est requise pour mettre en œuvre le PCC de Fernbank. Cette modification apporte plusieurs corrections aux annexes du Plan officiel afin de tenir compte des changements quant à l’utilisation du sol et des besoins de la communauté de Fernbank en matière de transports. De plus, des politiques ont été ajoutées à la section 5.3 intitulée « Mise en œuvre » pour que les propriétaires de terrain concluent des ententes privées pour financer à l’avance une partie des coûts des commodités publiques et des grands projets d’infrastructures.

 

Trois évaluations environnementales de portée générale/plans directeurs intégrés ont été amorcés pour appuyer le PCC : le Plan directeur des transports, qui concerne le réseau routier, le transport en commun, les cyclistes et les piétons; le Plan directeur de viabilisation, qui touche l’approvisionnement en eau, l’évacuation des eaux pluviales et la gestion des eaux usées; et le Plan de gestion environnementale (PGE), qui porte sur les zones écologiques naturelles et les exutoires d’eaux pluviales. Ces documents ont été préparés dans le cadre de l’élaboration du PCC pour les terres comprises dans la zone à l’étude de la communauté de Fernbank.

  

Le présent rapport vise l’approbation du PCC de Fernbank, du Plan directeur des transports, du Plan directeur de viabilisation, du Plan de gestion environnementale et de la modification au Plan officiel qui est requise pour mettre en œuvre le PCC de Fernbank.

 

Incidence sur le plan juridique et de la gestion des risques 

 

Le Plan de conception communautaire de Fernbank a été préparé à l’aide d’un processus intégré d’aménagement du territoire et d’évaluation environnementale. La modification au Plan officiel est nécessaire pour mettre en œuvre le PCC de Fernbank. Le Plan directeur des transports, le Plan directeur de viabilisation et le Plan de gestion environnementale ont été élaborés conformément à la disposition portant sur la Loi sur l'aménagement du territoire du document Environmental Assessment Process de la Municipal Engineers Association. Ainsi, la modification au Plan officiel, le Plan directeur des transports, le Plan directeur de viabilisation et le Plan de gestion environnementale sont assujettis à toutes les exigences en matière d’avis et à tous les droits d’appel par toute personne ou organisme public auprès de la Commission des affaires municipales de l’Ontario, en vertu des dispositions de la Loi sur l'aménagement du territoire. En raison du processus intégré, l’avis d’adoption indiquera que l’on cherche à obtenir une approbation en vertu de la Loi sur les évaluations environnementales, et aucun autre processus ne sera requis pour les demandes d’Arrêté de la partie II.

 

Si aucun avis d’appel n’est déposé et que la période d’appel est expirée, la décision du Conseil d’adopter la modification et les plans directeurs de l’infrastructure sera définitive, et la partie du Plan officiel et des plans directeurs qui a été modifiée entrera en vigueur le lendemain du dernier jour pour déposer un avis d’appel.

 

L’adoption de la modification au Plan officiel, du Plan directeur des transports, du Plan directeur de viabilisation et du Plan de gestion environnementale permettra au Conseil de mettre en œuvre le Plan de conception communautaire de Fernbank.

 

Incidence financière 

 

Redevances d’aménagement

Les aménagements importants de parcs, de sentiers récréatifs et d’infrastructures de viabilisation seront financés en vertu du Règlement sur les redevances d’aménagement.

 

Ententes de paiement à l’avance et de partage des coûts

Dès le début des travaux prévus dans le Plan de conception communautaire de Fernbank, des stratégies de mise en œuvre innovatrices seront requises pour assurer la progression selon l’échéancier de l’aménagement des infrastructures municipales et des commodités et installations communautaires. Une entente de paiement à l’avance et de partage des coûts sera établie et permettra aux propriétaires de terrain de la communauté de Fernbank d’assumer à l’avance une partie des coûts liés à l’aménagement d’infrastructures centrales (routes, égouts, eau potable) et de commodités publiques, et ainsi de compenser pour les propriétaires qui bénéficient de ces services, mais qui choisissent de ne pas participer au financement initial des coûts prévus dans le cadre d’une entente détaillée de partage des coûts élaborée selon les principes de la vie en communauté.

 

La communauté de Fernbank se dotera également d’une entente-cadre sur les parcs afin de créer un mécanisme d’indemnisation au cas où la distribution des terrains réservés à la création de parcs prévue dans le PCC de Fernbank s’avérerait inéquitable.

 

Nouvelles infrastructures : eau potable, eaux usées, gestion des eaux pluviales et drainage.

Lorsque le secteur sera entièrement aménagé, la Ville fera l’acquisition des nouvelles infrastructures suivantes :

 

Le nombre de bassins de rétention des eaux pluviales dépend de la préservation de l’affluent ouest de la rivière Carp, de la remise en état du tronçon en amont de l’installation de drainage Monahan et des lignes actuelles de partage des eaux à l’intérieur de la zone d’aménagement qui requièrent un maintien de l’écoulement jusque dans les sous-bassins hydrographiques existants. 

 

Un financement adéquat devra être obtenu pour le fonctionnement et l’entretien des nouvelles infrastructures au fur et à mesure que la Ville en assumera la gestion. Selon les prévisions, le secteur devrait être totalement aménagé dans environ 20 ans. 

 

En situation d’aménagement maximal, les coûts de fonctionnement et d’entretien annuels en dollars de 2009 pour la communauté de Fernbank s’élèveront à :

 

Conduites d’eau principales, environ 76 km :        540 000 $ (7 100 $/km/année)

Égouts domestiques, environ 76 km :                    365 000 $ (4 800 $/km/année)

Égouts pluviaux, environ 76 km :                           220 000 $ (2 900 $/km/année)

Gestion des eaux pluviales :                                  550 000 $ (entretien des étangs et canaux)

 

Ces coûts annuels estimatifs représentent environ 0,7 % du budget de fonctionnement annuel total pour ces services et seront recouvrés à même les redevances d’eau et d’égouts.

 

Un financement adéquat devra également être obtenu pour le fonctionnement et l’entretien des nouvelles infrastructures de transport, au fur et à mesure que la Ville assumera la gestion de ces infrastructures qui seront construites au fil du temps (transport en commun rapide, artères et routes collectrices, rues et trottoirs).

 

Acquisition du boisé

Le boisé de valeur moyenne a été désigné « Caractéristique naturelle urbaine » dans le Plan officiel, ce qui signifie que la Ville doit en faire l’acquisition. Ces acquisitions feront l’objet d’un autre rapport. 

 

Si l’acquisition s’avère impossible, il faudra alors apporter une modification au Plan officiel afin de permettre l’aménagement. Cet aménagement correspond à la désignation résidentielle de faible densité dans le PCC de Fernbank.

 

Parcs – Réserve et indemnisation foncières

Avant l’approbation du premier plan de lotissement du territoire couvert dans le PCC, une entente sera établie pour permettre aux propriétaires de terrain de bénéficier d’un mécanisme d’indemnisation pour pallier l’iniquité éventuelle de la distribution des parcs sur l’ensemble du territoire résidentiel concerné dans le PCC. Aux fins de la mise en œuvre du Plan de conception communautaire de Fernbank, la Ville fera le suivi de toutes les recettes et les dépenses générées sur le territoire aménagé. Pour préserver l’intégrité du fonds, on s’assurera que les recettes compensatoires générées dans la communauté de Fernbank seront utilisées dans la communauté de Fernbank jusqu’à l’aménagement complet de la zone prévue dans le PCC.

 

Consultation publique et suggestions 

 

Les consultations font partie intégrante des processus d’aménagement et d’évaluation environnementale de portée générale. Tout au long des processus d’évaluation ont eu lieu des échanges d’information et des consultations de différentes natures, y compris des rencontres avec les associations communautaires et la population, la diffusion de renseignements électroniques, ainsi que des réunions régulières avec le groupe d’étude, les agences d’approbation et les trois conseillers de quartier.

 

On a tenu cinq séances portes ouvertes sur des points essentiels du projet de Fernbank dans le but d’élaborer le plan. La dernière de ces séances, qui a eu lieu le 27 avril 2009, visait à présenter le PCC, le Plan directeur de viabilisation, le Plan de gestion environnementale, le Plan directeur des transports et la modification au Plan officiel qui sont proposés. 

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

In August 2005, the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) allowed appeals by Del, Brookfield and West Park Estates to designate their lands between Stittsville and Kanata as urban in the 1997 Regional Official Plan.  In Order 2092, the Board requested that a modification to the 1997 Plan be prepared to guide future development of the area according to policies similar to those in the 2003 Official Plan regarding community design plans.  Recognizing that the designation of the area was also appealed in the 2003 Official Plan, Council subsequently settled the 2003 Plan appeals by supporting a Future Urban designation for the area and setting additional requirements for the preparation of a community design plan. 

 

The purpose of a Community Design Plan (CDP) is to establish a community-wide land use framework that reflects the principles, objectives and policies for community development as directed by the Official Plan. The CDP provides a level of detail in-between Official Plan policy and development approval and enables communities to establish incrementally over time in an optimum and coordinated manner. Community Design Plans are used as a tool to guide the preparation and review of applications for development.

 

Direction from Council

The Official Plan policies for Future Urban Area (Section 3.11) are as follows:

 

1.      Council has designated a ‘Future Urban Area’ on Schedules A and B in the West Urban Centre, which is subject to the following policies:

a)              Lands in the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation are subject to the ‘Developing Community’ policies of this Plan;

b)              A Community Design Plan will be prepared which, in addition to the requirements for such plans in Section 3.6.4, also addresses:

                                                   i.      The phasing of north-south arterial road capacity,

                                                 ii.      The need to advance the timing of infrastructure identified in Council’s master plans,

                                                iii.      Provision of recreation and other public amenities,

                                               iv.      The use of front-end financing, and

                                                 v.      Measures to ensure that existing local infrastructure is not overburdened;

vi.    Any phasing plan should acknowledge the relationship between development timing and amount and front-end financing requirements.

c)              For the purpose of estimating the urban land supply for the comprehensive review in Policy 2.2.1.3, the ‘Future Urban Area’ will be considered as vacant urban land with a General Urban designation;

d)              Subject to Policy 3.11b) above, all uses permitted in the ‘General Urban’ designation shall be permitted on lands designated ‘Future Urban Area’. However, Council shall only be required to consider applications for zoning by-law amendments or draft approval of plans of subdivision on land within the ‘Future Urban Area’ on the earlier of either:

                                                   i.      March 1, 2008; or

                                                 ii.      The date that Council, subsequent to 9 November 2005, approves an amendment to the Plan that results in a net increase in the area of land designated for urban purposes, greater than the area designated for urban purposes on 9 November 2005.

 

At Council’s meeting of November 9, 2005, further direction for the preparation of the Fernbank CDP was established, including:

 

Planning and Environment Committee approved the Terms of Reference for the Fernbank Community Design Plan on July 11, 2006. (ACS2006-PGM-POL-0062).

 

The Planning Team

A consultant team on behalf of the sponsoring landowners, Del Corporation, Brookfield Homes Limited and Monarch/Cardel, prepared the Fernbank CDP and Infrastructure Master Plans.  The consultant team included:

Other consultants were hired on sub-contracts to provide additional expertise as required by the consultant team.

 

The project proceeded under the direction of the City of Ottawa and benefited from the direct involvement and guidance of:

 

·        a Core Project Team (CPT) consisting of City staff and Councillors, Sponsoring Landowners and the consultants in a variety of disciplines;

·        a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) consisting of representatives from select government agencies and approval bodies;

·        a Public Advisory Committee (PAC) consisting of representatives from directly affected community associations and interested community groups; and

·        Government Review Agencies (GRA) who represent government agencies who administer specific permits and approvals.

·        five community meetings to get public input.

 

Integrated Planning and Environmental Assessment Process

The Official Plan requires the completion of a community design plan for lands subject to the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation prior to any development being approved within the area.  Community design plans are intended to translate the direction and policies of the Official Plan to the community level.  They are comprehensive in nature, and incorporate the planning policy context (as established by the Official Plan), infrastructure servicing, transportation, environmental and economic impacts.  Principles, policies and guidelines established in the CDP provide the direction required for the preparation and review of development applications within the community.

 

Three concurrent and integrated Class Environmental Assessment Studies/Master Plans were initiated: a Transportation Master Plan to provide for a road and transit network and a pedestrian and cycling plan; a Master Servicing Study for water, storm drainage and sanitary services; and an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the natural environment, development constraints and stormwater management/outlets. These reports have been prepared in conjunction with the CDP for lands within the study area of the Fernbank Community. Approval of the CDP, and subsequent development applications under the Planning Act, will be supported by these Class Environmental Assessments/Master Plans. The three Master Plans were prepared that followed integration with the Planning Act provision of the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Section A.2.9) process. As such, these projects will have satisfied the requirements outlined in Section A.2.9 of the Class EA process and will require no additional EA approvals. This allows the integration of both planning processes while ensuring the intent and requirements of both Acts are met.

 

This process was outlined, reviewed and accepted in the Terms of Reference for the Fernbank CDP (July 2006) in consultation with the City of Ottawa and approval agencies (Rideau Valley Conservation Area, Mississippi Valley Conservation Area, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources).

 

Study Area

The Fernbank community is located adjacent to the established communities of Stittsville to the west, Kanata West to the north and Glencairn to the east. The study area extends from Hazeldean Road on the north, the Carp River and Terry Fox Drive on the east, Fernbank Road to the south and, the existing Urban Area of Stittsville on the west, as shown on Document 1.

 

The study area for the CDP encompasses approximately 674 hectares.  Approximately 455 hectares are designated ‘Future Urban Area’ (as per the OMB decision).   The remaining lands include approximately 132 hectares designated as ‘Agriculture Resource Area’ in the northeast portion of the study area that are now entirely surrounded by urban land, and approximately 60 hectares in the southwest portion of the study area that are designated as ‘General Rural Area’.  Inclusion of these rural lands in the study area for the community design plan allows for efficient planning of public services for the long term.  The Fernbank CDP was prepared anticipating that these rural lands outside the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation will eventually be developed for urban purposes. The CDP and the infrastructure required to support the CDP provide for the eventual coordination and integration of these lands into the ‘Urban Area’.

Amendment 76, to be adopted by Council on June 10, 2009 designates the rural areas wholly within the boundaries of the Fernbank Community Design Plan as  ‘Future Urban Area’ (consistent with the remainder of the Fernbank Community Design Plan lands) in order that they be recognized as an ‘Urban Area’ and part of the community design plan process. 

 

Approval

This report seeks approval of the Fernbank CDP, the Transportation Master Plan, the Servicing Master Plan, the Environmental Management Plan and an Official Plan Amendment required to implement the CDP. 

