3. ZONING – 355 COOPER STREET

ZONAGE – 355, RUE COOPER

Committee Recommendation

That Council amend the former City of Ottawa Zoning By-law, 1998, to establish additional exceptions to the High-Rise Apartment Zone R6A [172] F (3.0) for the property at 355 Cooper Street as detailed in Document 2 and shown in Document 3.

RECOMMANDATION DU COMITÉ

Que le Conseil municipal de modifier le Règlement municipal sur le zonage de 1998 de l’ancienne Ville d’Ottawa afin d’établir de nouvelles exceptions à la désignation R6A [172] F (3.0) (Zone d’immeubles d’habitation de grande hauteur) visant la propriété située au 355, rue Cooper, comme le précise le document 2 et l’illustre le document 3.

Documentation

1. Development Services Department General Manager’s report dated 27 March 2003 (ACS2003-DEV-APR-0055).

2. An Extract of Draft Minutes, 24 April 2003.

Report to/Rapport au:

Planning and Development Committee /

Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’amenagement

and Council/et au Conseil

27 March 2003 / le 27 mars 2003

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

Development Services Department / Services d’aménagement

Contact/Personne-ressource: Grant Lindsay, Manager, Development Approvals /

Gestionnaire, Approbation des demandes d’aménagement

580-2424 ext. 13242, grant.lindsay@ottawa.ca

Ref N°: ACS2003-DEV-APR-0055

SUBJECT: ZONING – 355 COOPER STREET

OBJET: ZONAGE – 355, RUE COOPER

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Planning and Development Committee recommend Council amend the former City of Ottawa Zoning By-law, 1998, to establish additional exceptions to the High-Rise Apartment Zone R6A [172] F (3.0) for the property at 355 Cooper Street as detailed in Document 2 and shown in Document 3.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’aménagement recommande au Conseil de modifier le Règlement municipal sur le zonage de 1998 de l’ancienne Ville d’Ottawa afin d’établir de nouvelles exceptions à la désignation R6A [172] F (3.0) (Zone d’immeubles d’habitation de grande hauteur) visant la propriété située au 355, rue Cooper, comme le précise le document 2 et l’illustre le document 3.

BACKGROUND

The subject property, 355 Cooper Street, contains a three-storey stone and brick church and a parking area. Currently the parking area in the west section of the property along Lisgar Street, is zoned R6A [172] F (3.0) - High-rise Apartment Zone and the balance of the property which includes the church is zoned I1 - Minor Institutional (see location map).

The R6A [172] - High-rise Apartment Zoning permits a mix of medium and high density residential uses while the I1, Minor Institutional Zone permits a range of neighborhood-serving, emergency and institutional uses.

The subject R6A zoned land was acquired by Dominion Chalmers United Church in 1963 to provide parking for the church’s use. Since the early 1970s this land has been leased on an annual basis to a private parking lot operator and currently exists as a legal non-conforming commercial parking lot.

The purpose of this amendment is to include ‘place of worship’ as a permitted use on the R6A [172] zoned portion of the site and to exempt the proposed church addition from the parking requirements set out in Zoning By-law, 1998. The rezoning will facilitate the construction of a small addition to the church that will extend into the R6A zoned lands and will include a new entrance pavilion and accessibility ramp for disabled persons. The rezoning will allow the applicant to avoid a complicated application to the Committee of Adjustment for variances to permit the church to extend into a zone where a church use is not a listed permitted use.

DISCUSSION

The Dominion Chalmers United Church has been a part of the Centretown community since its inception in 1912. Over the last 90 years the Church has been an existing use and a focal point for residents. Many of the Church’s parishioners are Centretown residents and during the week, numerous social groups use the church’s facilities. The availability of this space during the week is important as institutional rental space is scarce in the central core. Over the past two months numerous groups have used space within the Church including: the University of Ottawa Choir, Ottawa Chamber of Music Festival and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. These functions help contribute to a sense of community by facilitating interaction.

While zoned for residential development, the western section of the site has been used as a parking lot since the Church acquired the additional properties in 1963. In 1964, the first comprehensive Zoning By-law, AZ-64 was adopted for the City of Ottawa. Under By-law, AZ-64 a public parking area was a permitted use for the property. While this use is no longer permitted under the current Zoning By-law, the Church holds a legal non-conforming right to operate a commercial parking lot on the property. Currently the parking lot is comprised of a gravel surface area with minimal landscape treatment. The applicant is proposing to make considerable changes including resurfacing the parking area and adding landscaping to not only improve the visual quality of the parking area but also better integrate the site into the community.

The Official Plan states that institutions such as schools, churches, hospitals and universities will be developed and redeveloped to both meet the changing needs of the City’s resident population and to “fit” well into existing neighbourhoods. According to the Centretown Secondary Plan, moderate population growth is expected. As such, the Secondary Plan aims to encourage adequate and accessible institutional facilities to serve the community.

The rezoning of the site will allow the small addition being proposed to extend the Church slightly onto lands now zoned R6A. This addition will help satisfy the Secondary Plan’s goals of adequate and accessible institutional facilities by providing proper wheelchair access and expanding Church facilities to better accommodate users of the institution.

Staff is recommending that an exception be placed on the zoning of this property to add ‘place of worship’ as a permitted use and to not require that parking be provided for the small addition. The current R6A zone prohibits the expansion of the Church. The proposed rezoning will satisfy the Official Plan objectives of preserving residential zoning while still providing the zoning needed by the applicant to carry out minor but necessary additions and alterations to the church. The Guiding Principles set out in the Official Plan provide for present and future residents of Ottawa with a choice of adequate and affordable housing.

CONSULTATION

The Zoning By-law application was advertised with three signs posted on the property, indicating the requested amendment. Notification was provided to the registered community associations and “Heads-up” phone calls were conducted.

Staff received numerous general information phone calls regarding this application. The Centretown Citizens Community Association objected to the zoning amendment originally received to establish an I1 zone for the lands zoned R6A. Consultation details are provided in Document 4.

The Ward Councillor is aware of this application and the staff recommendation.

APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS

The application was not processed within the timeframe established for the processing of Zoning By-law amendments. Issues surrounding establishing current parking figures delayed the application.

ATTACHMENTS

Document 1 Explanatory Note

Document 2 Details of Proposed Amendment

Document 3 Location Map

Document 4 Consultation Details

DISPOSITION

Department of Corporate Services, Secretariat Services to notify the Agent (Robertson Architects and Associates, 83 Holmwood Ave, Ottawa ON, K1S 2P1) and the Manager of Assessment, Corporate Services Department, of City Council’s decision.

Legal Services Branch to forward the implementing by-law to City Council.

Department of Development Services to prepare and circulate the implementing amendment to the Zoning By-law 1998 of the former City of Ottawa.

EXPLANATORY NOTE Document 1

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXPLANATORY NOTE TO BY-LAW NUMBER -2003 –

By-law Number 2003 - X amends Zoning By-law, 1998 of the former City of Ottawa. This amendment affects the part of the property at 355 Cooper Street that is zoned R6A [172].

The subject property part of a larger site that accommodates the Dominion Chalmers United Church which fronts O’Connor Street between Cooper and Lisgar Streets. The portion of the site being rezoned is used as a surface parking lot.

Current Zoning

The current zoning for the site is split between R6A [172] F (3.0) - High-rise Apartment Zone and I1 - Minor Institutional Zone. The surrounding area is primarily zoned R6A. The lands subject to the rezoning application are zoned R6A [172] F (3.0) which is a high rise apartment zone permitting a mix of medium and high density residential uses. A place of worship is not permitted in a R6A zone. The [172] denotes an exception which permits various commercial uses on the ground floor or basement of residential buildings. The F (3.0) is the floor space index, allowing the building to have a gross floor area equal to three times the lot area.

Proposed Zoning

The purpose of the proposed zoning amendment is to establish a further exception for the R6A zone applying to the northwest section of 355 Cooper Street. The proposed exception would add a ‘place of worship’ as a permitted use in the R6A [172] F (3.0) - High-rise Apartment Zone and exempt the proposed church addition from parking requirements set out in the zoning by-law for a church. All other provisions of the current zoning will remain in effect.

Should you have any questions regarding the amendment please contact Andrew Palmiere at 580-2424 ext. 28315.

DETAILS OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT Document 2

The R6A [172] F (3.0) Zone applying to the property at 355 Cooper Street is amended by adding the following exceptions:

1. Permitted Use(s):

A ‘place of worship’ shall be a permitted use.

2. Parking Requirements:

No parking shall be required for a place of worship with a gross floor area of 135m².

LOCATION MAP Document 3

CONSULTATION DETAILS Document 4

NOTIFICATION AND CONSULTATION PROCESS

This application was subject to the City’s Public Notification and Consultation Policy for Development Applications. On-site signs were posted and notification was given to registered community organizations.

SUMMARY OF PUBLIC INPUT

Numerous general information requests were received as a result of the posting of the information sign and public circulation to registered community groups.

CENTRETOWN CITIZENS COMMUNIITY ASSOCIATION

Centretown Citizens Community Association advised it objected to the application for the following reasons:

“The proposal is contrary to the goals and objectives of the City of Ottawa Official Plan for future residential development on this property.
The commercial parking on [the] site should be eliminated. It is unsightly and wasteful land use.”

The Centretown Citizens Community Association further indicated that they had no objection to the proposed building modifications and wanted to see them completed without a “major rezoning” of the property.

Response:

In order to preserve the residential zoning within the Centretown Area, the Department is recommending that an exception be placed on the property to permit ‘place of worship’ as permitted use. The proposed rezoning does in the opinion of the Department preserve the intent of the OP to not only preserve future residential development in Centertown but also encourage institutional “fit” by allowing the church to expand on currently prohibited land.

The Department agrees that the current parking lot is unsightly and needs to be landscaped. The Church has informed Staff of their intention to pave and landscape the parking facilities in order to improve their visual quality. In regards to eliminating the commercial parking use, the church has a legal non-conforming right for a parking lot and as such is allowed to operate. Further, the Department recommendation does not regularize the parking but rather maintains a legal non-conforming right with the intention that it will disappear over time.