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8. DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE ZONING BY-LAW - Interim Report on COMMENTS
RECEIVED DURING THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS in the Urban areA RÈGLEMENT DE ZONAGE PRÉLIMAIRE - RAPPORT D'ÉTAPE SUR LES COMMENTAIRES
REÇUS DURANT LE PROCESSUS DE CONSULTATION PUBLIQUE DANS LE SECTEUR RURAL |
Committee recommendation
That Council receive this report for
information purposes.
Recommandation du Comité
Que le Conseil prenne connaissance du présent rapport.
Documentation
1. A/Deputy City Manager's report (Planning
and Growth Management) dated
29 September 2006 (ACS2006-PGM-POL-0071).
Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
29 September 2006 / le 29 septembre 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par : John L. Moser, Acting Deputy City Manager/
Directeur municipal adjoint par intérim,
Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Richard Kilstrom, Manager
Planning, Environment and Infrastructure
Policy/Politiques d’urbanisme, d’environnement et d’infrastructure
(613) 580-2424 x 22653,
richard.kilstrom@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council receive this report for information purposes.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement recommande au Conseil de prendre connaissance du présent
rapport.
BACKGROUND
Subsequent
to approval of the public consultation process and project timelines by City
Council on May 10, 2006, the draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law was released for
public consultation as of May 26, 2006 and a series of urban area public open
houses were held in June, 2006. As
well, presentations were made to major stakeholders including the
Ottawa-Carleton Homebuilders Association (OCHBA), Building Owners and Managers
Association (BOMA), Federation of Community Associations (FCA) and
representatives of the Federal Government departments and the National Capital
Commission (NCC). All relevant City Advisory Committees have been briefed as
well.
The
seven urban open houses took place at the Nepean Sportsplex, Ron
Kolbus-Lakeside Centre, City Hall, Jim Durrell Community Centre, St.Laurent
Complex, Orleans Recreational Complex and the John G. Mlacak Centre on June 5,
6, 7,12,13,15 and 22 respectively. The open houses were advertised in the
Citizen and Le Droit, on the City's web site and in a number of local
newspapers including Nepean This Week, The News West, The News South, Vanier
Perspectives, Weekly Journal and L'Express. As well, a letter listing the
scheduled open houses was sent to 221 Community Groups, including all community
associations, condominium corporations and places of worship that are
registered with the City, and to 53 public bodies and external technical
agencies. Since these open houses, presentations and meetings have been held with community associations, planning
consultants and individuals in August and September to discuss the draft
Comprehensive Zoning By-law. There have been follow-up meetings as well with
the Business Advisory Committee and the Health, Recreation and Social Services
Advisory Committee.
Direction was given to provide two interim reports on comments received. This would consist of the report on comments received at the June open houses, which was submitted to the July 11th Planning and Environment Committee meeting; and this report at its October 24th meeting, that includes any additional comments received over the summer and up to a cut off date for receipt of comments by September 15th.
DISCUSSION
Most
draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law inquiries about the urban area received to
date involve site-specific discussions about individual properties and the
surrounding community. It should be noted that no comments have been received
to date from many of the major
stakeholders (OCHBA, BOMA, Chambers of Commerce, FCA, Federal Government
Departments and most community associations). However comments have been
received from the following public bodies, advisory committees and community
associations: West Wellington Community Association, Rothwell Heights Property
Owners Association, Health and Social Services Advisory Committee, TransCanada
Pipeline, NCC, Ontario Realty Corporation, Canadian National Railway,
Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board, Ottawa International Airport Authority
and Conservation Authorities (RVCA, SNRCA, MVCA). The public and public bodies
have until December 1, 2006 to provide comments in order for staff to consider
revisions to the draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law. It is anticipated that a
revised document will be released in advance of the public hearings on the
draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law in late Winter or early Spring of 2007.
The
following general zoning comments or issues were raised:
1.
Considerable positive feedback has been received about the user-friendliness
and accessibility of the draft Zoning By-law on the City's website, both from
the public, public bodies and government agencies and the private sector.
2. A concern has been raised about the elimination of transitional parking, and the lack of provisions to allow tandem parking in surface parking lots in the Central Area.
3. Some of the provisions of the MC-Mixed Use Centre Zone are seen as too restrictive (minimum lot area, limits to uses and minimum building height in proximity to a transit station). A review of these concerns is currently underway.
4. The flood plain overlay land use prohibitions are seen as too restrictive. A request has been received to reconsider the extent of these prohibited uses. Staff will be reviewing these comments with the Conservation Authorities.
5. Electrical transmission facilities are not permitted in the EP-Environmental Protection Zone. A concern has been expressed that this could create obstacles for the provision of hydro services, so consideration is being given to eliminating this prohibition.
6. A comment has been received suggesting that parking requirements for high schools should be reduced to reflect the reduction in the number of student vehicle users since the elimination of Grade 13. The proposed parking standards are being re-considered in light of more recent data.
7. As noted in the July 11 interim report, Section 55, the proposed provisions for accessory uses, buildings and structures, does not permit the erection of an accessory building in a required residential front yard; this would prevent the installation of a seasonal car shelter in a required front yard (now allowed in Vanier). One comment was received indicating that they should be allowed in the required front yard, in order to minimize the amount of snow shoveling required, particularly for persons with health problems. However, the draft by-law does propose to allow these shelters on other parts of residential lots that are not the required front yard or corner side yard, and would allow them throughout the city, including where they are currently not permitted. A number of comments have been received requesting that provisions come into effect immediately.
8. Staff is reviewing the separation area requirements for group homes, with the aim of creating one urban city-wide regulation, rather than two zones for separate separation areas, thus promoting the Official Plan policy of enabling this use throughout all areas of the city.
Staff is also contacting all group home operators to ensure that they are aware of the proposed new zoning regulations. It is the aim of staff that all existing group homes will be made legal conforming in the new Zoning By-law though site-specific exception where necessary, while ensuring that new group homes and shelters are subject to the new separation distances and size limitations.
9. In Rothwell Heights, where there are large lots and a great deal of greenspace, newer large houses are being built with very small side yards, which the community feels goes against the original character of lots with large side yards. The reduction in the side yard development also reduces the amount of greenspace on individual lots.
The community association would like staff to review the minimum interior side yard regulation of 1 metre, which currently exists in the former Gloucester Zoning By-law, and which is carried over in the draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law, and consider increasing the size to be more in relation to the large lot size requirement of 1390 square metres.
10. The Health and Social Services Advisory Committee provided detailed comments primarily about proposed definitions, parking and the zones where community health and social services centres are either proposed to be permitted or where they are not listed.
11. Concerns have been raised about the new Zoning By-law requirement to provide a certain percentage of landscaping within large parking lots.
12. Concerns were identified about the definition of "shopping centre" and there are requests to specifically list "garden centre" as a permitted use, even though staff would consider this to be part of a retail business use.
13. Many comments have been received regarding the provisions for Accessory Satellite Dish or Accessory Amateur Radio Antenna in Residential Zones. Staff have been discussing the concerns with the several members of the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) who have volunteered their assistance in reviewing and revising the proposed provisions.
CONSULTATION
This is an information report that deals with consultation on this subject of the draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS