Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
22 November 2005 / le 22 novembre 2005
Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager/
Directeur municipal adjoint,
Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Karen Currie, Manager / Gestionnaire
Development Approvals / Approbation des
demandes d’aménagement
(613) 580-2424 x 28310, karen.currie@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning and Environment
Committee recommend that Council endorse the following position at the Ontario
Municipal Board hearing for the property located at 1890, 1900, 1920 Walkley
Road, 2980, 3000 Conroy Road, 2500, 2502, 2510 St. Laurent Boulevard. and 2425
Don Reid Drive:
That
the revised Site Plan (Revision 9 prepared by Turner Fleischer Architects Inc.,
dated Nov. 15, 2005 and received on November 18, 2005) as shown in Document 2
and accompanying Landscape Plan and Servicing Plans be supported subject to
approval of the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment
applications and to Site Plan conditions and minor modifications as may be
requested by the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Approvals.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’appuyer la position suivante à l’audience de la Commission des affaires municipales de l’Ontario concernant la propriété située au 1890, 1900 et 1920, chemin Walkley, au 2980, 3000, chemin Conroy et au 2500, 2502 et 2510, boulevard St-Laurent ainsi qu’au 2425, promenade Don Reid :
Que le plan d’implantation modifié (Modification 9 préparée par Turner Fleischer Architects Inc., datée du 15 novembre 2005 et reçue le 18 novembre 2005), tel qu’indiqué dans le document 2 et accompagnant le plan d’aménagement paysager et les plans de services, soit appuyé sous réserve de l’approbation des demandes de modifications au Plan officiel et au Règlement de zonage, des conditions du plan d’implantation ainsi que des modifications mineures que le directeur de l’Approbation des demandes d’aménagement et d’infrastructure pourrait demander.
BACKGROUND
Applications have been submitted for two Official Plan Amendments, a Zoning By-law Amendment, and Site Plan Control approval to allow for the re-development of a parcel of land located southwest of the intersection of Walkley Road and Conroy Road. The Official Plan Amendment applications are for amendments to both the old and new Official Plans of the City of Ottawa.
The site is 7.1 hectares and currently contains four separate, commercial and office buildings that will be demolished to allow for the proposed development. The site is bounded by Walkley Road to the north, Conroy Road to the east, St. Laurent Boulevard to the south and Don Reid Drive to the west.
Proposed Development
The proposed development includes a 16,260 square metre retail food store, two separate stand-alone retail buildings and a gas bar with a car wash. As illustrated in Document 2, the large format retail food store is proposed to be located in the south portion of the property adjacent to Conroy Road and St. Laurent Boulevard, while the gas bar and retail buildings will be located in the northwest portion adjacent to Walkley Road and Don Reid Drive. The loading and service area for the grocery area is located at the rear south east corner of the store adjacent to St. Laurent Blvd. Total parking for the site includes 862 spaces for automobiles as well as provisions for bicycle parking.
On May 10, 2005, Planning and Environment Committee recommended approval of the two Official Plan Amendments and Zoning By-law Amendment applications. On June 8, 2005, City Council voted to refuse the Official Plan Amendments and Zoning By-law Amendment applications. The Site Plan Control application did not form part of the staff report as the approval, at that time, was staff-delegated, and staff were still in the process of reviewing and commenting on the site plan. Subsequently, the proponent appealed the decision of City Council with respect to the Official Plan Amendments and Zoning By-law Amendment to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). An appeal was also filed by the applicant in respect of the failure of the City to approve the Site Plan within the statutorily dictated time frame of its having been submitted to the City.
All three appeals have been consolidated into one Board Hearing which begins on February 28, 2006. Prior to the hearing, the City is to take a position on the Site Plan application which will be presented at the hearing. The Ward Councillor has removed Delegated Authority approval and furthermore, has introduced and Council has carried, a direction to put the subject site plan before Committee on November 22, 2005 and Council on November 30, 2005. Normally upon withdrawal of Delegated Authority on Site Plan applications, the application rises to Committee only and not forwarded to City Council. However, as Council has approved the directive the application must subsequently rise to Council.
DISCUSSION
Official Plan and Zoning Considerations
As noted, Official Plan Amendments and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to permit the proposed development have been submitted and are now before the OMB. The Site Plan was reviewed in light of the proposed Official Plan designation and zoning and it was found that the proposed development is consistent with the proposed Official Plan policies and in full compliance with the zoning as recommended by staff. A site plan condition will be included that approval of the site plan will only come into effect once final approval of the Official Plan Amendment and zoning have been given by the Ontario Municipal Board.
Site Plan
Staff have been in the process of reviewing the site plan and recommending revisions in light of staff's analysis and comments received from technical agencies and the public. As well, throughout the process the applicant has introduced revisions that have resulted in positive changes to the plan. Due to recent changes to the plan that were discussed and supported by staff, a revised site plan was prepared and submitted on November 18, 2005. Although staff have not had sufficient time to review the latest submission in detail, staff are generally in a position to support the recently revised site plan and recommend it be approved, subject to minor modifications and site plan conditions. Ultimately the Owner will be required to enter into a standard Site Plan Agreement consisting of standard and special conditions should the proposed development be approved
Design and Built Form
The proposed development is compatible with the character of the existing surrounding retail and business park uses. The location, height and scale of the buildings which front onto existing streets respects the existing scale and location of adjacent buildings. The shared parking areas of the development are contained to the interior of the site where they are buffered by buildings and landscaping. The food store's loading area is well separated from the remaining development as well as being well screened from adjacent business park uses. Building elevations are to be very contemporary with many design elements which are compatible with the surrounding business park uses. Staff have identified some minor concerns with the elevations and may recommend further revisions once the review is complete.
