6.             SALE OF LAND - PART OF THE ROAD ALLOWANCE ADJACENT TO 4100 STRANDHERD DRIVE

 

VENTE DE TERRAIN - PARTIE DE L’EMPRISE ADJACENTE AU 4100, PROMINADE STRANDHERD

 

 

 

Committee RecommendationS

 

That Council:

 

1.      Declare a parcel of vacant land, shown hatched on the attached Annex “A”, containing an area of 0.124 ha, described as part of the Road Allowance between Concessions 3 and 4 (Rideau Front), geographic Township of Nepean, now City of Ottawa, as surplus to the City’s needs; and

 

2.      Approve the sale of the land detailed in Recommendation 1, subject to any utility easements that may be required, to Cedarview Square Inc. for $60,000.00 plus GST, pursuant to an Agreement of Purchase and Sale that has been received.

 

 

RecommandationS du comité

 

Que le Conseil :

 

1.   Déclare excédentaire aux besoins de la Ville une parcelle du terrain vacant – partie hachurée sur l’annexe A ci-jointe – mesurant 0,124 hectare et désignée portion de l’emprise routière entre les concessions 3 et 4 (façade rivière Rideau), canton géographique de Nepean, maintenant ville d’Ottawa; et

 

2.   Approuve la vente du terrain décrit à la recommandation 1, sous réserve de tout besoin de droits de passage, à Cedarview Square Inc. pour la somme de 60 000,00 $ plus TPS, conformément à la convention d’achat et de vente reçue.

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.   Executive Director, Business Transformation Services’ report 9 September 2008 (ACS2008-BTS-RPM-0034).

 

 

Report to/Rapport au :

 

Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee

Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

9 September 2008/le 9 septembre 2008

 

Submitted by / Soumis par : Stephen A. Finnamore, Executive Director, Business Transformation Services / Directeur exécutif, Services de transformation des activités

 

Contact Person / Personne ressource : Gordon MacNair, Manager

Real Property Asset Management / Gestion des actifs des biens immobiliers

(613) 580-2424 x21217, Gordon.MacNair@ottawa.ca

 

Barrhaven (3)

Ref N°: ACS2008-BTS-RPM-0034

 

 

SUBJECT:

SALE OF LAND - PART OF THE ROAD ALLOWANCE ADJACENT TO 4100 STRANDHERD DRIVE

 

 

OBJET :

VENTE DE TERRAIN - PARTIE DE L’EMPRISE ADJACENTE AU 4100, PROMINADE STRANDHERD

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend Council:

 

1.                  Declare a parcel of vacant land, shown hatched on the attached Annex “A”, containing an area of 0.124 ha, described as part of the Road Allowance between Concessions 3 and 4 (Rideau Front), geographic Township of Nepean, now City of Ottawa, as surplus to the City’s needs; and

 

2.                  Approve the sale of the land detailed in Recommendation 1, subject to any utility easements that may be required, to Cedarview Square Inc. for $60,000.00 plus GST, pursuant to an Agreement of Purchase and Sale that has been received.

 

 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique recommande au Conseil :

 

1.         De déclarer excédentaire aux besoins de la Ville une parcelle du terrain vacant – partie hachurée sur l’annexe A ci-jointe – mesurant 0,124 hectare et désignée portion de l’emprise routière entre les concessions 3 et 4 (façade rivière Rideau), canton géographique de Nepean, maintenant ville d’Ottawa; et

 

2.         D’approuver la vente du terrain décrit à la recommandation 1, sous réserve de tout besoin de droits de passage, à Cedarview Square Inc. pour la somme de 60 000,00 $ plus TPS, conformément à la convention d’achat et de vente reçue.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

Cedarview Square Inc. is the owner of a 1.1 ha site at 4100 Strandherd Drive, which is situated in the northwesterly corner of the intersection of Gorman and Strandherd Drives in the community of Barrhaven South.  Situated adjacent to the westerly boundary of this site is an untravelled portion of road allowance, which is shown hatched on the attached Annex “A” sketch. 

 

Cedarview Square Inc. is currently in the process of developing its property with a 30,000 sq. ft. neighbourhood centre with approximately 15 – 20 stores.  In connection with this development, Cedarview Square has expressed an interest in purchasing the abutting road allowance, and to facilitate the purchase has submitted an application to have it closed.

