4.             ZONING - 791 MONTRÉAL ROAD

 

ZONAGE - 791, CHEMIN MONTRÉAL

 

 

 

Committee recommendation

 

(This application is subject to Bill 51)

 

That Council approve an amendment to the former City of Ottawa Zoning By-law to change the zoning of 791 Montreal Road from R4A [235] (Multiple-Unit Exception Zone 235) to R4A [***] (New Multiple-Unit Exception Zone) to permit "office" as an aditional permitted use as detailed in Document 2.

 

 

Recommandation du Comité

 

(Cette demande est assujettie au Règlement 51)

 

Que le Conseil approuve une modification au Règlement de zonage de l'ancienne Ville d'Ottawa afin de changer le zonage de la propriété située au 791, chemin Montréal, de R4A [235] (Zone résidentielle d'habitations multiples – exception 235) à R4A [***] (Zone résidentielle d'habitations multiples – nouvelle exception ***) afin de permettre également l'aménagement d'un « bureau », comme l'explique le document 2.

 

 

Documentation

 

1.      Deputy City Manager's report Planning, Transit and the Environment dated 12 March 2008 (ACS2008-PTE-PLA-0064).

 

 


Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

12 March 2008 / le 12 mars 2008

 

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

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Planning, Transit and the Environment

Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement

 

Contact Person/Personne Ressource : Grant Lindsay, Manager / Gestionnaire, Development Approvals / Approbation des demandes d'aménagement

(613) 580-2424, 13242  Grant.Lindsay@ottawa.ca

 

Rideau-Rockcliffe (13)

Ref N°: ACS2008-PTE-PLA-0064

 

 

SUBJECT:

ZONING - 791 MontrÉal Road (FILE NO. D02-02-08-0004)

 

 

OBJET :

ZONAGE - 791, chemin montrÉal

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That the  recommend Council approve an amendment to the former City of Ottawa Zoning By-law to change the zoning of 791 Montreal Road from R4A [235] (Multiple-Unit Exception Zone 235) to R4A [***] (New Multiple-Unit Exception Zone) to permit "office" as an aditional permitted use as detailed in Document 2.

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité de  recommande au Conseil d'approuver une modification au Règlement de zonage de l'ancienne Ville d'Ottawa afin de changer le zonage de la propriété située au 791, chemin Montréal, de R4A [235] (Zone résidentielle d'habitations multiples – exception 235) à R4A [***] (Zone résidentielle d'habitations multiples – nouvelle exception ***) afin de permettre également l'aménagement d'un « bureau », comme l'explique le document 2.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

Located on the north side of Montreal Road, east of Lang’s Road and the Aviation Parkway, and west of Codd’s Road, the subject lands are currently occupied by a vacant one-storey building, which will be retained. 

The property is slightly irregularly shaped, with 30.48 metres of frontage, 40.31 metres of depth, and a lot area of 1014.2 square metres.  The subject lands are currently zoned R4A [235], which is a Multiple Unit Residential subzone with an exception to permit a “utility installation”. 

 

A sliver of land to the east of the subject property provides access to a hydro substation located immediately to the north.  Beyond the substation, the lands further north are developed with predominantly residential uses.  Located south of the property is a large parcel of vacant lands owned by Canada Lands Corporation.  Immediately to the west of these lands is the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation complex.  Residential uses, including a recently constructed residential development, occupy the lands to the east.  Commercial uses are located towards Codd’s Road, and vacant lands are located immediately to the west of the subject lands.  Moving west towards Aviation Parkway is a mix of residential, commercial, and institutional uses.

 

The purpose of this Zoning Amendment is to permit the location of an office in the existing building.  It is proposed that a site-specific exception be created to allow this additional use.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Official Plan 

 

The subject lands are designated “Arterial Mainstreet” in the Official Plan.  A broad range of uses is encouraged on Arterial Mainstreets, including retail and service commercial uses, offices, residential and institutional uses. Uses may be mixed in individual buildings or occur side by side in separate buildings. It is appropriate to locate an office adjacent to residential uses on an Arterial Mainstreet.

 

Redevelopment and infill are encouraged on Traditional and Arterial Mainstreets in order to optimize the use of land through increased building height and density.  Arterial Mainstreets are described as those that have generally developed after 1945, and that typically present an urban fabric of larger lots, larger buildings, varied setbacks, lower densities and a more automobile-oriented environment, often within a divided cross section of four or more lanes.  Development along these corridors will be encouraged to occur in a way that facilitates the gradual transition to a more intensive urban pattern of land use. This could mean that, over time, higher density employment and residential uses could be introduced where appropriate.

 

The section of Montreal Road between the Aviation Parkway and Codd’s Road includes a mix of residential, commercial, and institutional uses.  Recent developments have been built closer to the street, and at higher densities.  Additional redevelopment opportunities exist in the area.  It is the intention of the applicant to retain the exiting building for the present time, but to redevelop the property, maintaining the office use, in the future. 

The property is large enough to accommodate the required parking on-site, while maintaining the majority of the existing landscaping.

 

The Official Plan notes that Traditional and Arterial Mainstreets, or portions thereof, represent important areas for the preparation of Community Design Plans in accordance with the policies of Section 2.5.6. 

 

While a Community Design Plan is not contemplated for this section of Montreal Road at this time, the Official Plan requires that development proposals on Mainstreets be evaluated in the context of the policies in Section 2.5.6, the Design Objectives and Principles in Section 2.5.1, and the Compatibility policies set out in Section 4.11.  The current proposal does not include any proposed construction or development, and the use would be appropriately located.

 

Zoning By-law

 

The subject lands are currently zoned R4A [235].  This is a Multiple Unit Residential subzone with an exception to permit a “utility installation”.  The purpose of the R4 zone is to permit a range of residential uses to encourage medium density development, and a variety of ground-oriented dwelling types to ensure the efficient use of existing building stock.  The R4A subzone permits a range of residential uses including detached houses, semi-detached townhouses, retirement homes (converted from another use), special needs houses (with a maximum of 12 residents), and rooming houses (converted from another use).  No commercial uses are permitted in this zone.

 

The proposed zoning for the property in the draft Comprehensive Zoning By-law is R4A.  This is the Residential Fourth Density Zone.  The purpose of this zone is to allow a wide mix of residential building forms ranging from detached to low-rise apartment dwellings, in some cases limited to four units, and in no case more than four storeys, in areas designated as General Urban Area in the Official Plan. 

 

Neither of the current nor the proposed R4 zones contemplate commercial uses, outside of a home-based business.  However, based on the designation of this property as Arterial Mainstreet in the Official Plan, it would be appropriate to apply a site-specific exception to permit an office to be located at this location.

 

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.  A summary of the comments received is included in Document 3-Consultation Details.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

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      Details of Recommended Zoning

Document 3      Consultation Details

 

DISPOSITION

 

City Clerk’s Branch, Council and Committee Services to notify the owner, Monireh Riahi, Cyrus Investments Inc., 2304 Longwater Street, Ottawa, ON  K1W 1K4, applicant, FoTenn Consultants Inc., Attn: Nadia De Santi, 233 McLeod Street, Ottawa, ON  K2P 0Z2, OttawaScene.com, 174 Colonnade Road, Unit #33, Ottawa, ON  K2E 7J5, Ghislain Lamarche, Program Manager, Assessment, Financial Services Branch (Mail Code:  26-76) of City Council’s decision.

 

Planning, Transit and the Environment Department to prepare the implementing by-law, forward to Legal Services Branch and undertake the statutory notification.

 

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


LOCATION MAP                                                                                                  DOCUMENT 1

 


DETAILS OF RECOMMENDED ZONING                                                       DOCUMENT 2

 

The property known municipally as 791 Montreal Road, and shown on Document 1, is rezoned from R4A [235] (Multiple-Unit Exception subzone) to R4A [***] (Multiple-Unit Exception subzone), and the following provisions apply:

 

Additional Uses Permitted

-         utility installation

-         office

 

Provisions

-         Maximum building height for a building containing an office, 11.0 metres

-         Minimum required front yard setback for an office, 3.0 metres

-         Minimum required rear yard for an office, 7.5 metres

-         Minimum required easterly side yard for an office, no minimum

-         Minimum required westerly side yard for an office, 3.0 metres

-         Minimum required width of landscaped area for an office where a yard is required, Where a minimum yard setback is required for a yard abutting a street, a minimum landscaped area of 3 metres in width must be provided in that required yard; Where a minimum yard setback is required for a yard which does not abut a street, a minimum landscaped area of 3 metres in width must be provided and that landscaped area may be reduced to 0.6 metres in width where a minimum 1.4-metre height opaque screen is provided.

-         Minimum required width of landscaped area for an office in all other cases, not required.

 

 


CONSULTATION DETAILS                                                                                DOCUMENT 3

 

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

 

 

Response to Comment:  A Community Design Plan is not scheduled to be completed for this area.

 

 

Response to Comment:  The City does not have any information regarding the proposed future use of these lands.  No applications have been submitted, and no pre-consultation meetings have been held.

 

 

Response to Comment:  The property description states that the property has a frontage of 30.48 metres, and a depth of 40.31 metres.  The property is not, however, square.  The lot area, as noted on the Surveyor’s Real Property Report submitted with the application, is 1014.2 m2.

 

 

Response to Comment:  The purpose of the zoning application is to add “office” as a permitted use, additional to the uses currently permitted by the R4A [235] zoning.  In order to establish a use other than those permitted uses, an additional application to amend the Zoning By-law would be required.

 

 

Response to Comment:  The City of Ottawa Zoning By-law establishes permitted uses in several ways.  The first is through the parent zoning designation (in this case, R4), another is through the creation of subzones and specific zone provisions, and another is through the creation of site-specific exceptions.  In this case, an exception is proposed for 791 Montreal Road, to permit “office” as an additional permitted use to the uses currently permitted by R4A[235].


 

COUNCILLOR’S COMMENTS

The Councillor is aware of the application and approves of the zoning exception to permit an office use in the existing house.