Road and Pedestrian Network
A Traffic Impact Study in support of the proposal has been approved by City staff. Through this study and several public and private meetings, the traffic consultant has advised that the site location on two arterial roads is ideal for site access and minimizing traffic impacts to the surrounding area. The site also benefits from six existing entrances. Three of these will be retained in their current location and three will be relocated to accommodate the proposal. One new entrance will be added along Walkley Road resulting in seven vehicular entrances and one separate food store truck loading entrance. This number of entrances will maximize efficient traffic distribution and minimize vehicular/pedestrian conflict and impact on adjacent roads. The site has been designed with two major east-west drive aisles which traverse the entire width of the site separating the food store from the retail uses. The most northerly of these drive aisles allows vehicle access to both the food store and retail parking areas, without the need to travel along building entrance areas thus reducing pedestrian / vehicle conflict. Tractor-trailer access to the food store is proposed via an exclusive entrance loop to and from St. Laurent Boulevard. This isolates the majority of site truck traffic thereby reducing conflict with vehicles and pedestrians while maximizing separation from the only proximate residential area northwest of the site.
The site benefits from eight walkway connections to the surrounding public sidewalks and two main internal walkways that traverse the entire site crossing in the centre and connecting all existing and proposed retail buildings.
The Cornerstone Children’s Centre and Heatherington Nursery School that is located across from the site at the southwest corner of Don Reid Drive and Walkley Road has raised concerns about traffic generated by the proposal and has requested all accesses to Don Reid Drive be eliminated from the site plan. Clients of the Centre and School have concerns about traffic speeds behind them as they slow to enter the Centre site. They have also noted difficulty in exiting when vehicles heading north are stacked past the Centre exit awaiting the traffic light at Don Reid and Walkley.
Staff have responded to this request by advising that the entrances onto Don Reid provide an important site circulation function by allowing traffic from the north and west to connect directly to the site’s main east and westbound drive aisles. These are also critical exits for the same customers to return to the north and west points of origin. It is important to note that the businesses previously operating on these lands with these accesses could be redeveloped and intensified under the existing zoning so as to generate higher traffic volumes on Don Reid Drive than expected from the proposed development.
In response to the Centre’s concern, the applicant has recently amended the site plan to extend the right-in, right-out from Walkley Road directly to the main east-west driveway thereby relieving Don Reid of some of the traffic entering the site. The traffic consultant has also advised that the Centre's parking entrance should be relocated further to the south. This would significantly improve the existing traffic concerns of the Centre because the added distance from the intersection would provide more approach time for vehicles to slow down and signal their intentions while reducing the likelihood of conflict between vehicles exiting north and those stacked at the intersection.
City staff generally support the proposed site design and access locations and do not support the Centre’s request to close the Don Reid accesses. The only traffic related concern of staff is associated with the existing design of the Don Reid and St. Laurent intersection. Staff are encouraging intersection modifications so the north-bound movement from St. Laurent onto Don Reid becomes a full stop thereby increasing site distance and reducing traffic speeds approaching the southern-most Don Reid site access.
Landscaping
Staff have reviewed the proposed landscape plan for the site and are generally in agreement with what is being shown. It appears as though approximately one-third (1/3) of the existing plant material will be protected or relocated within the site. Saving and protecting as many of the existing trees as possible is seen as beneficial to the overall impact of the development. Particular focus has been placed upon buffering parking areas from surrounding streetscapes, screening the rear building service areas, accentuating building facades and entrances areas, and providing shade cover, where feasible, to the parking areas. Although, staff are generally supportive of the landscape submission provided on November 18, 2005, the plan should be thoroughly reviewed to ensure that the Business Park Landscape and Building Design Guidelines are being adhered to as closely as possible. Following the review, staff may have additional landscape revisions.
Servicing
Staff are satisfied with the Site Servicing and Grading Plans submitted for the proposed development. All storm water will be dealt with in accordance with the City's stormwater requirements.
CONSULTATION
Notice of this application was carried out in accordance with the City’s Public Notification and Consultation Policy. The Ward Councillor is aware of this application and the staff recommendation. Correspondence and phone calls, both in support and against the proposal, were received including from area residents, the Ottawa Hawthorne Business Park Association and Canterbury Community Association. A community meeting in the Canterbury community was held on August 12, 2004 and separate meetings were held with representativies of the Business Park Association, Cornerstore Children's Centre, the applicant and the City. A summary of the main issues identified through letters, email and the community meeting was discussed in the staff report dealing with the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Direct
costs to the City would be comprised of the cost of Legal Services Branch staff
preparing for and attending the OMB hearing to defend the City's position.
SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTATION
Document 2 - Site Plan
Document 3 - Landscape Plan
DISPOSITION
Planning and Growth Management Department to forward Council position to the applicant and the Ontario Municipal Board.
Document 1
LOCATION MAP
Document 2
SITE PLAN
Document 3
LANDSCAPE PLAN
