Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
31 January 2006 / le 31 janvier 2006
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 : Grant Lindsay, Manager / Gestionnaire
Development
Approvals / Approbation des demandes d'aménagement
(613)
580-2424 x13242, Grant.Lindsay@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
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OBJET : |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning and Environment
Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to the former City of Ottawa
Zoning By-Law to change the zoning of 490‑500 Preston Street from
CN3 [513] to a CN3 [513] F(6.75) H(66.3) exception zone as shown on Document 1
and as detailed in Document 3.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
recommande au Conseil d'approuver une modification au Règlement de zonage de
l'ancienne Ville d'Ottawa visant à faire passer le zonage du 490-500, rue
Preston de CN3 [513] à zone d'exception CN3 [513] F(6.75) H(66.3), comme
l'illustre le document 1 et le précise le document 3.
BACKGROUND
The subject property, 490-500 Preston Street, is located on the northwest corner of Preston and Sydney Streets. The site has a total lot area of 1 161 square metres with 30.48 metres of frontage on both Preston and Sydney Streets. The site is currently zoned CN3 (513). This is a Neighbourhood Linear Commercial Zone that permits a wide range of commercial uses. The site is currently vacant and used as a parking lot. To the south is a one-storey bank, to the west is a seven-storey apartment building, to the north are low-profile residential uses, and to the east are a mix of uses including a place of worship, an automotive garage and a residential use. Carling Avenue is one block to the south and the Carling Avenue O-Train Station is located approximately 100 metres west of the subject site. The site is also close to Dow’s Lake.
The applicant has requested to amend the performance standards of the current CN3 (513) zoning to permit an increased height of 66.3 metres, whereas the current zoning permits a height of 18 metres, and an increased Floor Space Index (FSI) of 6.75 from an FSI of 2.0. The proposed Zoning By-law amendment will accommodate the development of an 18 storey mixed use building with three levels of office/commercial and 15 storeys of residential units. The proposed building will have 30 residential units with the residential tower located on the west side of the site with frontage on Sydney Street. The three-storey podium, with the majority of the office and commercial space, will front onto Preston Street.
DISCUSSION
City Council
Approved Official Plan
The subject site is
designated Mixed-Use Centre and Traditional Mainstreet on Schedule “3’ of
Amendment 28 to the City Council Approved Official Plan and is designated
Mainstreet Corridor in the Preston Champange Secondary Plan.
The Mixed-Use Centre
designation applies to areas that have been identified as strategic locations
on the rapid-transit network and lie adjacent to major roads. They act as focal
points of activity, both within their respective communities and within the
larger municipal structure. Mixed-Use Centres constitute a critical element in
the City's growth management strategy, being areas with high potential to
achieve compact and mixed-use development.
Development at Mixed-Use
Centres will take advantage of the opportunities offered by transit for both
internal and external commuting and ease of access on foot and by bicycle. By
virtue of careful attention to design, orientation and a mix of uses,
development in Mixed-Use Centres will contribute to the diversity of land use
in the immediate area and foster the creation of vibrant centres of activity.
Mixed-Use Centres will optimize the use of land through provisions for compact
mixed-use development by allowing for a mix of uses within a building;
providing for the highest density development, such as offices, to occur within
400 metres of the rapid-transit station; and require residential uses in the
form of apartments and other multiples at a medium and/or high density.
The proposed development
adheres to the policies and goals of the Mixed-Use Centre designation. The
development contributes to the variety of uses in the area by providing
commercial and office uses on the first three floors of the proposed building
and residential units in a tower above this commerical podium. This compact,
mixed-use design for the proposed development makes effective use of the
subject site, which is currently underutilized, and takes advantage of its
proximately to the Carling Avenue O-Train station, which will become more
important as the City’s Light Rail project is developed. Finally, the proposed
development will contribute to the diversity of land use in the area and the
ability to live, work and shop within the same neighbourhood.
The Mainstreet designation
of the Plan identifies streets that offer some of the most significant
opportunities in the city for intensification through more compact forms of
development, a lively mix of uses and a pedestrian-friendly environment.
Mainstreets designated as "Traditional Mainstreets" are typically set
within a tightly knit urban fabric, with buildings that are often small-scale,
with narrow frontages and set close to and addressing the street, resulting in
a more pedestrian-oriented and transit friendly environment. They generally
have a four-lane cross-section, on-street parking or the potential to provide
for it, and limited on-site parking. Land uses are often mixed, with commercial
uses at the street level and residential uses on the upper levels.
Redevelopment and infill are
encouraged for Traditional Mainstreets in order to optimize the use of
land. The Official Plan supports
building heights in the range of four to six storeys for Traditional
Mainstreets and provides for consideration to be given to allow greater
building heights in circumstances where the development fosters the creation of
a community focus; where the proposal is on a corner lot; at a gateway
location; or at a location where there are opportunities to support transit at a
transit stop or station.
The proposed development
satisfies the objectives of the Plan for Traditional Mainstreets designation on
several levels. First, it offers opportunity for renewal through the
redevelopment of an underutilized site, which is currently a parking lot, into
a compact, mixed-use development. The proposed project will transform an
underutilized site into a productive development that contributes to the
physical and social character of the neighbourhood. Second, the proposed
development will take advantage of existing municipal services, such as public
transit and infrastructure, and will increase the percentage of housing,
employment and retail functions that lie within easy reach of one another. Third, the project achieves a more urban,
densely developed form that is less automobile-dependant and which adds to the
existing strengths of the surrounding area. Last, the proposed development
conforms with the City’s policy of encouraging intensification within
Mainstreets, particularly where it will replace surface parking areas that
interrupt the continuity of building facades along the street and supports the
City’s desire to encourage intensification and mixed-use development along
arterial roads (Preston Street and Carling Avenue), transit-priority corridors,
and at gateway locations.
The Secondary Policy Plan
for the Preston-Champagne area provides a more detailed policy direction for a
number of land use areas within Preston-Champagne. The Secondary Plan directs
City Council to promote Preston Street, designated as a maintstreet corridor,
as the community and cultural focus and the main shopping street of the
Preston-Champagne area. In doing so, the Plan encourages City Council to
require continuous, pedestrian-oriented uses at grade and to promote
residential uses above the street level along the Main Street Corridor. It also
encourages human scale, mixed use buildings in keeping with a Main Street theme
and a transition to low and medium profile residential uses and neighbourhood commercial
uses on Preston Street from the medium and high profile employment uses along
Carling Avenue.
The proposed development is
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Secondary Plan as it creates
pedestrian-oriented uses at grade and promotes residential uses above the
street level. Regarding commercial development, the proposed development
advances the policies of the Preston-Champagne Secondary Policy Plan. It adds
quality commercial space to the area through the inclusion of retail bays and two
additional levels of office/commercial space. The inclusion of street-oriented
commercial space in this development serves to enhance the pedestrian friendly
environment along Preston Street and will add to and enhance the existing
commercial component of the Preston Street corridor. Regarding residential
development, the proposed building increases the number and variety of
residential units in the neighbourhood. In doing so the proposed development
will take advantage of existing services in the area, such as transit,
commercial and infrastructure, and will replace an underutilized site with a
vibrant mixed-use development. The proposed horizontal break between the
residential tower and the commerical component of the development along the
Preston Street line allows a four storey building profile to be maintained
along Preston Street consistent with the directions of the Secondary Plan.
Former Regional Official
Plan
The subject site is
designated General Urban Area on Schedule B of the former Regional Official
Plan. The uses permitted are primarily for residential purposes and the
shopping, services and community facilities required to meet day-to-day
needs. Non-residential uses may be
permitted subject to specific requirements.
The proposed development
conforms to the goals of the former Regional Official Plan and its policy
framework by providing a compact, mixed-use development that is well-serviced
by transit and provides additional housing and services for the surrounding
area.