 

DISCUSSION

 

The planning of the future Fernbank community requires the development to be integrated with the Stittsville community to the West, the Glencairn community to the east and the Kanata West area to the north.   The Fernbank CDP process provided a number of opportunities for the residents of Ottawa, including the immediate surrounding communities of Kanata South, Stittsville and Kanata West, to contribute to a collaborative community design process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fernbank CDP commenced in 2006.  There were a number of milestones for the development of the Plan:

 

 

·        November 29, 2006 – Community open house – visioning workshop

·        January 31, 2007 – Community workshop to develop the plan

·        June 5, 2007 – Community workshop – review five Preliminary Land Use Concepts.

·        April 27, 2009 – Public open house to solicit comments on the recommended draft plan that was developed and the infrastructure supporting the proposed land uses.

 

The Fernbank CDP process has resulted in the preparation of a Community Design Plan, a Transportation Master Plan, a Master Servicing Study, an Environmental Management Plan and an Official Plan Amendment, which are described below.

 

1.         Community Design Plan

 

The Community Design Plan was developed based on consideration of the current conditions of the study areas, servicing and transportation elements, the policies of the Official Plan, and through a comprehensive community consultation process consisting of several workshops and public meetings. The CDP consists of a land use plan and policies, community design guidelines, and recommended implementation tools. The recommended Fernbank CDP reflects an urban community containing a population of approximately 28027 to 31351 residents, with approximately 9718 to 10977 dwelling units and 2497 to 2623 jobs.

 

A) Guiding Principles

The guiding principles for the Fernbank CDP were prepared through a consultative process involving the Core Project Team, Technical Advisory Committee, Public Advisory Committee, and the public at-large.   The guiding principles represent value statements about the kind of urban environment that is desired for the community, supported by the City Council approved 2003 Official Plan and Ottawa 2020, and are listed below.

 

New development should be sensitive and responsive to the existing communities of Stittsville and Kanata, in terms of the relationship of planned land uses, roads, open spaces, schools and recreational facilities.  It is important that the character and qualities of these existing communities are not diminished by development within the Fernbank area.

 

 

The Fernbank community will be designed to create unique residential neighbourhoods that serve the needs of residents of different lifestyles and incomes.  Therefore, residential neighbourhoods should provide a range of housing options (both opportunities for different housing types [single, semis, townhouse and apartments] as well as affordable and market rental and ownership tenures).   Neighbourhoods should contain focal points, such as recreation facilities, schools, parks and green spaces, accessible to neighbourhood residents, which will serve as distinctive local landmarks and gathering places.

 

The Carp River and other significant natural heritage features will be protected within the Fernbank community and provide important contributions to the greenspace network.  Not only do these green spaces have environmental value, they can also provide open space and active/passive recreational amenities and will contribute to a healthy community.  Where appropriate, these green spaces should be linked by multi-use pathways, stormwater management facilities, and parks. 

 

The community should be designed around an identifiable focal point, which includes uses that attract and are accessible to all residents and provide a ‘sense of place’.  In addition, each neighbourhood should have a local focal point (such as a park, school or other open space) so that these amenities are well distributed through the community and are easily accessible to residents.

 

The Fernbank community should be designed to accommodate all modes of transportation within a development pattern that emphasizes walking, cycling and transit over automobile travel.  A modified grid road system, with a high degree of permeability and accessibility throughout the community, will support a diverse range of land uses and modes of transportation. Roads should link to important roads around the community and more importantly, to a road, that allows through traffic to bypass Stittsville Main Street.  Public transit (including rapid transit) will be extended to support and serve the community.  Transportation infrastructure should proceed in concert with development and opportunities for alternative means of financing such infrastructure will be considered.

 

The effective use of existing, and the provision of new servicing infrastructure, will be employed in order that development in the Fernbank community achieves the efficient and optimal use of such facilities.  Alternative development standards will be considered where such standards can achieve a quality community while maintaining appropriate operating and maintenance standards.  Servicing infrastructure should proceed in concert with development and opportunities for alternative means of financing such infrastructure will be considered.

 

 

 

Development within the Fernbank community will promote pedestrian, cycling and transit usage in order to reduce energy consumption patterns associated with automobile travel.  Appropriate alternative development and green building standards which support energy efficiency and environmental sustainability will be encouraged.

 

B) Components of the CDP

Seven key components of the CDP include:

 

1.      Introduction: 

Presents a summary of the integrated planning process and consultation process for the CDP.

 

2.      Planning Context:

Provides a general overview of existing conditions and the policy framework for the planning of the Fernbank community and the parameters which formed the development of the Community Design Plan.

 

3.      Development of the Plan:

Describes the guiding principles that form the basis of the CDP and provides a synopsis of the evolution of the Fernbank Community Design Plan.

 

4.      Fernbank Community Plan:

Establishes the foundation of the Fernbank Community Design Plan. The land use plan includes seven general land use categories:

 

 

5.      Demonstration Plan:

Illustrates a way in which the Land Use Plan could be implemented through development approvals.

 

6.      Community Design Guidelines:

Provides a framework for the overall design, identity and structure of the proposed Fernbank Community.

 

7.      Implementation:

Describes the mechanisms, which will guide the administration and implementation of the Fernbank CDP, including a front ending/cost sharing agreement for the provision of infrastructure and community amenities.

 

 

C)   Key Features of the Plan:

The Fernbank Community Design Plan is a plan for a new community that is 674 hectares in size that will contain 9700 to 11000 dwelling units, with an estimated population of 28000 to 31350 people and 2500 to 2650 jobs.   The land use plan and the demonstration plan provide a blueprint for how the Fernbank community will develop in the future.   The Fernbank community is, to some extent, partitioned into three segments by the existing hydro corridors and proposed north-south arterial road (the northeast, southeast and southwest sectors). The distribution of land uses, particularly community amenities such as parks and schools, is intended to provide an equitable distribution of uses so that all areas of the community have access to such uses and facilities. An integrated road, pedestrian walkway and multi-purpose pathway network serves to connect the various sectors and land uses.  The components of the land use plan are described below.

 

Residential:

The high, medium, and low-density land use categories will permit a range and type of residential uses and built-form.  Multiple unit dwellings are dispersed throughout the planning area, but focused along arterial roads, at the intersections of collector roads within neighbourhoods, and adjacent to neighbourhood focal points and major park facilities.  The High Density Residential area permits multiple attached dwellings (such as a range of street, back-to-back and stacked townhouses) low and mid-rise apartment dwellings, live-work units, rooming houses and shelter accommodation.  The Medium Density Residential area includes multiple attached dwellings, triplexes, stacked dwellings, live-work units, low and mid-rise apartment dwellings, live-work units, rooming houses and shelter accommodation.  The Low Density Residential area provides for single-detached, semi-detached and linked detached dwellings. 

 

Community Core:

A ‘center’ or ‘heart’ is an important community-defining element of the plan and accordingly, the intersection of the proposed north-south arterial road and Abbott Street/TransCanada Trail was identified as a central area.  In this location, a variety of land uses (such as mixed use areas, secondary school, and higher density residential uses) in proximity to the transit station, have been provided to create an active, interesting and diverse ‘Community Core’.  The village green located at the centre of the Community Core is intended to be a civic gathering place and passive public open space for residents.

 

Mixed Use:

The Mixed Use designation is intended to accommodate a mix of residential and non-residential land uses to serve the personal and commercial needs of the Fernbank community’s residents. The design and built-form of this area will advance a human-scale pedestrian-friendly environment.  Uses permitted with the Mixed Use designation along Hazeldean Road may be oriented to commercial uses in recognition of the planned land uses on the north side of Hazeldean Road.  However, residential uses are also encouraged.

 

Neighbourhood Commercial:

One Neighbourhood Commercial designation, approximately 8.0 hectares in size, located at the northwest corner of Terry Fox Drive and Fernbank Road, will provide neighbourhood commercial uses to the southeast sector of the community. Uses permitted within the Neighbourhood Commercial designation include convenience stores; personal service businesses; banks or other financial services; business, medical and professional offices; restaurants; and retail stores.

Schools:

The Fernbank community will accommodate up to three secondary schools and eight elementary schools, as requested by the four area school boards. The location and size of these school sites have been conceptually illustrated on the Land Use Plan and reflect the general locational and site design criteria of the respective school boards.

 

School sites shall be zoned for both institutional and residential use in order that, in the event that a the school board does not wish to acquire a school site established in a Plan of Subdivision, the lands shall be developed for residential land uses.

 

Greenspace Network:

The greenspace network is comprised of open space, parks, woodlots, stormwater management facilities, pathways and other linkages.  The Official Plan identifies a target of total public greenspace of 4.0 hectares per 1000 population, or approximately 16-20 per cent of gross land area (including stormwater management facilities, pathways, schools, parks, natural heritage areas, the majority of the hydro transmission corridors, etc.).  The Demonstration Plan illustrates the means by which this Official Plan target for greenspace could be achieved.

 

Open Space:

The Carp River and other significant natural heritage features will be protected within the Fernbank community and provide important contributions to the greenspace network. Not only do these green spaces have environmental value, they can also provide open space and safe active/passive recreational amenities and will contribute to a healthy community.  The existing watercourses and drainage corridors, floodplains associated with existing watercourses, woodlot(s), hydro transmission corridors, and the TransCanada Trail provide initial structuring elements to an open space network within the Fernbank community.  These elements will be augmented by and integrated with, additional open spaces in the form of parks and stormwater management facilities in order that a full range of active and passive recreational opportunities such as sports fields, play areas, passive leisure areas, pathways, and recreation facilities can be accommodated.

 

Woodlot:

The woodlots within the Fernbank study area were evaluated using the methodology in the Urban Natural Areas Environmental Evaluation Study (UNAEES).  One woodlot located east of Shea Road/Hydro One Corridor rated moderate under the UNAEES, meeting the criteria to be designated as an ‘Urban Natural Feature’ in the Official Plan.  The intent of the ‘Urban Natural Feature’ designation is to retain the woodlot in its natural state.  Only passive recreation activities such as trails and orientation areas will be permitted.   It is anticipated that the City will reach agreement with the owner to acquire the woodlot.  However, if the City does not acquire the woodlot, an Official Plan amendment will be required to permit development.  Such development will be consistent with the underlying Low Density Residential designation in the Fernbank CDP.

 

The cedar forest in the north-west corner of the community south of Abbott Street is designated as a ‘Natural Environment Area’ in the Official Plan.  The policies in the Official Plan will apply.   Development and site alteration within 120 metres of the ‘Natural Environment Area’ requires an Environmental Impact Statement to demonstrate that there will be no negative impact on the natural features within the area or its ecological functions. 

Parks: 

The Demonstration Plan illustrates how the parkland dedication requirement of approximately 32.9 hectares based on the Official Plan requirements of 2.0 hectares per thousand population, or approximately eight to 10 percent of the developable land area) could be achieved through the full development of the Fernbank community.  The CDP provides for a hierarchy of parks as follows:

 

·        District Community Park, a minimum of eight hectares in size, is located in the centre of the community with frontage on two collector roads, with access to the TransCanada Trail and situated close to the ‘Community Core’.  District Parks typically include such uses as community centres, arenas, indoor pools, sports fields, children’s play areas, off-street parking and, hard-surface sports areas; 

·        Community Parks, a minimum of 3.25 hectares in size, are located within a 10-minute walking distance of most residential areas.  Three Community Parks have been distributed within each of the three sectors of the community.  All Community Parks have frontage on collector roads in recognition that the users may come from a geographic area larger than the immediate neighbourhoods;

·        Neighbourhood Parks, a minimum of 0.8 hectares in size, are broadly located within the residential neighbourhoods of the Fernbank community so that such parks can be accessed by the residents with a five-minute walk;

·        The Village Green is strategically located at the centre of the Community Core within the Fernbank Community, with proximity to a major transit way stop, the Trans Canada Trail, a secondary school, and a large community population within walking distance.  The Village Green would be a civic gathering place and passive public open space for residents.

 

Heritage Designation:

The farmhouse and large barn located at 590 Hazeldean Road is recommended for designation as a property of cultural heritage significance under the Ontario Heritage Act. 

 

Stormwater Management:

The Stormwater Management designation provides lands to accommodate the stormwater management ponds and to address fish habitat objectives. 

 

Road/Transit Network:

A road/transit network has also been established for the Fernbank community, which includes a north-south arterial road/transit corridor (41.5-metre right-of-way), three transit stations, major collector roads (26-metre right-of-way), minor collector roads (24-metre right-of-way), local roads (18-metre right-of-way), single-loaded roads (14-metre right-of-way), and laneways (8.5‑metre right-of-way).

 

The north-south arterial between Hazeldean Road and Fernbank Road and the rapid transit corridor to be located in the median of the arterial are key to the development of the community.  The phasing plan requires early implementation of the first two lanes of the north-south arterial, as the construction of this link is critical to the development of a bypass to the east of Stittsville, thus relieving Stittsville Main Street from excessive “through” traffic within the community.

 

The CDP provides for a well-balanced network of major and minor collector roads, well spaced along the North-South Arterial Corridor, on which local transit services will operate.  This will facilitate efficient traffic progression along the important arterial corridor, thus protecting its function as a future bypass to Stittsville Main Street and its arterial service to the Fernbank Community Design Plan.  Collector roads within Fernbank will also link to existing collector roads within Kanata South and their future intersections are also well spaced along Hazeldean Road, Fernbank Road, Abbott Street and Shea Road.

 

Pedestrian and Cycling Facilities:

An integrated network of multi-use pathways and sidewalks will facilitate pedestrian movement throughout the Fernbank community, and provide connections to adjacent communities.  Internal to the Fernbank community there will be a system of multiuse pathways and sidewalks intended to link all schools, parks and other community facilities, together with open spaces such as the Carp River. 

 

Density Targets:

The CDP for Fernbank has evolved over a two-year period.  In the final few months of its preparation, the proposals for the new Official Plan became available.  One of the key proposed changes is to increase the overall density of development in the suburbs. 

 

The 2003 Official Plan Policy requires an average residential density of 29 units per net hectare for singles, semis and townhouses. The proposed new Official Plan policy requires the overall residential development to meet a minimum density target of 34 units per net hectare.

 

The CDP surpasses the approved policies in the OP and comes very close to the targets proposed in the draft Official Plan update amendment, to be adopted by Council on June 10.   Table 2 of the CDP will be revised, if needed, prior to going to Council for approval on June 24, to provide for the density requirements established by Council.

 

Community Design Guidelines:

The design guidelines provide a framework of the design criteria for the overall identity and structure of the proposed Fernbank Community, as well as for the appearance of new buildings, streetscape, parks and open spaces within the community.  The design guidelines will guide developers, builders, designers and City staff in achieving a consistently high quality design standards throughout the community building process.  The design guidelines, in conjunction with the design policies of the Official Plan and other relevant city-wide design guidelines (such as the Urban Design Guidelines for Greenfield Neighbourhoods), are a tool to ensure the final built out of the Fernbank community to be an attractive, liveable and healthy community with distinct identity. 

 

The design of the Fernbank community is predicated on a transit supportive street network, an integrated open space linkage system, and a well-defined community core and mixed-use areas at strategic locations to serve the community and beyond.  Each distinctive and liveable neighbourhood will have a park, school or other amenities within walking distance. Well-designed streetscape and built form will be promoted in response to the location and intensity of the land uses. 

 

 

Buffering from Existing Development:

West of Shea Road, a linear open space (approximately 6 metres wide) will be provided between the existing Stittsville area and the proposed low-density residential development to the east.  Such open space shall include a public multi-use pathway connecting to the trail system north of Abbott Street.

 

Where residential dwellings are located adjacent to the Iber Road industrial area, buffering from industrial uses will be achieved through inclusion of a road running parallel to the industrial lots, landscaping, fencing and/or berming along the residential lot lines.

 

Affordable Housing

Within the Fernbank community approximately 25 per cent of all housing is required to be affordable (affordable to households at or below the 30th income percentile for rental and at or below the 40th income percentile for ownership), assessed at the time of subdivision approval.  Development of ‘social housing’ for low/moderate income households by social housing providers, with or without City funding or incentives, is included within the total 25 per cent of affordable housing in the community. Approximately seven per cent of all homes in the in the Fernbank Community will be for social housing.  In recognition of providing social housing opportunities within the Fernbank CDP, up to 6 hectares of lands designated Medium Density or High Density residential purposes may be made available to a social housing provider at the time of approval(s) of draft plan of subdivision(s).  The specific lands to be made available will be identified through the development application. The lands will be made available provided that that social housing provider enters into an option agreement requiring it to exercise is purchase option within three years of the registration of the subdivision plan(s). The lands shall be acquired by the social housing provider at market value.  There is a similar requirement in Riverside South community.

Emergency Services:

Ottawa Paramedic Service has indicated that they require a site in the southeast portion of the community.  A site for Paramedic Services has been designated on Fernbank Road. Since police and fire services have indicated that the Fernbank community will be serviced from stations in Stittsville and Kanata, they do not need sites in the Fernbank community. 

 

Ambulatory Care Facility:

Queensway Carleton Hospital has expressed interest in locating an ambulatory care facility in the Fernbank community.  This facility could be accommodated in the Mixed Use designation, which provides for institutional uses such as hospitals, retirement homes, residential care facilities or medical facilities.

 

D)   Implementation:

The Fernbank Community Design Plan is a statement of land-use policy that is intended to guide the development of the Fernbank community. The following describes the mechanisms, which will guide the administration and implementation of the Fernbank Community Design Plan. 

 

Phasing:

It is anticipated that within each individual phase, development will occur incrementally through Plans of Subdivision with associated infrastructure and services being installed. The phasing plan prescibes the trigger mechanisms, indicating the infrastructure required to be in place for each phase before development can proceed. Details of proposed works and improvements are set out the CDP and will be influenced by the future development rate, municipal budgeting priorities, and front-ending agreements. In any scenario, a portion of the north/south arterial will be constructed to a two-lane cross-section as part of the first phase of development.

 

Cost Sharing/Front-End Agreement

The Official Plan Amendment will add a policy requiring all landowners in the Fernbank community to enter into a comprehensive cost sharing agreement to front end infrastructure and facilities that benefit the whole community, such as:

 

2.         Transportation Master Plan

 

The Transportation Master Plan is a key supporting document to the CDP that analyses the future long-term infrastructure needs of the proposed community in conjunction with the City’s 2009 Transportation Master Plan/ Official Plan (TMP/OP) for the West Urban Community as a whole, in order to ensure that the vision, strategic objectives and supporting principles will also apply to the Fernbank CDP.

 

The major conclusions of the Transportation Master Plan include:

·        The proposed Fernbank community is assumed to develop in parallel with the Kanata West Development Area (KWDA) over the next 20 to 25 years to the horizon year (2031) of the upcoming Official Plan update (2008).  The combined development of the two new communities is anticipated to contain approximately 17000 dwelling units and 26500 jobs, and will result in the need for additions to the arterial road and rapid transit networks, over and above those in place today, the majority of which had already been identified in the 2003 Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan and which have now been included in the recently approved 2008 Transportation Master Plan.

·        The achievement of a peak hour transit share of travel approaching 25 per cent in the peak direction west of Terry Fox Drive will, if achieved, result in transit ridership figures of approximately 3000 passengers per hour at build-out.  Volumes of this magnitude justify the extension of rapid transit within Kanata West to the Fernbank community.

·        Although the peak hour transit ridership within the Fernbank community will be considerably less than that within Kanata West (approximately 1500 pph v 3000 pph), the application of the current City of Ottawa policy to extend rapid transit to the future urban boundaries means that a rapid transit corridor extension from Kanata West (Hazeldean Road) to Fernbank Road should be protected for.

·        Based on the assumption that the peak hour transit share targets of the recently approved 2008 TMP are achieved as a result of the proposed implementation of rapid transit corridors to the extremities of the urban area by 2031, no additional arterial capacity will be required through the Greenbelt by 2031 over and above that already identified in the 2003 Official Plan and confirmed in the 2008 TMP, along with the proposed widening of Highway 417 to eight lanes, by MTO.

 

·        The development proposed in the recommended Fernbank CDP will require the extension of the North-South Arterial as a future two to four-lane arterial south to the urban boundary at Fernbank Road, in addition to the arterial widenings already identified in the 2003 TMP and confirmed in the 2008 TMP (Hazeldean Road and Terry Fox Drive).

·        The recommended arterial road network at build-out in the vicinity of the Fernbank community should comprise:

 

Hazeldean Road:

·        four lanes: Terry Fox Drive to Carp Road

Terry Fox Drive:

·        four lanes: Castlefrank Road to Eagleson Road

·        six lanes: Palladium Drive to Campeau Drive

North-south arterial:     

·        two to four lanes: Palladium Interchange to Fernbank Road

Fernbank Road:

·          local upgrades (auxiliary lanes/traffic signals) at collector road intersections  between Shea Road and Terry Fox Drive

·              Within the KWDA, the proposed alignment of the north-south arterial has been identified as far south as Hazeldean Road. The Fernbank community requires an extension from Hazeldean Road to Fernbank Road. Combined with a rapid transit corridor, the recommended right-of-way is 41.5 metres from Hazeldean Road to Fernbank Road.

·              In addition to providing arterial capacity to the Fernbank community, the north-south arterial will function as a bypass of Stittsville, reducing traffic volumes on Stittsville Main Street.

·              The four-laning of Fernbank Road is not required under the current land use assumptions of the Fernbank CDP.  Should the urban boundary be extended south at some future date, the ROW being protected in the current 2003 Official Plan (37.5 metres) will satisfy future capacity needs (four-laning).

·              The currently available capacity on Terry Fox Drive, Fernbank Road and Abbott Street coupled with the recently proposed timing of strategic arterial capacity, in particular the four-laning of Hazeldean Road between Iber Road and Terry Fox Drive commencing in 2011 and the Kanata West North-South Arterial, to be implemented by way of a front-ending agreement, will facilitate the orderly phasing of the Fernbank Community at an average development rate of approximately 500 dwelling units per annum.

·              The planned widening of Highway 417 by Ministry of Transportation to be completed over the next three to four years, adding four lanes east and west of Eagleson Road, will greatly ease congestion at both the Eagleson and Terry Fox Screenlines with complementary relief provided to the east-west arterial system.  However, the increased freeway corridor capacity will emphasize the need for increased north-south arterial capacity, to be provided by the North-South Arterial, in order to efficiently utilize the additional freeway capacity being made available in the near future.

·              It is recommended that grade-separation of the Trans-Canada Trail at the North-South Arterial be protected for.

 

 

 

3.         Environmental Management Plan

 

The intent of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is to: create an inventory of existing features; provide an evaluation of those features; consider the impacts of any land-use activities on natural features; develop a recommended strategy to mitigate adverse effects and protect, enhance and restore the natural system for the benefit of all.  The EMP represents a blueprint for development of the Fernbank community.

 

The EMP provides:

 

Third Party Review of the Carp River Restoration

One third of the Fernbank study area drains into the Carp River.  The EMP was revised to implement the requirements of the Third Party Review for the Carp River Restoration Plan.  The Fernbank lands, in their developed condition, require that peak flows not exceed existing conditions in the upper Carp River and that runoff volume not exceed the suggested 40000 m³ above existing conditions for the 100-year event.  This will be achieved.

 

4.         Master Servicing Study

 

The intent of the Master Servicing Study (MMS) is to develop a municipal servicing design for storm drainage, wastewater collection, and water supply that would support development of the CDP. The MSS has created a blueprint for development while maintaining sufficient flexibility to allow for future changes to the land use plan. It is prudent to develop a process to recognize that due to unforeseen circumstances, it may not be feasible to implement the projects as described in the environmental assessment reports. The implementation section of the MSS sets out the process to deal with changes, which occur after filing and obtaining approval of the environmental assessments and prior to construction.

 

The major conclusions of the Master Servicing Study include:

 

 

5.         Official Plan Amendment

 

The proposed Official Plan Amendment in Document 2 is required to implement the Fernbank CDP.  The Amendment will make a number of revisions to the schedules within the Official Plan to account for the changes in land use, and to make revisions to the transportation network.   

 

The Fernbank CDP was prepared anticipating that these rural lands outside the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation will eventually be developed for urban purposes. The CDP and the infrastructure required to support the CDP provide for the eventual coordination and integration of these lands into the ‘Urban Area’.  The Official Plan update amendment that is expected to be adopted by Council on June 10, 2009 designates the rural lands within the Fernbank CDP study area as ‘Future Urban Area’, similar to the other Fernbank lands.  This amendment (to implement the Fernbank CDP) amends the Official Plan that was in force prior to adoption of the Official Plan Five Year Review Amendment, due to the fact that Ministerial approval is needed for the Amendment, which is not anticipated until later in the year.

 

 

 

 

The following amendments to the Official Plan will implement the Fernbank Community Design Plan that has now been completed:

 

·        Schedule A, Rural Policy Plan, is hereby amended by changing the designation from ‘Future Urban Area’, ‘Agricultural Resource Area’ and ‘General Rural Area’ to ‘Urban Area’ for the lands shown on Schedule 1 attached to this Amendment.

·        Schedule B, Urban Policy Plan, is amended adding areas designated ‘Natural Environment Area’, ‘Major Open Space’ and ‘General Urban Area’ and by deleting ‘Future Urban Area’ and replacing it with ‘General Urban Area’, ‘Arterial Mainstreet’, and  ‘Urban Natural Feature’ for the lands shown on Schedule 2 to this Amendment.

 

6.         Issues Raised During the Consultation

 

Small Individual Parcels:

Within the Fernbank CDP area, on the north side of Fernbank Road, there a number of small parcels owned by individuals, not development companies.

 

Comment:

Some landowners who own small parcels want to know what are the plans for their properties.  How will these properties be developed and integrated into the community?   Will parcels be acquired and by whom?

 

Staff Response:

The following policy has been added to the Implementation section of the CDP to address small privately-owned parcels, and provide clarification to the landowners.

 

“Where smaller, individual properties are located within a development phase, such properties shall not be required to be developed with the balance of the lands in that phase.  However, through the implementation of plans of subdivision within each phase, provision shall be made to accommodate the potential integration of these individual properties at a future date through overall subdivision design, lot patterns, road layouts and infrastructure plans.”

 

 

 

Abbott Street:

During the public consultation, two options were presented for the future alignment of Abbott Street between Iber Road and Terry Fox Drive. 

 

 

Comment:

Alternative A, recommended by Delcan, is also favoured by the City's Transportation Strategic Planning Unit, Ottawa Police Services, the Ottawa Carleton Catholic School Board, the Stittsville Community Association.

 

Some people expressed concern that the future alignment proposed in Alternative A was a more direct route and it could be used as a “through route” by non-local traffic between the Kanata and Stittsville communities which would result in increased traffic on Abbott Street west of Iber and also result in increased congestion at the intersection of Abbott St and Stittsville Main St. 

 

Staff Response:
Alternative A is being recommended as it provides efficient road connectivity (and geometry) to maximize integrated transit service; efficiently integrates and distributes local traffic flows between the adjacent Stittsville Fernbank and Kanata communities; better accommodates east-west pedestrian and bicycle travel between adjacent communities and within the Fernbank Community itself; and provides better access to the District Park shown on the Preliminary Demonstration Plan.

 

District Park

At Open House No. 4 held on September 24, 2007 the Preferred Land Use Concept that was presented to the public showed two options for the District Park location:

 

 

Neither site met the needs of staff and another location is being recommended in the CDP.  The preferred location for the District Park is now located on Dawson/Mattamy lands.

 

Comment:

Richcraft and Mattamy disagree with the location of the District Park proposed in the CDP.  Richcraft commented that in the preliminary draft plan that was circulated on January 24, 2008, the District Park was logically located between the hydro corridors.  The benefit of this siting was the opportunity to link directly to the TransCanada Trail, which runs through the southern hydro corridor.  The draft CDP proposes “residential lands be placed awkwardly between two hydro corridors.  If past experiences are any indication, we can expect conditions and separation distances within these residential lands as a result of their proximity to the transmission lines.  With the triangular parcel shape these additional restrictions will be harder to accommodate.  It is also important to note that selling residential units between active hydro lines is not ideal.  The initial market value as well as the resale value will be forever affected if the District Park is located as currently proposed.”

 

Mattamy has requested that the City reconsider the direction to designate the large District Park on the lands north of the Hydro Corridor and assess other locations on better-suited lands, including the lands south of the corridor.  The District Park comprises 29 per cent of the Dawson lands and if these lands are burdened and constrained with a disproportionate distribution of non-residential designations (district park, stormwater facilities, schools) there will be a reduced financial incentive to develop the lands. Mattamy has severe issues with the current location of the District Park, which relate to their ability to build a community, which we feel, is commensurate to their other sites in Ottawa.  Mattamy has compared the two plans using each criteria and feel that the previous plan (the triangular site between the hydro corridors) is the better choice as it only “loses” to the new location in two of the criteria – namely, shape and collector road frontage.

 

See Document 6, which contains a full discussion of the points raised by Mattamy. 

 

Staff Response:

Staff have met with Mattamy to discuss and review alternative locations for the District Park.   Staff still believe the location proposed in the draft CDP is the best one to serve the future needs of the Fernbank community.  The proposed district park location is favoured for the following reasons:

 

 

The following policy will be added through the Official Plan Amendment to address Mattamy’s concern regarding compensation:

Prior to the registration of the first plan of subdivision within the Fernbank community, an agreement will be executed among the landowners to establish a mechanism that allows for:

 

·          the compensation for parkland to ensure that costs are distributed equitably across ownership throughout the entire Community Design Plan area; and

·         dedication of the district park area to the City.

 

Relocation of Elementary School Site

 

Comment:

Le Conseil des écoles Catholique de la langue française has requested that a school site reserved for the Board be moved to a location east of North-South Arterial.