 

Planning and Infrastructure Approvals Branch pursuant to the Delegation of Authority By-law 2001-12 as amended approved the closure of the portion of the road allowance shown hatched on the attached Annex A, subject to the following conditions:

 

  1. Notice of the proposed closing shall be given in accordance with By-law No. 2002-522;

 

  1. A conveyance of a closed road shall be at current market value in accordance with By-law No. 2002-38.

 

  1. The applicant/purchaser(s) will be responsible for all costs of the road closing and sale including the application fee (which includes the cost of advertising/giving notice), survey/reference plan, appraisal (if any), removal of encumbrances (if any), registration of documents, land transfer tax and GST if applicable;

 

  1. That prior to the enactment of the closing by-law, the applicant shall provide the following material to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor:

 

(i)                  The applicant/purchaser(s) shall have provided to the City Solicitor, a plan of survey/reference plan, showing the road, or portion thereof, to be closed, the parcels of land therein to be conveyed to all parties, any existing or required utility easements and a registerable legal description of all such parcels of land, to the satisfaction of the City Surveyor;

 

(ii)                The applicant/purchaser(s) of all closed portions of the road being sold, shall have provided to the City Solicitor, written confirmation that any zoning violation which may result from the closing, will be the applicant/purchaser(s) responsibility to remedy, and;

 

(iii)               A binding Agreement of Purchase and Sale shall have been entered into by the City and the applicant/purchaser(s) for the closed road;

 

  1. Should the conditions of Paragraph 4 above not be fulfilled within one (1) year of the date of approval of the road closing application, the approval of the road closing application shall be null and void;

 

  1. The Municipal Act provides that the closing by-law enacted by City Council does not take effect until registered on title.  If the City is selling the closed road, the by-law will not be registered on title until such time as the conveyance of the closed road is completed pursuant to an Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

An agreement has been reached with Cedarview Square Inc. to purchase the subject property for $60,000.00, subject to a 5 metre wide permanent easement in favour of Hydro Ottawa and any other utility easements that may be required. 

 

The purchaser is proposing to utilize the subject road allowance as a parking area in conjunction with its development, which is in keeping with its Commercial Neighbourhood zoning. 

 

City policy requires the sale of property to be on the basis of market value.  An independent fee appraisal confirms the recommended sale price to be consistent with current market values for comparable lands in the area.

 

The offer is considered fair and reasonable and approval of this sale is recommended.

 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There have been no environmental implications identified for the sale of this parcel.

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

In accordance with policies approved by City Council on 14 November 2001, the availability of the property was circulated to all client City Departments, including the Housing Branch, Public Works and Services and Planning, Transit and the Environment, to determine if the parcel should be retained for a City mandated program.  The Environmental Management Group of the Planning, Transit and the Environment Department was consulted with respect to the Greenspace Master Plan and their comments are indicated under the Environmental Implications section of this report.  Neither the Housing Branch nor any other City Department expressed interest in retaining the property.

 

The utility companies were also circulated and no requirements were indicated.

 

The following Advisory Committees have been circulated:

 

Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC)

Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee (OFGAC)

Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)

Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC)

Roads and Cycling Advisory Committee (RCAC)

 

No concerns were expressed with respect to the sale of the subject property to the abutting owner.

 

The Ward Councillor has been made aware of the intent to dispose of the subject property through the circulation process and by subsequent notification.

 

 

HOUSING FIRST POLICY

 

The Official Plan policy directs that the City make land available for affordable housing and give priority for the sale or lease of surplus City-owned property for this purpose. 

 

The Housing First Policy, approved by Council on 13 July 2005, establishes priority consideration to the Housing Branch in the identification of potentially surplus City-owned property, to be used in achieving the City’s affordable housing program targets.  The policy also requires that the Official Plan target of 25% affordable housing, be met on any City-owned property sold for residential development.  Where viable, residential properties are disposed of without a condition requiring an affordable housing component, 25% of the proceeds from the sale are to be credited to a housing fund, to be used for the development of affordable housing elsewhere in the City.

 

The subject is a non-viable property in a commercial zone and therefore does not meet the affordable housing criteria outlined in the Housing First Policy.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

This transaction represents revenue of $60,000.00 to the Corporation and will be credited to the City’s Sale of Surplus Land Account.

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Attached as Annex "A" is a sketch showing the portion of the road allowance to be closed and sold to the abutting owner.

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

Following Council’s approval, Real Property Asset Management and Legal Services Branches will finalize the transaction.