Former City of Ottawa
Official Plan
The subject site is
designated Neighbourhood Linear Commercial on Schedule A of Volume I of the
former City of Ottawa Official Plan and Main Street Corridor on Schedule L of
Volume II of the Preston-Champagne Secondary Plan. This secondary plan has been
incorporated into the City Council Approved Official Plan. The relevant aspects
of the Preston-Champagne Secondary Plan has been discussed above.
Neighbourhood Linear
Commercial areas provide for the main street and store-front-type of commercial
development found in older areas of the city. This designation recognizes and
provides for enhancement of the unique, mixed use and pedestrian-oriented
character of these commercial areas serving both residents in the vicinity,
with some specialized areas and/or uses attracting customers from beyond the
neighbourhood. Further, in certain cases, accommodating a potential for
employment which exceeds the local area context as part of, for example, a
development strategy aimed at supporting the economic viability of the
commercial area.
The Official Plan states
that City Council shall promote the infilling of existing Linear Commercial
Areas, prior to the establishment of new Linear Commercial Areas. As a general
rule, the height of new buildings should be consistent with the height of
buildings which characterize the Linear Commercial Area and should represent
human scale. Where City Council deems it desirable that medium and/or high
profile development be permitted in linear commercial areas, new development is
of a human scale if the treatment of the lower floors of the proposed building
provides visual interest through the use of architectural features (colour,
texture, materials) and/or architectural detail and if the upper floors of
buildings are set back from the street to avoid overpowering effects on the
at-grade environment. City Council may permit residential uses in Linear
Commercial areas, provided the housing units are located above grade.
The proposed development is
appropriate with respect to this policy. It has several elements that serve to
enhance and develop the mainstreet characteristics of the area. The
commercial/office component of the development will add to the physical
character of the street by providing a zero-setback, storefront type of
frontage that is found throughout the existing neighbourhood. This type of
frontage creates a pedestrian friendly environment that adds life and animation
to the neighbourhood. By providing commercial space at grade, the proposed development
will enhance the distinctive, mixed-use and pedestrian oriented character of
the area and will increase the level of commercial service for local and area
residents. The proposed architectual, horizontal break between the residential
tower and the commerical component on Preston Street meets the objectives of
the plan to provide a human scale built form along linear commercial areas.
BUILT FORM COMPATIBILITY
Building Height
The City Council Approved
Official Plan states that greater building heights will be considered along
Traditional Mainstreet in circumstances where the development fosters the
creation of a community focus, where the proposal is on a corner lot, or at a
gateway location or at a location where there are opportunities to support transit
at a transit stop or station. The proposed development falls under all three of
these categories. First, the proposed development is located on Preston Street,
just north of the intersection of Carling Avenue. This intersection is
recognized as the gateway to Ottawa’s ‘Little Italy’ neighbourhood. As such,
this location is ideal for the development of a landmark building that serves
to enhance the established gateway of a significant regional community.
Secondly, the proposed development is on a corner lot. This allows the proposed
building to have a continuous façade along Preston Street, the main commercial
road in the area, and have its parking and servicing connections off a side
street. Finally, the proposed building is located approximately 100 metres from
the Carling Avenue O‑Train Station. Once the O-Train is fully developed
into the City’s north-south light rail corridor, the Carling Avenue station
will provide direct access to the downtown core and the south urban community.
In addition to the Carling Avenue station, the site is already well serviced by
regular bus routes along Preston Street and Carling Avenue. The introduction of
a high-profile development with an increased amount and range of housing to
take advantage of existing and proposed transit services is ideal for this
location.
In addition to its
relationship to the Traditional Mainstreet area, the proposed development is
also located within the Carling Avenue corridor, which accommodates several
high-profile commercial buildings within a three-block radius of the subject
site. The height of the proposed
development conforms to the general height plain established by existing
buildings along this stretch of Carling Avenue.
Building Massing
The current proposal employs
several techniques as set out in both the City Council Approved Official Plan
and the former City of Ottawa Official Plan to break up the building mass and
provide a compatible building relationship with the lower profile buildings
typically found along pre-war mainstreets, such as Preston Street. These
include:
- Physically and visually
distinguishing the lower floors from the upper floors with increased
setbacks from the street edge for upper floors and a zero setback for the
lower floors.
- Use of an off-centre design
for the upper floors.
- Use of an architectual,
horizontal break bewteen the residential tower portion of the building and
the commerical component to visually and physically the upper floors from the pedestrian
scale lower floors along Preston Street.
The use of these techniques
serves to provide for a compatible built form relationship between the proposed
high profile development and adjacent lower profile buildings.
Architectural Expression
The current development
proposal, in combination with the techniques used to break up the building
mass, employs architectural design elements and treatments that provide for
integration of the development with the traditional mainstreet character of the
neighbourhood. These include:
·
Three
stories of commercial/office floors which meets the street edge, thereby
providing a strong, continuous façade along Preston Street.
·
The
location of the four retail entrances along the Preston Street side of the
development to create a pedestrian-friendly environment.
·
Selection
of colours and exterior detailing that helps to create a character for the
proposed development that is compatible with the character of existing
development in the area.
With the exception of
building materials, colour and detailing, the above will be controlled through
the Site Plan Control approval process.
Shadowing
Shadow studies submitted by
the applicant indicate the proposed development will have a similar impact on
sun exposure as the neighbouring office buildings. The effects of increased
shadows will be felt strongest by neighbouring properties to the northeast
during the fall, winter and spring. The presence of shadows will be most
noticeable during the mid to late afternoon during these seasons. In order to
mitigate the impact that the proposed development will have on sun exposure for
neighbouring properties, the applicant has incorporated a thin, tower design
for the upper floors of the proposed building. This design will help to
decrease the amount of shadow cast on neighbouring properties by the proposed
development.
Conclusions
This application conforms to
the policy framework established by the City Council Approved Official Plan,
the former City of Ottawa Official Plan and the former Regional Official Plan.
The City Council Approved Official Plan designates the site Mixed Use Activity
Centre and Traditional Main Street and sets out specific policies for
development of the site within the Preston-Champagne Secondary Policy
Plan. The Regional Official Plan
designates the site "General Urban Area", which supports all forms of
development that provide for more efficient use of land and infrastructure and
that fit into the urban context. The
former City of Ottawa Official Plan designates the site Neighbourhood Linear
Commercial Area.
The proposed 18‑storey
building will serve as a gateway feature to the Preston Street district and is
comparable in height to nearby office buildings along Carling Avenue. The
three-storey office/commercial component provides street related activity
at-grade and a continuous façade at the street edge with the setback of the
upper floors away from the street, and utilizes an architectural horizontal
break between the commercial podium and the residential tower to provide a
human scale relationship for the development along Preston Street. This
contributes to the appropriateness of the proposed development and provides for
integration of the development within its urban context.
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.
Detailed responses to the notification/circulation are provided in Document 5.
APPLICATION PROCESS
TIMELINE STATUS
This application was processed by the "On Time Decision Date" established for the processing of Zoning By-Law Amendment applications.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Location Map
Document 2 Explanatory Note
Document 3 Details of Recommended Zoning
Document 4 Development Concept
Document 5 Consultation Details
DISPOSITION
Corporate Services Department, City Clerk's Branch to notify the owner (Dr. James Daniels, 286 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1N 9K1), applicant (Richard Brisbin, 47 Clarence Street, Suite 400, Ottawa, ON, K1N 9K1), Signs.ca, 866 Campbell Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K2A 2C5 and Ghislain Lamarche, Program Manager, Assessment, Financial Services Branch (Mail Code: 26‑76) of City Council’s decision.
Planning and Growth Management Department to prepare the implementing by-law, forward to Legal Services Branch and undertake the statutory notification.
Corporate Services Department, Legal Services Branch to forward the implementing by-law to City Council.
Document 1
LOCATION MAP
Document 2
EXPLANATORY NOTE
By-law Number 2006-XXX amends Zoning By-law 1998-93 of the former City of Ottawa. The amendment affects the property at 490-500 Preston Street, which is located on the northwest corner of Sydney and Preston Streets, as shown on the attached Location Map.
The purpose of the application is to rezone the subject property from a CN3 [513] zone to a CN3 [513] F(6.75) H(66.3) zone to permit the development of an 18 storey mixed use building with three levels of office/commercial and 15 storeys of residential. The CN3 [XXX] exception zone will include revised performance standards to allow a maximum building height of 66.3 metres and density 6.75 FSI (Floor Space Index). The current zone limits building height to 18 metres and limits density to a 2.0 FSI.
For further information, please contact Jeff
O’Neill at jeff.oneill@ottawa.ca or 580-2424 ext. 28439.
Document 3
DETAILS OF RECOMMENDED ZONING
The subject lands shown on Document 1 will be rezoned from CN3 [513] to CN3 [513] F(6.75) H(66.3).
Document 4
DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT
Document 5
CONSULTATION DETAILS
NOTIFICATION AND CONSULTATION PROCESS
Notification and public consultation was undertaken
in accordance with the Public Notification and Public Consultation Policy
approved by City Council for Zoning By-law Amendments.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
The rezoning application was subject to public notification and consultation, which required the posting of an on-site sign and circulation to concerned community groups. Six responses were received as a result of the public notification process. Three respondents expressed opposition to the application, one respondent expressed support of the application, and two expressed concerns.
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC INPUT
Those in opposition to the project expressed concern over three issues: height, traffic and parking and environment and health concerns. In regards to height, there is a concern that the height of the proposed building is out of character with the existing built form along Preston Street. Respondents were also concerned that the proposed building will have an unwanted shadowing effect on Preston Street and the smaller residential uses to the north.
Parking and traffic is also a concern of several respondents. Mainly, those opposed to the project believe that the proposed building will exacerbate the traffic problems in the area and that there will not be enough on-site parking to accommodated the residents and users of the proposed development.
Finally, one respondent was concerned that cars idling in the proposed parking area adjacent to the existing apartment building on Sydney Street will have an adverse effect on the health of residents in the area.
Staff are satisfied that the proposed development is appropriate for the subject site and that it conforms to the City's planning policy for the Preston Street corridor. The proposed development meets the zoning requirement for parking. Issues such as parking lot layout and access will be dealt with through the Site Plan Control process. Staff are satisfied that the proposed development will not have an adverse impact in regards to the health of adjacent residents.
COUNCILLOR’S COMMENTS
Councillor Diane Holmes is aware of this application.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION COMMENTS
The following letter was received from the Dalhousie Community Association.
"This site is on Preston St. Preston St is identified as the Main Street in the Preston-Champagne Secondary Plan [P-CSP]. This site is not on Carling Ave. or any of the lands designated in the P-CSP for high profile development along Carling or west of the O-train. Rather it is on land designated as ‘mainstreet’.
HEIGHT
For traditional mainstreets the Official Plan [OP] “supports compatible development that respects the character of the street and adjacent areas along Traditional Mainstreets.........with buildings between four and six stories.....[Amd’t No.28, section 3.6.3]. This proposal is therefore not in conformance with the OP.
In the Preston-Champagne Secondary Plan, the ‘Vision” for Preston St. is “low to medium profile”. [item 6.2], and the ‘Policy” for Preston St is to “require low to medium profile.” [6.4.1)iv)]. This proposal is therefore not in conformance with the P-CSP.
The not-to-distantly established Zoning allows for six stories and a mandatory setback above three stories to realize the aims of the OP and the P-CSP. The proposed 18-storey height is too high and does not setback. The proposed 18 stories is even more incompatible with the existing two to three storey buildings along Preston.
The Draft Urban Design Guidelines for Development along Traditional Mainstreets has an ‘Objective’ to “promote development that will enhance and reinforce the scale and character of traditional mainstreets”. This proposal does not. Nor is this proposal compatible with Guideline #13 which calls for a 45degree angle setback from residential lot lines. The adjacent low-profile residential zone at the northwest corner of the site would be subject to a building looming over them to an enormous height. (The proponents shadow studies are inexplicably taken outside the hours and the seasons when the proposed tower will shadow these homes).
The proposed 3.5 times increase in height on Preston is totally incompatible with the all the above policies and guidelines. To recommend such a height would fundamentally undermine the OP and P-CSP policies as well as the Urban Design Guidelines for traditional mainstreets.
PARKING, TRAFFIC AND DENSITY
At the public meeting on September 20th, the use of the floors above the ground level shops was identified as a private hospital; the very raison d’etre for the project. Such a use is not a permitted use in this area. The most similar permitted use is a medical office. Parking needs should be determined on that basis. The quantity of parking proposed does not appear to satisfy the uses intended, particularly since the proponent indicated an intent to provide one underground parking stall per condo.
Sydney St. is an awkward street to access and exit onto Preston from. The tailback lanes on Preston make it difficult, time consuming and dangerous to left turn to, or from, Sydney St. The additional traffic create by such a dense development will cause traffic chaos on Sydney St. and at Preston [reference: anecdotal evidence from users of the CIBC drive-thru teller and bank, and Dow Honda motors].
Summary
The proposed tower is not in conformance with the OP, the P-CSP or the draft Urban Design Guidelines for Traditional Mainstreets.
None of the precedent buildings cited by the proponent are on the mainstreet that is Preston St. They are either in conformance with the P-CSP [Adobe, Cdn. Medical Protection], were built prior to zoning by-laws [Loretta apt], were built by the Federal government [EMR Booth St], or are totally elsewhere [Agriculture Canada, Civic Hosp. Residence].
The subject property is NOT in the high profile lands designated in the P-CSP. Indeed, the Preston/Mainstreet designation of the P-CSP extends continuously right to Carling to ensure an “opening” to Carling and Dow’s Lake.
We recommend that this application be not recommended."
Staff Response to Comments
Height:
Staff are satisfied that the proposed development is consistent with the goals of the City Council Approved Official Plan, which states that greater building heights will be considered along Traditional Mainstreet in circumstances where the development fosters the creation of a community focus, where the proposal is on a corner lot, or at a gateway location or at a location where there are opportunities to support transit at a transit stop or station. As mentioned above, the proposed development falls under all three of these categories. First, the proposed development is located on Preston Street, just north of the intersection of Carling Avenue. This intersection is recognized as the gateway to Ottawa’s ‘Little Italy’ neighbourhood. As such, this location is suitable for the development of a landmark building that serves to enhance the established gateway of a significant regional community. Secondly, the proposed development is on a corner lot. Finally, the proposed building is located approximately 100 metres from the Carling Avenue O-Train Station. The introduction of a high-profile development with an increased amount and range of housing to take advantage of existing and proposed transit services is appropriate for this location.
In addition to its relationship to the Traditional Mainstreet area, the proposed development is also located within the Carling Avenue corridor, which accommodates several high-profile commercial buildings within a three-block radius of the subject site. The height of the proposed development conforms to the general height plain established by existing buildings along this stretch of Carling Avenue.
Finally, both the City Council Approved Plan, the Urban Design Guidelines for Mainstreets and the former City of Ottawa Official Plan provide direction with respect to techniques that can be used to provide for a compatible built form relationship between higher profile and low profile development. These include provisions for upper floor setbacks and use of various architectural techniques that break up building mass. The proposal provides for an increased setback for much of the upper component of the development and also utilizes a strong horizontal architectural element to ensure a human scale relationship with Preston Street.
Parking and Traffic:
Staff are satisfied that the proposed development will have an adequate amount of parking to service the uses contained within the subject site. Details with respect to access will be determined through the Site Plan Control process. This may require a site access assessment to ensure access is appropriately located relative to the operations of the adjacent roads.