 

Staff Response:

The school site has been relocated to a site that is satisfactory to the school board.

Neighbourhood Commercial

There is one neighbourhood commercial site identified in the CDP, an eight-hectare site at the corner of Terry Fox and Fernbank Road. 

 

Comment:

The Neighbourhood Commercial node needs to be larger than proposed.  The CDP does not provide any justification for its proposed size.  Given our understanding of the retail market this commercial area will need to be much larger will want and need.  A larger more traditional commercial area will work in unison with the commercial uses of the core not dominate them.

 

The Design Guidelines in Section 6.6.4 is not necessary, as the City already has designed for large format retailers.  The area should not be treated as a Mainstreet and design guidelines orienting front entrances of buildings towards the street, providing access to front entrances from sidewalks, minimizing the dominance of asphalt areas through the placement of landscape isles or medians and locating parking at the rear or to the interior side of the commercial development, are of particular concern because the site fronts on three streets with residential on the fourth side.  Flexibility will be required to determine the best fit.  Application of the design criteria may limit design flexibility during site plan control.

 

Staff Response:

Malone, Given, Parsons (MGP) undertook a preliminary market assessment analysis in order to assist in defining the quantum and general locations for commercial uses within the Fernbank CDP at the commencement of the study process.  Given the context of existing and planned/approved development in Kanata West, Kanata Town Centre and Kanata South, MGP recommended focusing commercial activities along the south side of Hazeldean Road with a smaller commercial centre at Fernbank/Terry Fox as currently shown in the CDP.  The Mixed Use area along the north-south arterial is also an opportunity for commercial activities and, since the intent is that this area will form the community core, it was concluded that the CDP should not undermine the intended commercial/mixed-use function of this area by allowing for significant amounts of additional commercial uses.  SmartCentres (or Fernbank Properties Inc.) have provided no market justification themselves as to the need for, or appropriateness of, a large commercial centre at the corner of Fernbank/Terry Fox (particularly, given recent developments/approvals in Kanata South).  

 

The identified Neighbourhood Commercial area is not intended to be a large-format retail centre; therefore, those City design guidelines would not apply.  The design guidelines have been revised to recognize the unique challenges of this site having three road frontages together with clarification that the guidelines will be applicable to the entire designation and not just the food store.

 

Timing of the North-South Arterial

On November 9, 2005, Council provided direction for the preparation of the Fernbank CDP that included:

 

·    Ensuring that local road infrastructure serving a function which would also be served by the new north-south arterial should not be over-burdened by the development of these lands;

·    Inclusion of a final phasing plan that acknowledges the relationship between development timing, amount and front-end financing.

 

The phasing plan for the Fernbank CDP identifies building of the north-south arterial as a new two-lane roadway from Fernbank Road to Abbott Street (including a collector road connection to Iber Road) in the first phase of development (3000 dwelling units).   The balance of the north-south arterial will be constructed for the next 5000 units.  The north-south arterial is identified in the City’s Transportation Master Plan as a Phase 2 road infrastructure project to be required during the period 2016 to 2022.  The draft of the Development Charges By-law Background Study proposes that the north-south arterial be implemented at the start of this period in 2016 or thereabouts. 

 

Comment:

The sponsoring landowners wish to advance the timing of the north-south arterial to the 2012-2013 time frame.  This would allow them to obtain the financing necessary to front-end and build the arterial in a timely manner that will service the new development in the Fernbank community.

 

Response:

The Transportation Master Plan sets out list of road infrastructure projects required during the planning period that extends to 2031.  The implementation of these projects has been divided into three phases (2008-2015, 2016-2022 and 2023-2031) based on the anticipated amount, location and timing of growth.  For ease of review they have also been listed by geographic area of the city and for the western sector eight projects are identified in Phase 1 and twelve projects in Phase 2, including the north-south arterial.  Council approved the new TMP update in November 2008.  It is not recommended that as part of the approval of the Fernbank CDP (or any other CDP) or the new Development Charges By-law that decisions be made which would set a new precedent by opening the door to advancing development charge funded projects to an earlier implementation date.  To do so would require an increase in the proposed development charge rate to bring in more money earlier to pay for the project, or alternatively to avoid or offset such a change, decisions would have to be made to select and postpone other projects to later dates.

 

Hazeldean Potential Transit Station and Park and Ride Lot

 

The Hazeldean Potential Transit Station and Park and Ride Lot is being relocated south of Hazeldean Road in the Fernbank Community Design Plan and not north of Hazeldean Road in the Kanata West Community as originally anticipated.  The Fernbank landowners group do not agree with the Potential Transit Station and Park and Ride Lot being relocated in the Fernbank Community.  The explanation for the change is presented below:  

It is prudent and essential that the Fernbank Community CDP and Fernbank TMP both include text and map reference to the currently undetermined nature of these facilities at Hazeldean Road. Although the station would be a permanent facility, the park and ride could be temporary until the one further south is built (when rapid transit is extended to Fernbank) - and the land goes back to the developer. Timing of development in this vicinity will determine the need.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The Environmental Management Plan compiled an inventory of existing features; provided an evaluation of those features; considered the impacts of any land-use activities on natural features; developed a recommend strategy to mitigate adverse effects and protect, enhance and restore the natural system for the benefit of all. 

 

Carp River Third Party Review

One third of Fernbank study area drains into the Carp River.  The Fernbank CDP process was delayed until the Third Party Review was completed in order to determine flow requirements for the Fernbank community. The Third Party Review of the Carp River Restoration concluded that the Fernbank lands, in the developed condition, require that peak flows not exceed existing conditions in the upper Carp River and that runoff volume not exceed the suggested 40000 m³ above existing conditions for the 100-year event.  This will be achieved.

 

CONSULTATION

 

Consultation is an integral part of both the Planning and Class Environmental Assessment process. Consultation and the exchange of information was undertaken throughout the assessments using a variety of methods including meetings with community associations and the general public, electronic information distribution and regular meetings with the study team, approval agencies, and the three Ward Councillors.

 

Five public open houses were held at Scotiabank Place in Kanata for the Fernbank community:

 

Open House No. 1 November 29, 2006

The public was provided the opportunity to review and comment on the study area’s existing conditions, identify concerns and opportunities, and contribute to the policies and processes guiding this development. The participants began shaping a vision for Fernbank community’s future appearance, function and interface with existing communities of Stittsville, Kanata West and Kanata South.

 

Open House No. 2 January 31, 2007

The Community Design Roundtable allowed a hands-on opportunity for the public to “plan” the community with consideration of the site constraints and the policy direction from the City.

 

Open House No. 3 June 5, 2007

The open house was held to solicit the ideas of the public on the five Preliminary Land Use Concepts that were developed and the Alternative Design Concepts for the infrastructure supporting the proposed land uses.

 

Open House No. 4 September 24, 2007

The open house was held to solicit the ideas of the public on the preferred Land Use Concepts that were developed and the infrastructure supporting the proposed land uses.

 

Open House No. 5 April 27, 2009

The open house was held to solicit the comments on the recommended Land Use Concepts that were developed and the infrastructure supporting the proposed land uses.

 

Additional meetings were held with area landowners and community groups as required. Scheduling of consultation opportunities corresponded to key project milestones throughout the process.

 

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:

 

The Fernbank Community Design Plan has been prepared using an integrated planning and environmental assessment process. The Official Plan Amendment is required to implement the Fernbank CDP.  The Transportation Master Plan, Master Servicing Study, and Environmental Management Plan were prepared in accordance with the Planning Act provision of the Municipal Engineers Association Environmental Assessment Process.   As such, the Official Plan Amendment, Transportation Master Plan; a Master Servicing Study; and an Environmental Management Plan are subject to all normal notice requirements and rights of appeal by any person or public body to the Ontario Municipal Board under the provisions of the Planning Act.   As this has been done through the integrated process, the notice of adoption will reflect that approval under the Environmental Assessment Act is being sought and there will not be a separate process for Part II Order ("bump up") requests.

 

If no notice of appeal is filed and the time for filing an appeal has expired, Council’s decision to adopt the amendment and infrastructure master plans will be final and the portion of the Official Plan and the Master Plans that has been amended will come into effect on the day after the last day for filing a notice of appeal.

 

Enactment of this Official Plan Amendment, Transportation Master Plan; a Master Servicing Study; and an Environmental Management Plan will enable Council to implement the Fernbank Community Design Plan.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Development Charges

Development of major servicing infrastructure, parks and recreational trails within Fernbank will be financed as per the Development Charges By-law.

 

Cost Sharing/Front-End Agreements

As development proceeds within the Fernbank Community Design Plan, innovative implementation strategies will be required in order to ensure the timely advancement of municipal infrastructure and community amenities and facilities.  A cost sharing/front end agreement will be established within the Fernbank community to provide for landowners who wish to front-end and share the costs contemplated in the development of major spine infrastructure (roads, sewer and water) and public amenities, and in doing so, front end for those benefiting landowners who choose not to participate in the upfront funding of the costs contemplated in a comprehensive cost sharing agreement that addresses community land and shared infrastructure principles.

 

There will also be a master parkland agreement established within the Fernbank community to create a mechanism, which allows for compensation of parkland dedication that may be inequitably distributed across the Fernbank CDP.

 

New Infrastructure: Water, Wastewater, Stormwater Management and Drainage Servicing:

The build-out of this area will ultimately result in the City’s acquisition of the following new infrastructure:

 

·        Watermains: approx. 76 kilometres

·        Sanitary sewers:  approx. 76 kilometres 

·        Storm sewers: approx. 76 kilometres

·        Stormwater management ponds: eight wet ponds and five dry ponds

·        Rehabilitated upper reach of the Monahan Drain: 800 metres

 

The number of stormwater management ponds is a function of the preservation of the Carp River West Tributary and the rehabilitation of the upper reach of the Monahan Drain, as well as the existing drainage divides within the development area that require the maintenance of flows to existing subwatersheds. 

 

Requisite funding will be required for operation and maintenance as the City gradually assumes this new infrastructure over time. It is anticipated that the development will reach full build-out in approximately 20 years. 

 

At build-out, the estimated annual operation and maintenance costs, in 2009 dollars, for the Fernbank community will be:

 

Watermains: approx. 76 kilometres                   $540,000 (7,100 $/km/year)

Sanitary sewers: approx. 76 kilometres $365,000 (4,800 $/km/year)

Storm sewers: approx. 76 kilometres                $220,000 (2,900 $/km/year)

Stormwater management:                                  $550,000 (ponds and channel maintenance) 

 

These estimated annual costs represent approximately 0.7 per cent of the total annual operational budget for these services and will be recovered through the water and sewer rate.

 

Requisite funding will also be required for operation and maintenance the new transportation infrastructure as the City gradually assumes infrastructure that will be built over time (rapid transit, arterial and collector roads, local streets and sidewalks.

 

Woodlot Acquisition

The moderate-value woodlot is designated as Urban Natural Feature in the Official Plan, which necessitates its acquisition by the City.  This acquisition will be the subject of a future report. 

 

Should acquisition not be possible, then an Official Plan amendment will be required to permit development.  If development is permitted, then the underlying Low Density Residential designation will apply.

 

Parks – Land Banking and Compensation

Prior to the approval of the first plan of subdivision within the CDP area, an agreement will be executed among the landowners to establish a mechanism that allows for the compensation of parkland that may be inequitably distributed across ownership throughout the entire CDP. For the purposes of implementing the Fernbank Community Design Plan, the City will track all revenues and expenditures generated within this growth area. In order to preserve the integrity of the fund, cash-in lieu revenues generated in the Fernbank community will be spent in Fernbank community up to final build-out within the CDP planning area.

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1 – Location Map

Document 2 – Official Plan Amendment

Document 3 – Community Design Plan

Document 4 – Transportation Master Plan

Document 5 – Master Servicing Study – Volume 1 and Volume 2

Document 6 – Environmental Management Plan – Volume 1 and Volume 2

Document 7 – Public Consultation Report

Document 8 – Consultation Details

Document 9 – Civic Facilities, Public Utilities and Technical Agencies

 

DISPOSITION

 

1.      Legal Services to forward the implementing by-law for the Official Plan Amendment to City Council, upon request from the Planning and Growth Management Department.

 

2.      Planning and Growth Management to issue the Notice of Decision within 15 days of City Council adopting the implementing by-law for Official Plan Amendment No. XX.

 

3.      Planning and Growth Management to revise Annex 5 to the Official Plan to indicate that the Fernbank community is subject to a Community Design Plan.

 

4.      Prior to going to Council for approval, Planning and Growth Management will amend Table 2 of the Fernbank Community Design Plan in Document 3 to accord with the Council decision on June 10 regarding the density targets established in Section 2.2.2 of Official Plan by the Official Plan update amendment. 


LOCATION MAP                                                                                                    DOCUMENT 1

 

 

 

OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT                                                                         DOCUMENT 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Official Plan Amendment No.__ Modifications du Plan directeur

 

To the Official Plan for the City of Ottawa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Official Plan Amendment No.___

Modification du Plan directeur ___

 

To the Official Plan for the City of Ottawa

 

 

 

INDEX                                                                                                                       PAGE

 

STATEMENT OF COMPONENTS…………………………………….     

 

PART A – THE PREAMBLE……………………………………………     

 

1.         Purpose……………………………………………………………   

2          Location………………………………………………………….     

3.         Basis………………………………………………………………

           

PART B – THE AMENDMENT…………………………………………

           

1.         Introduction………………………………………………………… 

2.         Details of the Amendment…………………………………………

3.         Implementation………………………………………………………

 

 

INDEX OF SCHEDULES

 

Schedule 1       Amendment to Schedule A - Rural Policy Plan

Schedule 2       Amendment to Schedule B - Urban Policy Plan

Schedule 3       Amendment to Schedule C - Primary Urban Cycling Transportation Network

Schedule 4       Amendment to Schedule E - Urban Road Network

 

 

 

STATEMENT OF COMPONENTS

 

PART A – THE PREAMBLE introduces the actual Amendments but does not constitute part of Official Plan Amendment No. ____ for the City of Ottawa Official Plan.

 

PART B – THE AMENDMENT constitutes the actual Amendment No. ___ to the City of Ottawa Official Plan.

PART A – THE PREAMBLE          

 

1.         Purpose

The purpose of Amendment No. ___ is to amend Schedules A, B, C, and E, and Sections 3.11 and 5.3, and Annex 1 to the Official Plan for the City of Ottawa to implement the land uses and transportation infrastructure established by the Fernbank Community Design Plan (Fernbank CDP).

 

2          Location

The lands subject to this Amendment are located within the study area for the Fernbank Community Design Plan that has now been completed.  The study area encompassed the entire area between Stittsville and Kanata extending from Hazeldean Road south to Fernbank Road, designated as ‘Future Urban Area’, Agricultural Resource Area’ and ‘General Rural Area’ in the current approved Official Plan.  .

 

3.         Basis

The Fernbank lands are designated as ‘Future Urban Area’, ‘Agricultural Resource Area’ and ‘General Rural Area’ in Official Plan.   The Official Plan requires that all development occurring within the ‘Future Urban Area’ be on the basis of a community design plan.  Inclusion of these rural lands in the study area for the community design plan allows for efficient planning of public services for the long term.  The Fernbank CDP was prepared anticipating that these rural lands outside the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation will eventually be developed for urban purposes. The CDP and the infrastructure required to support the CDP provide for the eventual coordination and integration of these lands into the ‘Urban Area’.  The Official Plan Amendment for the Comprehensive Five Year Review that was adopted by Council on June 10, 2009 designates the rural lands within the Fernbank CDP study area as ‘Future Urban Area’, similar to the other Fernbank lands.  This amendment (to implement the Fernbank CDP) amends the Official Plan that was in force prior to adoption of the Comprehensive Five Year Review Amendment, due to the fact that Ministerial approval is needed for the Five Year Comprehensive Review Amendment, which is not anticipated until later in the year.

 

The following amendments will implement the Fernbank Community Design Plan that has now been completed. 

 

Schedule A, Rural Policy Plan, is hereby amended by changing the designation from ‘Future Urban Area’, ‘Agricultural Resource Area’ and ‘General Rural Area’ to ‘Urban Area’ for the lands shown on Schedule 1 attached to this Amendment.

 

Schedule B, Urban Policy Plan, is amended adding areas designated ‘Natural Environment Area’, ‘Major Open Space’ and ‘General Urban Area’ and by deleting ‘Future Urban Area’ and replacing it with ‘General Urban Area’, ‘Arterial Mainstreet’, and  ‘Urban Natural Feature’ for the lands shown on Schedule 2 to this Amendment.

 

 

Schedules C, and E are being amended to add ‘On-Road Cycling Routes’, ‘Arterials Proposed (Aligned Defined)’, ‘Major Collectors Proposed’ and ‘Collectors Proposed’ to reflect the transportation infrastructure established within the Fernbank Community Design Plan.

 

Section 3.11 ‘Future Urban Area’ is being deleted as the designation for the lands now subject to this designation is being changed from ‘Future Urban Area’ to ‘General Urban Area’, ‘Arterial Mainstreet’, ‘Urban Natural Feature’ and ‘Major Open Space’ to implement the Fernbank CDP.

 

Section 5.3 ‘Other Implementation Policies’ is amended by adding a policy requiring the landowners within the Fernbank community to enter into private agreements to share the costs of the major infrastructure projects and associated studies and plans required and to distribute the costs fairly among the benefiting landowners. 

 

Annex 1, Table 1 is amended to add the Kanata North-South Arterial as a 41.5 m ROW to be protected.

PART B – THE AMENDMENT     

 

1.         Introduction

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

 

2.         Details

The following amendments will be made to the Official Plan for the City of Ottawa:

 

i)          Schedule A, Rural Policy Plan, is amended by:

a)      changing the ‘Future Urban Area’, designation to ‘Urban Area’ where indicated on Schedule 1 ;

b)      changing the “Agricultural Resource Area” designation to “Urban Area” where indicated on Schedule 1,

c)      changing the “General Rural Area” designation to “Urban Area” where indicated on Schedule 1,

d)      changing the “Natural Environment Area” designation to “Urban Area” where indicated on Schedule 1,

e)      removing ‘Future Urban Area’ from the Legend.

 

ii)         Schedule B, Urban Policy Plan, is amended by:

a)      designating lands ‘General Urban Area’ where indicated on Schedule 2;

b)      designating lands ‘Major Open Space’ where indicated on Schedule 2;

c)      designating lands ‘Natural Environment Area’ where indicated on Schedule 2;

d)      changing the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation to ‘General Urban Area’ where indicated on Schedule 2;

e)      changing the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation to ‘Arterial Mainstreet’ where indicated on Schedule 2;

f)        changing the ‘Future Urban Area’ designation to ‘Urban Natural Feature’ where indicated on Schedule 2;

g)      changing the ‘General Urban Area’ designation to ‘Major Open Space” where indicated on Schedule 2;

h)      removing ‘Future Urban Area’ from the Legend..

 

iii)         Schedule C, Primary Urban Cycling Transportation Network, is amended by adding an ‘On-Road Cycling Route’ as shown on Schedule 3 to this Amendment.

 

iv)        Schedule E, Urban Road Network, is amended by adding ‘Arterials Proposed (Alignment Defined)’, ‘Major Collectors - Proposed’ and ‘Collectors - Proposed’ as shown on Schedule 4 to this Amendment.

 

v)         Section 3.11 ‘Future Urban Area’ is deleted in its entirety.

 

vi.   Landowners within Area 12 (Fernbank) shown on Annex 5 Urban - Areas Subject to a Community Design or Policy Plan approved by Ottawa City Council, shall:

a)         Enter into a private agreement, as may be amended from time to time, to share or front end, if required, the costs of community facilities and works and associated studies and plans which are required for the development of the Fernbank Community. Such costs may include, but are not limited to:

i)          the costs of community use lands such as parkland, as well as the costs for preparation and improvement of parkland for dedication;

ii)         local infrastructure, roads and works adjacent to community use lands; and

iii)         other local infrastructure which is demonstrated to benefit more than one individual development.

These costs shall be distributed fairly among the benefiting landowners.  The agreement shall contain a financial schedule describing the estimated costs of the community facilities and works and associated studies and plans, as well as the proportionate share of the costs for each landowner.            

Prior to the registration of the first plan of subdivision within the Fernbank Community, either enter into a Master Parkland Agreement with the City, or through the private agreement, which Agreement shall govern the terms of the orderly conveyance of Parkland, including the District Park, within the Fernbank Community in accordance with the parkland dedication requirements under the Planning Act, and the terms of reimbursement to the Landowners of the costs of parkland improvements incurred by the Landowners, including, without limitation, development charge credits and reimbursement to any over dedicated Landowners.

 

b)         The City shall include a condition of approval for all plans of subdivision and condominium, site plan and severance applications within the Fernbank community requiring notification from the Trustee of the Fernbank Owners Group Inc that the owner is party to the agreement and has paid its share of any costs pursuant to the agreements.  

 

vii)        Annex 1 – Road Classification and Rights-of-Way, Table 1 is amended by adding the following row after Kanata Drive:

 

Road

From

To

ROW to be Protected

Classification

Sector

Kanata North-South Arterial

Hazeldean

Fernbank

41.5m

arterial

urban

 

 

3.         Implementation

 

Implementation and Interpretation of this Amendment to the Official Plan shall be in accordance with the policies of the City of Ottawa Official Plan (2003).





CONSULTATION DETAILS                                                                                 DOCUMENT 8

 

 

Five public open houses were held at the Scotiabank Place at key junctures in the Fernbank study to develop the plan.  The last meeting was held on April 27, 2009 to present and get comments on the proposed CDP, Master Servicing Study, Environmental Management Plan, Transportation Master Plan and Official Plan Amendment.

 

The Plans were circulated to community associations and landowners within the study area for comments. 

 

Comments were received from the following groups:

 

A.        Community Associations

·        Stittsville Community Association

·        Bridlewood Community Association

 

B.        Developers

·        Metric Homes

·        Richcraft Group of Companies

·        Mattamy Homes Ottawa

·        Fernbank Properties Inc

 

C.        The Public

·        20 submissions were received

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A.        COMMENTS FROM COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS

 

Stittsville Community Association

 

It would appear that the proposed amendments to the Official Plan reflect, inter alia, the consultative opinions/decisions developed with regard to land use, transportation and transit networks, etc necessary for the implementation of the Fernbank Community Design Plan (CDP).  The demonstration plan appears to largely reflect the consensus of participants at both the Public Advisory Committee meetings and the meetings held for the general public.

For the reasons given in the discussion paper on the subject, and because such a link is vital for community integration, we believe that Alternative A: Curvilinear Road Collection would be the more appropriate of the Abbot Street extensions to be included in the final plan.  Although there are concerns that this alternative might increase congestion at the Stittsville Main Street/Abbott Street intersection, given the proposed developments and the current congestion at that location, it would seem unlikely that future traffic would seek to access Stittsville Main Street at that point unless absolutely necessary.   This scenario would undoubtedly also apply to Alternative B

 

Staff Response:

Alternative A is being recommended.

 

Bridlewood Community Association

Comments based on problems Bridlewood Community have had:

 

Staff Response:

·        The arterial roads will be the major roads that will be the main access points in and out of the community.  The schools sites are located on collector roads that connect neighbourhoods in the community.  Design guidelines require drop- off areas to be located away from the main entrance to the school.

·        Speed limits and signs will be addressed by the City’s Area Traffic Management Unit once the road is constructed

·        Most of the pathways shown on Figure 10 are proposed on-road pathways where winter maintenance will be less of an issue.

·        The Official Plan (Section 4.3) requires sidewalks on both sides of arterial and collector roads.  The Fernbank Plan states that local streets should provide for a sidewalk on one side of the road.

·        The following is a City requirement for the control of construction traffic for any new subdivision.

“The Owner, insofar as the construction traffic arising from the Works in the Subdivision is concerned, shall regulate and police temporary access routes, and shall not permit the use of any previously accepted residential streets adjacent to the development by aforesaid construction vehicles.”

 

B.  COMMENTS FROM DEVELOPERS

 

Metric Homes

Supports the Plan and alternative A for Abbott Street extension.

 

A - I would like the portion highlighted in RED to be designated as Multiple Family Residential. The intent is to build 12-units, 3-storey walk-up apartment/condo buildings.  There might be a need to somewhat reconfigure the road pattern to accommodate them, but this can be addressed at the subdivision application level.

 

B - I would like to use the triangular North portion of my land by reconfiguring the road pattern allowing the development of few more lots (Highlighted in GOLD).  I believe that this triangular land is on the west side of the top of the berm making the water retention pound and can be easily developed.

 

C - I would like to developed the land highlighted in DARK BLUE as Freehold townhouses:  these are the lots that will be backing on Terry Fox road.

 

D - Would it be possible to make the small neighbourhood park slightly smaller by adding lots to the top part (North of the park), leaving the park exposed on 2 streets.  Considering that my land is adjacent to the Hydro corridor and Trans Canada Trail on the South side, to the Water Retention Pound/Pathway on the North and the District Park to the West, I don't think that it would have a great impact to reduce it size accordingly.

 

E - If D above is acceptable, then my next question is can we do the same at the south end? 

 

Staff Response

 

A- The plan has been revised to permit multiple family residential opposite the district park

B – This area is within the Carp River flood plain – development is not permitted

C – Multiple family dwellings are better located at near the District Park (as per the revised plan)

D- The current size is the City standard for a neighbourhood park

 

Mattamy Homes Ottawa

 

February 2, 2009

Raised a number of issues related to the change in location of the District Park from the wedge of land between the hydro corridors (September 2007 draft) to the area north of the hydro corridor (September 2008 circulation).

o       Be centrally located, made good use of the existing corridors, larger in area;

o       Easily accessed;

o       Provide appropriate buffers to traffic and noise;

o       Increased potential for wildlife habitat;

o       Increased trail connectivity and;

o       Environmental and aesthetic benefits

·        In our opinion, the designation of the District Park south of the hydro corridor addresses several of the objectives identified in the public consultation process:

o       The location is more centrally located, in greater proximity to the Community Core area, potentially serving a larger area of the new Community;

o       The location is buffered from adjacent low and medium density residential areas by the green corridors, an important consideration given the potential facilities within the District Park (play fields, pole mounted lights, common parking areas).

o       Enhanced pedestrian and bicycle access by way of the hydro corridor and the Trans-Canada Trail, important facilities for Community connectivity and wildlife movement within the CDP area and;

o       Greater opportunity for integrated design into green corridors.

·                  Equally important, the goals and objectives of a CDP are to foster a development concept for the future development of lands, to achieve municipal objectives including achieving reasonable project densities to make use of future community facilities (transit, parks, …) and support a range of land use designations (commercial, institutional/schools,...). The Official Plan establishes a density target of 29 units per net hectare for new communities. While some development may be possible on the triangular parcel, requiring coordination with adjacent landowner(s) for access and street and block patterns, achieving the approved density targets on those lands will be challenging and difficult. To achieve Official Plan objectives and contribute to development that support the District Park and other community facilities, the location for a District Park needs to be balanced with the highest and best use of the overall CDP and the Mattamy lands, taking into account land areas available for development.  A better development of the lands and higher residential density can be achieved on the 8.9-hectare parcel of land currently identified as a District Park (7.4 hectares on the Mattamy lands) than the triangular parcel due to the configuration of the land.

·                  Of additional consideration, the Phasing Plan as presented in the Fernbank Community Design Plan (CDP) anticipates that the lands currently outside of the urban boundary will be developed subsequent to the lands designated within the boundary and will accommodate approximately 3,000 units over 200 hectares. The District Park lands, intended to service the ultimate area of the CDP, will not be available by Plan of Subdivision if the Dawson lands do not have a reasonable financial incentive to develop. 

 

In terms of the CDP process, our firm has been involved in a number of CDP and facilitation projects and we fully understand the difficulties associated with coordinating public input and landowner interests. At the same time, the re-designation of the District Park on the Dawson property would have benefited from additional and previous discussions with the Landowner(s), given previous requests by both FoTenn and Mattamy for technical input on the CDP.

 

As you are both aware, Mattamy has severe issues with the current location of the District Park which relate to our ability to build a Community which we feel is commensurate to our other sites in Ottawa.  Further exacerbating our issues is the fact that no correspondence or consultation was made from the City regarding this hugely impactful plan change from April 2008 to January 2009 at which time it was Mattamy that discovered the new plan posted on the website that has been set up for Fernbank.  At the time we responded immediately setting up meetings with the Landowners Group, Staff and the Councillor’s Office to understand the genesis of the new plan and to understand the rationale regarding why the park was moved. 

 

May 8, 2009   

I have attached both a timeline of events as experienced by Mattamy Homes and a matrix which lists all of the criteria given by Staff for choosing the new location (amounting to 16 different items in total).  When one compares the two plans using each criteria it is clear that the previous plan is the better choice as it only “loses” to the new location in 2 of the criteria – namely, shape and collector road frontage.  Given that this is the case, it appears that the only 2 real criteria that have been considered by Staff are the afore mentioned items. 

 

As we have discussed with you both it is Mattamy’s hope not to delay the Fernbank CDP any further as we know that it has had to face similar rigours to the KWCP but we will be unable to accept the plan in its current configuration without using the available appeal mechanism.  We are looking to you now to help work with us to avoid this end as we feel that there are alternatives that are not only better for Mattamy but also the City when considering ALL of the criteria provided by Staff for the District Park location.

 

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS FOR MATTAMY IN FERNBANK

April 2007 à Mattamy enters into Agreement of Purchase and Sale with John Dawson for interest in 90-acre farm in the Fernbank CDP

May 2007 – September 2008 à Mattamy engages Fotenn Planning Consultants to perform preliminary work on Dawson property and discussions with Walker, Nott, Dragicevic (WND) and City of Ottawa commence

September 2007 à WND produces 2 demonstration plans for Fernbank and present them to the public.  One of these options (the City’s preferred option) shows the district park on the Brookfield lands west of the North South Arterial, while the other Option (the land owner’s preferred option) shows the park east of the re-aligned Abbott Street and between the two hydro corridors.

March 2008 à Based upon discussions with the City, Fotenn submits comments on the Demonstration Plans to the City and WND along with a concept plan specifically for the Mattamy lands showing the District park East of Abbott. 

April 2008 à Comments are received from WND and the City on the recommendations made by Fotenn and no mention is made with regards to issue with the location of the District Park.  Furthermore no mention is made of a possible 3rd location for the District park and as a result, Mattamy proceeds with investing over $750,000 in the purchase and design of the Dawson lands.

January 2009 à Without any warning, consultation or discussion on the matter with Mattamy, the City and WND issue a new Demonstration Plan which shows the District Park located almost entirely on the Mattamy lands with a small new Medium Density block to the south.

February 2009 à Mattamy and Fotenn meet with the staff and the local Councillor to determine why no notice or discussion was had over relocating the park. 

March 2009 à A letter is formally issued to the City showing a number of alternative locations for the District Park by Fotenn.  The City issues back a letter stating planning rationale as to why the alternative locations do not work from their perspective.

 

 

Staff Response:

Staff have met with Richcraft and Mattamy a number of times to discuss their concerns and review alternatives.

 

The main disadvantage with the triangular location between the hydro corridors is that it was:

·        was irregular in shape, making future programming more difficult,

·         isolated from the community by two large hydro corridors

The district park location is favoured for the following reasons:

·        The site is adjacent to a hydro corridor which could be used to complement the site (parking etc)

 

The Official plan will require a master parkland agreement to be established within the Fernbank Community to create a mechanism, which allows for compensation of parkland dedication that may be inequitably distributed across the Fernbank CDP.

 

Richcraft Group of Companies

 

Richcraft is disappointed with the change in location of the District Park; the new location proposes that residential lands be placed awkwardly between two hydro corridors.  We can expect conditions and perhaps separation distances within these residential lands as a result of their close proximity to the transmission lines.  With the triangular parcel shape these additional restrictions will be harder to accommodate.  It is also important to note that selling residential units between active hydro lines is not ideal.  The initial market value as well as the resale value will be forever affected if the District Park is located as currently proposed.

 

The earlier version in September 2007, the District Park was logically located adjacent to the hydro corridors.  The benefit of this siting was the opportunity to link directly to the TransCanada Trail, which runs through the southern hydro corridor. 

It is unfortunate that we were not able to raise our concerns prior to the proposed plan being circulated for public comment. Why are we just seeing this now?  We had expressed our interest in being kept in the loop throughout the process.

 

Staff Response:

See the response to Mattamy (above) regarding the process and why the current location for the District Park is being recommended.

 

Fernbank Properties Inc

Owns 17 acres at northwest corner of Fernbank and Terry Fox.  Two Concerns:

The Neighbourhood Commercial node needs to be larger than proposed.  CDP does not provide any justification for its proposed size.  Given our understanding of the retail market this commercial area will need to be much larger will want and need.  A larger more traditional commercial area will work in unison with the commercial uses of the core not dominate them.

The Design Guidelines in Section 6.6.4 is not necessary as the City already has designed for large format retailers.  The area should not be treated as a Mainstreet and design guidelines orienting front entrances of buildings towards the street, providing access to front entrances from sidewalks, minimizing the dominance of asphalt areas through the placement of landscape isles or medians and locating parking at the rear or to the interior side of the commercial development, are of particular concern because the site fronts on three streets with residential on the fourth side.  Flexibility will be required to determine the best fit.  Application of the design criteria may limit design flexibility during site plan control.

 

Staff Response

Malone, Given, Parsons (MGP) undertook a preliminary market assessment analysis for us in order to assist in defining the quantum and general locations for commercial uses within the Fernbank CDP at the commencement of the study process.

 

Given the context of existing and planned/approved development in Kanata West, Kanata Town Centre and Kanata South, MGP recommended focusing commercial activities along the south side of Hazeldean Road with a smaller commercial centre at Fernbank/Terry Fox as currently shown in the CDP. The Mixed Use area along the N-S Arterial is also an opportunity for commercial activities and, since the intent is that this area will form the community core, it was concluded that we should not undermine the intended commercial/mixed-use function of this area by allowing for significant amounts of additional commercial uses.  SmartCentres (or Fernbank Properties Inc.) have provided no market justification themselves as to the need for, or appropriateness of, a large commercial centre at the corner of Fernbank/Terry Fox (particularly, given recent developments/approvals in Kanata South).  

 

The identified Neighbourhood Commercial area is not intended to be a large-format retail centre; therefore, those City design guidelines would not apply.

The design guidelines have been revised to recognize the unique challenges of this site having 3 road frontages together with clarification that the guidelines will be applicable to the entire designation and not just the food store.

 

 

C.  COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

#

Topic

Comment

 

Development of Small Parcels

 

1

 

Regarding the privately owned lots along Fernbank Road north, which have already been amalgamated into the proposed  Fernbank Community Design Plan, will these properties be acquired and by whom?

2

 

What is planned for our 6 acres and how does this get developed?

 

Staff Response

The following policy has been added to the implementation section to address small privately owned parcels.

“Where smaller, individual properties are located within a development phase, such properties shall not be required to be developed with the balance of the lands in that phase.  However, through the implementation of plans of subdivision within each phase, provision shall be made to accommodate the potential integration of these individual properties at a future date through overall subdivision design, lot patterns, road layouts and infrastructure plans.”

 

Abbott Street Alignment

 

3

 

Abbott Street – preference is for Alternative A.  If there is concern about traffic volumes as a result of using it as a “through route” reduced speed limits (e.g. 40 k like Meadowlands) and traffic circles should be looked at.

4

 

Support the OPA proposal in general.

Support Abbott Street alignment A: curvilinear as it provides a better flow of traffic and access to Hazeldean and Fernbank collector roads is approximately the same.

5

 

Since the two “Abbott Street Alternatives” presented herein appear to have no real impact on our lands, we would opt to support the alternative preferred by Councillor Qadri and Councillor Feltmate since their preference should be representative of their constituents preferred option.

6

 

Abbott Street Alternatives

 

Alternative A offers a significantly more efficient means of accessing the new Arterial, which will have the consequence of  increasing traffic along the associated corridor.  This increase in traffic will exacerbate an already serious problem regarding safety and traffic flow on Abbott that the city has yet to address, despite recognizing the existence of the issues for a number of years now.  Accordingly, the benefits to the city infrastructure as contrasted with local community impacts would seem to be a step in the wrong direction.

 

Alternative B still provides a means of accessing the new Arterial, but without the subliminal context of being an “expedited” path.  Alternative B is a construction effort following conventional patterns: consumers of the road service will perceive it in that light, and use it accordingly.  However, Alternative A will most definitely be perceived as a specially developed means of rapidly transiting the same route: in other words, traffic will be primed with an expectation that this is a “fast” route: traffic behaviour will reflect this expectation.

 

Unless the city believes that a slight improvement in a 5-10 minute portion of drive time outweighs the long term impacts to local safety and habitability concerns, I am forced to conclude that Alternative B is the way to go here.

 

I also firmly believe that the likelihood of an Iber Road extension south (to Fernbank) is quite high, even if such is not part of the city plan at the moment (I can’t find reference to it currently).  However, the usage of the new alignment would be further influenced by this, effectively amplifying the concerns I have noted.  Alternative B would act to further reduce the perception of traffic that it has access to a “mini-freeway” of sorts.

 

If you make the final alignment a “sleek” solution, people will treat it accordingly, and with attendant speed and safety issues.

 

7

 

This is regarding the future alignment of Abbott Street between Iber Road and Terry Fox Drive.

 

I have looked at the two proposals described in Alternatives for Abbott Street Alignment. I think the question is fairly straightforward if we stick to the facts and remove the speculation on the degree of impact. It comes down to whether we want to encourage or discourage non-local Abbott Street through traffic.

 

Alternative A encourages through traffic by providing a direct linkage between the new North-South Arterial and Main Street. I do not know, nor does the author of that short document know, whether this impact is "small" as is suggested by the author, or large as is my opinion.

 

Alternative B discourages through traffic by forcing additional turns. The author suggests that this is less efficient for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. Yes, this is less efficient for vehicles, which is really the point of this alternative. As for cyclists (and I am a regular daily cycling commuter), I do not see any impact at all.  In fact, I see a net benefit in that there will be less non-local through traffic. As for pedestrians, there are pedestrian-specific solutions (if one is warranted). By the way, I am also a pedestrian as I run in to the office in winter. 

 

So if we look at the alternatives in the way I describe above, Alternative B is clearly the preferable one. There are 3 schools on or close to Abbott Street west of Iber Road. The reason we do not let our children walk to their school, Stittsville Public, is because of the amount of traffic on Abbott Street, and the proximity of vehicles to the sidewalk due to the lack of an outer boulevard.  All it takes is an inattentive child and an impatient teenage driver for a serious accident to happen. Couple that with the additional congestion at the Abbott Street and Main Street intersection, it is clear that we should be discouraging, not encouraging, through traffic on Abbott Street.

 

8

 

Alternative A would provide a better option for people who would prefer to cycle between Stittsville and Kanata. I know the Transcanada Trail is parallel to Abbott St and provides opportunities for cycling. The Transcanada Trail is ideal for leisurely cycling and off-road. For people who cycle for commuting and/or shopping, the Transcanada trail diverts them away from the major centres whereas the Abbott St extension would deliver rides closer to these areas.

 

As outlined in the cities official transportation plan, construction of new roads is to take into consideration both pedestrian and cycling traffic. The objective is to encourage people to reduce car usage and replace car trips with cycling trips. The advantage of Alternative A is that cyclists only have to cross the North-South Arterial whereas Alternative B would require riding on this Arterial road. There are a number of people who do not like cycling on major roads like the North-South Arterial which means Alternative A aligns better with the objective of encouraging cycling trips over car trips.

 

I see that one of the amendments in the proposal is for an on-road cycling route along the North-South Arterial road. Alternative A still would provide a better alternative for less experienced cyclists.

 

From a driving perspective, Alternative A would result in fewer stops for through traffic thus better for the environment.

 

 

9

 

Alternative A offers a significantly more efficient means of accessing the new Arterial, which will have the consequence of  increasing traffic along the associated corridor.  This increase in traffic will exacerbate an already serious problem regarding safety and traffic flow on Abbott that the city has yet to address, despite recognizing the existence of the issues for a number of years now.  Accordingly, the benefits to the city infrastructure as contrasted with local community impacts would seem to be a step in the wrong direction.

 

Alternative B still provides a means of accessing the new Arterial, but without the subliminal context of being an "expedited" path.  Alternative B is a construction effort following conventional patterns: consumers of the road service will perceive it in that light, and use it accordingly.  However, Alternative A will most definitely be perceived as a specially developed means of rapidly transiting the same route: in other words, traffic will be primed with an expectation that this is a "fast" route: traffic behaviour will reflect this expectation.

 

Unless the city believes that a slight improvement in a 5-10 minute portion of drive time outweighs the long term impacts to local safety and habitability concerns, I am forced to conclude that Alternative B is the way to go here.

 

I also firmly believe that the likelihood of an Iber Road extension south (to Fernbank) is quite high, even if such is not part of the city plan at the moment (I can't find reference to it currently).  However, the usage of the new alignment would be further influenced by this, effectively amplifying the concerns I have noted.  Alternative B would act to further reduce the perception of traffic that it has access to a "mini-freeway" of sorts.

 

If you make the final alignment a "sleek" solution, people will treat it accordingly, and with attendant speed and safety issues.

10

 

Without knowing the details, it does seem that intensification along Main Street will bring with it more and more vehicle traffic. Already Main Street is pretty crowded and is one of the few routes open to the south. So while the developers may have valid reasons to want to develop the site, affordable housing being one of them, development should not go forward until full consideration is made of a transportation plan for the area.

 

It is just not good enough to allow the development to go forward without transportation planning which includes both a vehicle and a public transit element.

 

Pushing Abbot Street east one-way or another won't totally solve the looming transportation crisis in Kanata West/Stittsville. Re-activating the old railway right of way to provide O-Train type service might take some of the pressure off. The idea needs some study. But I am absolutely sure that the old way of "planning", which is to say "build it out and them try to fix the problem" just hasn't worked and will not work here either.

11

 

I understand the Alternative A for the extension of Abbott St. going east which would intersect with the Trans=Canada trail, not good.  Alternative B is not so clear, where it would intersect with Kanata and if it would cut the TC Trail.  I think the TC trail adds to the value of our community and should not be tampered with to allow a detour of traffic that would eventually have to re enter the flow at Terry Fox and Hazeldean.  I vote for not extending Abbott and leave the fields intact.  The extension will only create more subdivisions and more traffic bottlenecks.

12

 

Regarding the two proposals outlined in the quoted documents, I find both proposals ludicrous!  At this time, Abbott Street has no access to and from buildings located on that street, except for the Catholic elementary school. Both proposals has the extended Abbott Street running through residential areas, resulting in a high volume of traffic running through residential areas.

The developer is obviously trying to save money by using a main thoroughfare to service residential areas and thereby avoid the expense of having to provide an extra residential street. To my mind that is just not acceptable. If the Abbott Street extension were built to run straight east beside the Trans Canada Trail, there would be no residential areas endangered by the traffic because all houses bordering on the straight Abbott Street back onto the street, just as the houses between Carbery Drive and Granite Ridge Drive.

I know how much you care for the safety of Stittsville residents with respect to vehicle traffic, and I am sure that you will see the merits of a main street not running through a residential area.

 

Staff Response

Alternative A is being recommended as it provides efficient road connectivity (and geometry) to maximize integrated transit service; efficiently integrates and distributes local traffic flows between the adjacent Stittsville Fernbank and Kanata communities; better accommodates east-west pedestrian and bicycle travel between adjacent communities and within the Fernbank Community itself; and provides better access to the District Park shown on the Preliminary Demonstration Plan.

 

 

Conservation Measures

 

13

 

I am proposing that the plan be required to include conservation measures of preserving the majority of the existing trees to provide greening, wildlife spaces, and add extra plantings to create a wildlife travel corridor for the wildlife who currently reside in the area.  This is in agreement with the City of Ottawa's plan of conservation and greenspace, and in keeping with Stittsville residents who wish to maintain

the rural nature of this community.

 

Staff Response

All of the woodlots in the Fernbank study area were evaluated.  One woodlot has been identified for protection and will be designated as an Urban Natural Feature. A representation of the remaining trees, to be identified by a Tree Protection Plan, will coordinate feasible protection of the vegetation as part of any proposed development plan for these lands.  Regionally rare flora were identified west of Shea Road and were recommended for retention or transplantation.

 

Ward Boundary  &

Schools Accommodations

 

14

 

As a resident of Stittsville in the Mattamy Fairwinds development I fully support the altering of the Stittsville-Kanata West Ward boundaries to include the Fernbank CDP lands.  I believe this alteration is practical geographically as well as a solid balance of

ward populations.  I also believe the Fernbank CDP plans for facilities and amenities that Stittsville has been in great need for some time.  The Paramedic and Hospital accommodations are welcome additions and reduce much risk in our community.

 

However, the school accommodations remain my highest priority.  My family is currently part of the public system in the elementary Early French Immersion program and we wish to support it moving forward. However, we are greatly concerned about our students' future due to excessive school populations, accommodations and boundary adjustments.  We do not feel solutions are in place that are timely or long term. We intend to address these concerns with our Councillor, our Trustee

as well as the Public School Board in order to pursue the best for our children moving forward.  For these reasons we welcome the school accommodations provided in the Fernbank CDP and fully support

expedient development of both the secondary and elementary public schools.

 

Staff Response

Revisions to the ward boundary will be address by Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council later this year.

 

The CDP provides for elementary and secondary schools sites to accommodate the needs of all four schools boards.

 

Pedestrian Crossing – TransCanada Trail

 

15

 

In general I like the proposed plan. Pedestrian connectivity and greenspace are well thought out. I especially like the incorporation of traffic circles and the provision for a transit corridor.

 In 6.5.4 of the draft plan I would like to see specific requirements included for pedestrian crossings along the Trans Canada Trail (TCT). Given the popularity of the TCT for runners and cyclists I would like to see a specific requirement for an overpass or underpass at the arterial/transit corridor as the width and traffic volumes will likely make crossing difficult. Furthermore, where minor and major collector roads intersect the TCT I would like to see a specific requirement for signalized pedestrian crosswalks, like the one currently at Terry Fox Drive.

 

Staff Response

The Fernbank Transportation Master Plan recommends that in view of its significance, it is recommended that sufficient right-of-way be projected for the long-term grade-separation of the TransCanada Trail at the North-South Arterial/Rapid Transit Corridor, if/when required.

 

 

Use of Schools Sites that are not required

 

16

 

Requirement for community centre and space for community needs in a population this size, current facilities cannot meet future demand.  Other cities have begun to charge a levy on new developments to provide rec. centres, sports fields, etc. If schools are not required as indicated, ensure at least one is reserved for recreation use.

 

Staff Response

The CDP provides for neighbourhood, community and district parks to meet the needs of the community.  The school sites, if they are not needed by the school boards will be zoned for residential purposes.

 

Impact on Adjacent Communities

 

17

 

 

Since this development is in our general area – Will the area in which I now live be incorporated or rezoned in the Fernbank Area

 

Staff Response

The Fernbank CDP applies only to the lands within the Fernbank Community – so adjacent communities will not be rezoned or incorporated into the Fernbank Community.

 

Buffer West of Shea Road

 

18

 

A 20 ft buffer zone on the west side of Shea Road area – can we see this increased

 

Staff Response

A linear open space (approximately 6 metres wide) will be provided between the existing Stittsville area and the proposed low-density residential development to the east.  Six metres is a standard pathway within the City

 

Major Park

 

19

 

For Ward 6 there is no major park.  The Fernbank Plan misses the opportunity – so did Kanata West Plan.  In the eventual completion we are talking close to 100,000 residents.  Why are we not providing a major park like the Andrew Haydon Park?

Rather boring a lot of small parks, it may be more desirable to have one large park.  Why not have west of the Carp River such a large park?

 

Staff Response

There is provision for one large district park, 9 ha in size, to provide community facilities for the whole community.  The parks plan for the Fernbank community provides district, community and neighbourhood parks, to meet the needs of the whole community.  The neighbourhood parks can be accessed by residents with a 5-minute walk, which is important for a liveable community. 

 

 

Roads & Pathways

 

 20

 

I am very pleased to see the stipulation that all schools, parks and open spaces are to be connected not just by road edge sidewalks but also by off-road walking pathways with major path routes being built to a higher standard so as to allow mixed uses including cycling as well as walking.

While the Official Plan Amendment “D” as presented is a little confusing, I take it that the Demonstration Community Design Plan represents a clearer representation of the eventual proposal of the alignment of arterials, major collectors and collectors.   

Of course, I am not ignoring my Roundtable Open House remarks about the need to take into account the possible challenge to leaving a grid pattern in the area of the Southeast very close to the Trans Canada Trail and the Hydro Right of Way as is currently indicated in the Demonstration Plan.   

 

 

Staff Response

Schedule D to the OPA has been revised to clearly show the arterial and collector road network.

The modified grid road pattern provides maximum permeability in support of the transit service, walking and cycling, and which places emphasis on the movement of automobile and pedestrian/cyclists.  The single loaded road shown on the Demonstration Plan provides the opportunity to have open, accessible frontages along greenspaces, such as the hydro corridor.  


CIVIC FACILITIES, PUBLIC UTILITIES AND

TECHNICAL AGENCIES                                                                                      DOCUMENT 9

 

EXTERNAL CIRCULATION

 

The Fernbank CDP, Official Plan Amendment, Transportation Master Plan, Master Servicing Study, and Environmental Management Plan were circulated to affected schools boards, utilities, government agencies and conservation authorities for review and comment.  The comments/concerns raised have been addressed and requested changes have been incorporated into the revised Community Design Plan.

 

Comments were received from the following:

 

1)         Group Telecom, A Bell Canada Company

·        No conflict

·        do not want to be informed of decision

 

2)         Allstream

·        do not object to project

·        have a fibre cable on the TransCanada Trail

·        do not want to be informed of decision

 

3)         Atria Networks

·        no comments

·        do not want to be informed of decision

 

4)         Bell Canada

·        Section 4.2.9 Uses Permitted in all Land Use Designations

o        permit public utilities and wireless telecommunications infrastructure in all land use designations

·        Section 5.8 – The Master Servicing Plan

o        revise last paragraph as follows:

Each utility company (Hydro One, Hydro Ottawa, Enbridge Gas, Bell Canada, Rogers Ottawa) has confirmed their plant and/or infrastructure is in reasonable proximity to the study area, and that there is adequate supply to service the Fernbank Community.  Ongoing coordination with the utility companies during the development approvals process will be required to ensure that utilities are in place when development proceeds.

·        Section 7.2 Development Approvals

o       Revise final bullet to read “telecommunications and other utilities”

·        Community Design Guidelines – need flexibility in design guidelines to ensure services can be provided to meet the public need

·        Section 6.4.3 Road Network – add

o       Coordinate the location of trees, street fixtures, telecommunications equipment, utility and light poles, and signs.

·        Section 6.6.1 – Community Core – revise second last bullet to read:

o       Utilities, such as transformers and switching mechanisms, should be enclosed within the building, wherever possible.  Where the placement of utilities within the building is not feasible, utility placement will be screened from public view through landscaping and/or other means as appropriate.

·        Section 6.6.2 - Residential Buildings – Guidelines for Apartment Buildings; Section 6.6.3 - Mixed Uses; Section 6.6.4 - Neighbourhood Commercial; 6.6.5 –Institutional:  add the following guideline for each section

o       Where possible, utility elements and equipment should be located away from publicly exposed views, and are discouraged from being located in the front yard or flankage yard of a corner lot.  Where utilities are required to be located in the front or flankage yards, the utilities should be located in a discreet area or screened from public view.

 

5)         Atria Networks

·        No comments

 

6)         Telus Communications

·        Has no infrastructure along the proposed area within a radius of 2.0m

 

7)         Rogers Cable TV

·        No comments

 

8)         Ottawa Carleton Catholic School Board

·        O.C. Catholic School Board should be listed as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee

·        Figure 2 is missing then new elementary school – St. Stephen at 1145 Stittsville Main Street

·        Figures 8 –10 show the elementary school site in the south west quadrant of Fernbank Road and Terry Fox Drive to be in the south west corner of the intersection, across from the high school.  Figure 7 shows the school site in a different location.   We wish to confirm the location of the school site is in the southwest corner.

·        The overall intent of the plan is to create a complete residential community that is complemented by appropriate community facilities such as parks and schools is encouraging.  However, the Board’s ability to construct new schools in developing communities is based on jurisdiction-wide need and Ministry of Education funding.  Although the Board will make every attempt to ensure that new schools are constructed within this community in a timely fashion, students generated by this new community will be directed to existing schools until such time as a new school is warranted.

·        The Board generally support Section 4.2.6 –Schools, particularly the dual zoning of schools sites and the ability for other school boards to acquire another board’s site if it is determined that the site is no longer required for their needs.  This section also indicates that some schools boards have been required to increase their elementary site requirements as a result of the City’s Parks and Recreation Division’s direction not to co-locate schools and community/neighbourhood parks.  Although our board continues to support joint school/park land development, we must abide by the City’s new direction even though it may result in increased land consumption.   The Board must ensure that we maintain active recreational areas for our students for both academic and physical fitness activities.

·        With regard to the proposed pathway system that is intended to link all schools, parks and other community facilities, we wish to confirm that the City anticipates that these paths will be maintained on an annual basis ( i.e. through the winter months).  The year round maintenance of these pathways will play a significant role in determining future walk zones and transportation requirements for our schools in the area.

·        Please be advised that the Ottawa Catholic School Board is generally satisfied with the location and configuration of our two elementary schools sites and our secondary school site as outlined in Figures 8-10.  However we are concerned about the statement on page 32 that states that the City’s Parks and Recreation Division has specifically directed that the co-location of schools and parks not be used as a result of operational and administrative conflicts between user groups.  To date, the Board has not received any formal notification or correspondence from the City outlining these conflicts.  We therefore formally request that the City provides the school boards with a list of the conflicts in an effort to resolve these issues.

·        The proposed phasing of the road network is acceptable as it includes one of our elementary sites and our secondary site in Phase 1.  However our Transportation Department has voiced concerns with regard to the proposed traffic circles that are being encouraged at key intersections within the Fernbank Community Design Plan.  We therefore strongly agree with the clause that traffic circles located near recreation facilities, elementary and secondary schools be reviewed for safety issues.  We also request that the Board’s Transportation staff be involved in any review of these issues.

·        We generally agree with the design guidelines for Institutional uses as outlined on page 54, particularly the statement that the bus drop off areas for elementary schools may be located on local streets, where appropriate.

·        We also question whether the relocation of school sites should be considered a substantive change that would require approval of Planning and Environment Committee.  We recently encountered difficulties in the Riverside South area when we were faced with unforeseen conservation issues and the possibility of relocating the site was raised.  Although the issues were ultimately overcome, the need to reopen the community design plan in order to relocate the school site would have delayed the project further.

·        As requested in the technical circulation, please be advised that the Ottawa Catholic School Board supports Alternative A for the Abbott Street Alignment.

 

9)         Conseil des écoles publiques

§         School site has been reserved for future elementary school

 

10)       Conseil des écoles catholiques

The Board is still not in agreement with the change in location of the school site reserved for our Board.   The new site does not meet the needs of our Board.  The initial site met our needs perfectly

 

Despite the arguments presented Ms Nott based on the equal distribution of the school sites among the land owners, the Board cannot accept the site imposed by Ms Nott.  The new site does not meet the needs of our Board for the various reasons presented to you at our meeting. The initial site met our needs perfectly.

 

11)       Hydro Ottawa (Local Distribution)

·        Hydro Ottawa’s standard construction is underground within new residential subdivisions, and overhead in all other areas, that is, overhead on arterial and collector roads, and within commercial areas.  Hydro Ottawa will continue to supply this area through the use of overhead distribution equipment.

·        In order to supply electricity to new development within the Fernbank Community as it develops, Hydro Ottawa will expand its distribution equipment through the installation of poles, overhead wires and associated equipment. If a party wishes for an installation standard beyond the standard, such as underground installation, Hydro Ottawa will endeavour to meet their request, within technical constraints, at the cost of the requestor.

·        The Fernbank Community Design Plan refers to “hydro corridors” throughout the document, and specifically within Section 6.5.5, Hydro Corridors.  We recommend that the description of these lands be changed to “transmission corridors” or “Hydro One corridors”, to clearly identify the appropriate parties who have interests in the land.

·        Section 4.2.7, Greenspace Network, refers to Hydro Ottawa specifically, and I suspect that the reference was intended to be Hydro One Networks Inc.

·        Section 6.4.3 Road Network – Building Setbacks - “Buildings should be oriented toward and close to the corridor,...”

o        Construction with reduced building setbacks may present a challenge in areas where Hydro Ottawa has existing or proposed, overhead medium voltage distribution equipment.  The majority of Hydro Ottawa’s overhead distribution equipment is medium voltage equipment, which requires a horizontal clearance space, referred to as the “restricted zone”, a space where no objects may enter.  The "restricted zone" surrounds poles and overhead medium voltage lines, consisting of a five-meter (5m) radial distance from overhead medium voltage conductors and a two-meters (2m) radial distance from the poles themselves.  This standard complies with the requirements of the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Health & Safety Act and the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. Hydro Ottawa standard OLS0002 is attached for your reference. 

o       The implications of having reduced building setbacks near overhead medium voltage equipment is that, depending on the height of the proposed building, the building may encroach within the restricted zone, and construction will not be permitted by Hydro Ottawa.  Relocation of overhead distribution assets, or conversion of overhead assets to underground assets is not practical or cost effective in all cases.  The cost of any electrical rearrangements to facilitate construction is the responsibility of the requestor.

o        

·         Section 6.4.3 Road Network – Public Roadway Cross Sections

o       The City of Ottawa has produced, with the input from private and public utilities, City of Ottawa right-of-way cross sections.  These approved right-of-way cross sections ensure that the public roadway is wide enough to provide transportation requirements and allow sufficient space for required utility installations while meeting all relevant codes and guidelines.  The Fernbank Community design Plan contains a number of aesthetic and functional requirements that may fit within, and we recommend, not override the City approved right-of-way cross sections.

·         Section 6.4.3 Road Network – Trees, and 6.6.6 Tree Planting

“A row of trees should be planted on each side of the street, and within the boulevard between the driving and transit lanes with regular spacing between trees (in accordance with City of Ottawa standards).”

“ Street tree planting should strongly be encouraged in all residential and commercial areas for visual appeal and environmental benefits…”

Coordinate the location of trees, street fixtures, utility and light poles and signs”

·        Hydro Ottawa’s designated location for installation of distribution equipment is within public right-of-ways.  The planting of trees and the installation of distribution poles along public roadways requires planning and coordination.  Horizontal offsets are required from poles, and care should be taken with the species of tree planted in proximity to poles to limit trimming requirements.  Hydro Ottawa has a right, and an obligation, to trim vegetation in proximity to overhead wires to ensure public and worker safety, as well as reliable supply of electricity.

·        Hydro Ottawa standard, OLS0002 outlines the clearance requirements of the “restricted zone” around Hydro Ottawa poles, as described in Comment 1 for Guideline 29.  Hydro Ottawa standard UTS0038 outlines the clearance requirements around pad mounted distribution equipment, i.e., the green boxes.  Hydro Ottawa also produces a “Tree Planting” brochure with information regarding clearances and tree species in proximity to Hydro Ottawa equipment.

·        Section 6.4.3, Road Network, Laneways

“Utilities should be located within the laneways, where practical.”

o       Hydro Ottawa installs its distribution system in public road allowances 16.5m in width and greater.  To supply customers three phase services, and to install trunk distribution systems, Hydro Ottawa requires a minimum public road allowance of 20m wide.  Hydro Ottawa does not install its distribution system within laneways.

12)       Hydro One Networks (Transmission)

·        Be advised that there are two high voltage transmission corridors subject to HONI easement rights passing through the development – the easement rights of HONI are to be observed, protected and maintained

·        Several proposed uses are reflected on the Plan for the transmission corridors including a transit station and various road crossings

·        Detailed development plans concerning the subject community and the transit network should continue to be submitted to HON1 for further review/approval

 

13)       Co-ordinator, CPTED, Ottawa Police Services EPS

·        From an emergency response perspective plan A for the Abbott Street alignment provides a more direct route across the proposed development. Having said this there are also many other variables to consider when emergency vehicles are responding to a calls. From a road safety perspective there maybe a greater likelihood of vehicles to speed along  Abbott street in plan A since it is a continuous route. Again, this can be mitigated by ensuring proper design, signage and enforcement opportunities are put in place.

 

14)       Mississippi Valley Conservation

Staff of Mississippi Valley Conservation (MVC) have reviewed the following final draft reports that have been prepared in conjunction with the Community Design Plan (CDP) for lands within the study area of the Fernbank Community.

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·        Fernbank Community Design Plan - Environmental Management Plan – Volumes 1 and 2 (Final Draft – May, 2009) prepared by Novatech Engineering Consultants Ltd.

·        Fernbank Community Design Plan – Master Servicing Study – Volumes 1 and 2 (Draft – May, 2009) prepared by Novatech Engineering Consultants Ltd.

 

The Fernbank Community is proposed to include approximately 650 hectares of land between the established communities of Stittsville and Kanata.  The study area is divided between the watersheds of MVC and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA).  Approximately 225 hectares of the study area is tributary to the Carp River and thus is within the jurisdictional watershed area of MVC.  This letter and the review of MVC staff only address the area within the MVC watershed.

 

As you are also aware, MVC has reviewed and commented on other studies prepared in support of this project and previous drafts of these reports.  Therefore, the comments presented in this letter relate specifically to this draft of the reports and main focus is on the Environmental Management Plan.

 

Environmental Management Plan

 

·        Section 3.1.3 (page 15) describes the conditions of Hazeldean Creek.  This watercourse has been relocated as part of a planned development proposal and the characteristics described represent the original conditions of the creek.  There should be some acknowledgement in this section of the present location and characteristics of Hazeldean Creek.

 

·        On page 40 it is stated:

 

“The proposed riparian corridors are able to accommodate the provision of a 5 m multi-use pathway. The pathways should be set above the 1:10 year flood elevations, but can be located within the limits of the established riparian corridors (i.e. an additional 5 m setback for the pathways is not required).”

 

Although the pathways could probably be constructed to have minimal impact on the flood plain and corridor functions (e.g. a stone dust or gravel path constructed at grade) MVC would not recommend that pathways be constructed within the meander belt of a watercourse.  We would also recommend that the City of Ottawa decide the appropriate location of the pathway system with respect to use, maintenance and potential flooding.

 

·        Section 6.2 (page 55) describes the long-term performance monitoring of the outlet watercourses.  This section should include a time frame for this monitoring and who will be responsible for the completion of the monitoring.

 

·        Section 8.5.2. (page 88) proposes a post-development infiltration target of 100 mm/year which is less than the existing infiltration rate for the Carp River drainage area within the study area.  MVC would recommend that the post-development infiltration target not be set less than existing levels.

 

·        Section 10.1 (page 97) references the current Carp River flood plain mapping as 1991.  The flood plain mapping for Carp River was part of a study for a larger area that was completed in 1983.

 

·        For the Fernbank lands, another recommendation from the Third Part Review is that flows from the existing XPSWMM model (CH2MHill) at input nodes 44751, 44548 and 43996 (the three catchments that convey flows that include the Fernbank lands) used a target for post-development conditions.  Although Appendix H includes tables that show flows and water levels for the Carp River, a table should be added to Section 10.1 that demonstrates that this criteria has been addressed.

 

·        Section 11.7 (page 104) details some of the recommendations of the Third Party Review with respect to interim development and post-development targets.  As part of the staff report to Planning and Environment Committee, there is also a recommendation of a maximum time frame for the start of the Carp River Restoration Plan that also should be included.  Since the Third Party Review report and recommendations have not yet been approved by Council, the City of Ottawa will have to decide how the recommendations should be referenced and presented in this section and section 10.1 of the report.

 

·        Section 11.8.4. (page 106) and section 12.2.3 (page 116) references a “HADD application” .  For a project that will result in a harmful alteration, disruption or destruction (HADD) of fish habitat the correct terminology is an authorization under the Fisheries Act.  The terminology should also be revised in the text of the Master Servicing Study report.

 

To enclose the upper section of the Carp River Tributary will require compensation work to be completed as part of the Fisheries Act authorization.  Potential compensation work is presently proposed along the Carp River upstream of Hazeldean Road.  MVC would recommend that the City of Ottawa also consider the possibility of extending the restoration plan for the Carp River upstream of Hazeldean Road as part of the future development.

 

·        There seems to be some inconsistency of recorded post-development drainage areas between the figures and tables in the report and the appendix and the SWMMHYMO model.  We have contacted staff of Novatech Engineering Consultants directly to discuss this issue.  

 

·        On a general notes the references in the text of the report to various appendices should be checked since some are incorrect.

 

15)       Rideau Valley Conservation Authority

 

I have attached Jennifer Lamoureux’s comments on the fisheries component of the EMP.  The fish habitat characterization for the Monahan Drain continues to be confusing and is not consistent with the confirmation that was provided to Jennifer from Bernie Muncaster in his July 25, 2008 e-mail.  This section of the report needs to be revised to reflect the fact that direct fish habitat is not the driving force for keeping the Monahan Drain open.  The main focus is that it provides an opportunity for enhancement and rehabilitation.

 

In regard to the Section 3.9 Fluvial Geomorphology, Ferdous Ahmed and I have discussed it we believe it is important to take a step back and look at the comments that were provided previously for the existing conditions report.  It is not clear how the responses provided in the March 29, 2007 memorandum from Ron McGirr (Novatech) regarding the Conservation Authority’s March 5, 2007 comments on the January 2007 version of the report and the content of the March 2008 version (final?) of the report has influenced the recommendations contained in the EMP.  We provided comments on the hydrology and geomorphology components of the draft EMP on June 23, 2008 and we received a response from Novatech to those comments on August 29, 2008.  In regard to that response, we note the following:

 

·        Point 2 - The recommendation with respect fluvial geomorphology does not appear to come from the fluvial geomorphology report.  What are the geomorphologist’s specific recommendations in this regard?

·        Point 3 states that the infiltration targets will be independent of the imperviousness values.  Although we agree the infiltration targets must be established (as they have in the EMP) it is unclear as to how they can be independent of the imperviousness values.  The higher the imperviousness, the more challenging it will be to meet the specified targets.  It seems that the final land use demonstration plan should be influenced by the infiltration targets (i.e. the distribution/density of land uses relative to subsurface soil conditions is such that the targets are achievable).

·        Point 4 – Our point here is that the developments must be designed to achieve the water balance as shown in Table 5-2.  It is not clear how the explanation relates to this.  Is it suggesting that the water balance calculations are flexible based on the final post development scenario?

·        Point 5 - We accept the explanation provided.  It is important that the detailed design of the stormwater management conveyance system and the treatment ponds are consistent with this explanation.

·        Point 8 – It remains our position that the recommendations coming out the geomorphological report and the corresponding section in the EMP need to be more specific and quantitative.

·        Point 9 – We have not yet had an opportunity review the continuous hydrologic modeling.  Comments (if any) will be provided in the New Year.

 

Most of the other issues as identified in our July 7, 2008 comments on the draft EMP have been addressed in the August 26, 2008 letter to the Conservation Authority from Novatech.  Some of the revisions committed to in this letter have not been brought forward in September 2008 version of the draft EMP, but we accept the consultant’s commitment that these revisions will be made in the final version of the document.

 

 

 

Attn:     Glen McDonald, Senior Planner, RVCA                                        Date: Oct 24th, 2008

 

From:    Jennifer Lamoureux, Aquatic & Fish Habitat Biologist, RVCA

 

Re:       Revised - Fernbank Community Design Plan – Environmental Management Plan Volume 1 of 2, DRAFT, dated Sept 16th 2008, Lot 26-30, Concession 10, formerly Nepean, in the City of Ottawa.

 

The Fernbank Community Design Plan – Environmental Management Plan Volume 1 of 2, DRAFT, dated May 2008, has been reviewed from a fish habitat perspective and the following comments are offered for your consideration:

 

The study area falls within the Carp River watershed and the Jock River watershed.  The following comments only refer to the Jock River Watershed portion of the study area.  The Mississippi Valley Conservation must be consulted for the Carp River watershed portion of the study area.

 

Section 1.1.1 states following:

Monahan Drain

The headwaters of the Monahan Drain are situated in southeastern portion of the Fernbank CDP study area.  The main branch of the Monahan Drain flows eastwards towards Terry Fox Drive, with several lateral branches on the north and south sides that connect with the main branch. Initial surveys of the on-site portion of the Monahan Drain (conducted in 2001) concluded that any aquatic habitat on-site is severely limited due to the general presence of non-aquatic vegetation through the cross-sections of the drainage channel, a lack of standing or flowing water and no defined low-flow channels. Non-aquatic vegetation dominated most of the channel, with exposed silt and sand at areas of erosion.  Manure and cattle hoof prints were common in the channel.  A large gabion basket has been installed in the channel upstream (west) of Terry Fox Drive.  This new structure appears to represent a significant year-round barrier to fish movement upstream onto the site.

 

Fish Sampling and Habitat Assessment

Fish sampling in the Monahan Drain was conducted in May and August of 2006 - results are summarized in Table 3-3.  Fish sampling in May 2006 along a 35m section of the watercourse between the gabion basket weir and Terry Fox Drive yielded only three fish and two species (brook stickleback and northern redbelly dace).

 

 

Fish sampling in the Monahan Drain was also conducted further upstream of Terry Fox Drive.  At 800 metres west of Terry Fox Drive, several forage fish were observed and three species captured with the electrofisher; northern red-bellied dace, brook stickleback and creek chub.  At 950 metres west of Terry Fox Drive four fish were captured, representing three species (brook stickleback, bluntnose minnow and northern redbelly dace).

 

The Monahan Drain is classified as an intermittent watercourse that supports a tolerant warm water fish community (Type 3 community).  The Monahan Drain is a municipal drain, which is periodically cleaned out to maintain the design cross-section as identified in the Engineer’s Report – Monahan Creek Municipal Drain:  Modifications and Improvements (Robinson Consultants, October 2002). 

 

·         The main Monahan Branch has gone from direct to indirect status throughout this process and as a result fish habitat status is unclear.  See email below where the consultant indicates that the on site portion of the Monahan drain is considered to have indirect fish habitat values.  The revised draft report is inconsistent with this information in the email.  Please revise the report so that the information is accurate. 

 

 

·         A map depicting direct vs. indirect status would be helpful for all tributaries within the subject property.

 

·         The majority of the species are known to have cool water status therefore it would be better to state the habitat is considered to be a mixed cool/warm water community.  Unless a proper thermal regime study is implemented, it is best to assess thermal regime using the fish community requirements as the source of information to determine thermal regime status for a given watercourse.

 

Section 6.3 Storm water criteria – Jock River Watershed states the following:

 

·         Temperature mitigation measures are to be incorporated into all proposed SWM facilities, with the goal of ensuring that the temperature of discharged stormwater does not exceed the following target values:

o        Type 1 Fish Habitat Community

§         Maximum Discharge Temperature = 20ºC

§         Preferred Discharge Temperature = 18ºC

o        Type 2/3 Fish Habitat Community

§         Maximum Discharge Temperature = 25ºC

§         Preferred Discharge Temperature = 22ºC

Note:  The Monahan Drain and Flewellyn Drain have been classified as intermittent watercourses supporting tolerant warmwater fish communities (Type 3 Communities).  The Faulkner Drain tributary does not provide fish habitat.

 

·         The Monahan Dr and Flewellyn Dr are not considered tolerant warm water fish communities, they support predominantly coolwater species.  The Ministry of Transportations Environmental Guide for Fish and Fish Habitat summarizes species sensitivities in Section 5-Sensitivity of Fish and Fish Habitat (Appendix 5.A) lists Ontario Species: Species Status, Trophic and Reproductive Guildes and sensitivity to Sediment /Turbidity.  When examining the species listed in Table 3-3 and 3-4 on page 17 and 18 of the consultants report several species stand out as actually being listed as moderate and high in sensitivity to disturbances for reproduction, feeding and respiration.    A summary table should be included in the report summarizing the species information noted above as it provides important life history information that can be used in the impact analysis required to complete the review. 

 

·         Section 6.3 in report states that “The Faulkner Dr tributary does not provide fish habitat” Faulkner Drain does provide indirect fish habitat to downstream fish habitat.  Indirect fish habitat can be defined as:  Although DFO has not provided any formal guidelines for assessing what constitutes indirect fish habitat, in practice it is generally considered to be ecological features that do not directly support fish, but supply food, nutrients, flow, and organic material to downstream habitat that contains fish. (Source: Headwater Drainage Features Literature Review, 2007).  Therefore, this statement should be clarified.

 

 

 

·         DFO and MNR support the following thermal regime classifications.  They are  as follows:

 

Status

Water Temperature

Cold

<19 Degrees Celsius

Cool

19-25 Degrees Celsius

Warm

>25 Degrees Celsius

          Reference (Coker, G.A., C.B. Portt, and C.K. Minns. 2001)

 

Regulatory Permits

Detailed information pertaining to any future in water work and alterations to the watercourses will be required for review by RVCA for Section 28 of the Conservation Act and Section 35 of the Canada Fisheries Act to obtain the necessary permits that will be required for work around or in the watercourse.

 

·         The newly created Monahan Dr channel

·         Storm water outlets to existing watercourses

·         Potential deepening of Flewellyn Dr

·         Other alterations not yet realized, etc