4.             REMOVAL OF PARKLAND DEDICATION – NORTH SIDE OF BYRON AVENUE BETWEEN GOLDEN AVENUE AND ROOSEVELT AVENUE

 

abrogation de l’affectation de terrains à vocation de parc – côté nord de l’avenue byron entre les avenues golden et roosevelt

 

 

Committee recommendations

 

That Council:

 

1.         Approve the repeal of the parkland dedication for the property located on the north side of Byron Avenue between Golden Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue, as shown and described in Document 1.

 

2.         Approve having the subject lands dedicated as part of the Byron Avenue public road right-of-way.

 

 

Recommandations du Comité

 

Que le Conseil :

 

1.                  approuve l’abrogation de l’affectation de terrains à vocation de parc en ce qui concerne la propriété située du côté nord de l’avenue Byron, entre les avenues Golden et Roosevelt, comme il est indiqué et décrit dans le Document 1.

 

2.                  approuve l’affectation des terrains en question à l’emprise routière de l’avenue Byron.

 

 

Documentation

 

1.         Deputy City Manager's report, Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability, dated 27 November 2008 (ACS2008-ICS-PLA-0236).
Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

27 November 2008 / le 27 novembre 2008

 

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

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability/

Services d’infrastructure et Viabilité des collectivités

 

Contact Person/Personne-ressource : Grant Lindsay, Manager/Gestionnaire, Development Approvals/Approbation des demandes d'aménagement, Planning Branch/Direction de l’urbanisme

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

 

Kitchissippi (15)

Ref N°: ACS2008-ICS-PLA-0236

 

 

SUBJECT:

Removal of parkland dedication – north side of byron avenue between golden avenue and roosevelt avenue (file no. d07-14-07-0012)

 

 

OBJET :

abrogation de l’affectation de terrains à vocation de parc – côté nord de l’avenue byron entre les avenues golden et roosevelt

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council:

 

1.         Approve the repeal of the parkland dedication for the property located on the north side of Byron Avenue between Golden Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue, as shown and described in Document 1.

 

2.         Approve having the subject lands dedicated as part of the Byron Avenue public road right-of-way.

 

 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil :

 

1.                  d’approuver l’abrogation de l’affectation de terrains à vocation de parc en ce qui concerne la propriété située du côté nord de l’avenue Byron, entre les avenues Golden et Roosevelt, comme il est indiqué et décrit dans le Document 1.

 

2.                  d’approuver l’affectation des terrains en question à l’emprise routière de l’avenue Byron.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The subject portion of the Byron Linear Park is located on the north side of Byron Avenue between Golden and Roosevelt Avenues.  It is within the block of land bounded by Richmond Road, Roosevelt Avenue, Byron Avenue and Golden Avenue, where approvals have recently been given (Zoning Amendment and Site Plan Control) for the redevelopment of the property with two new buildings (eight and ten-storeys) known as Westboro Station.  These buildings are proposed to have commercial uses on the ground floor and residential on the upper floors.  There will be two levels of underground parking and access to the underground parking garage will be provided from Byron Avenue.   The existing uses of the lands to the north of the subject parklands are presently occupied with low-rise (one to four-storey) commercial buildings with surface parking.   

 

Purpose of Proposal

 

The removal of the strip of dedicated parkland from the City’s park inventory is subject to policies from the former City of Ottawa.  This policy requires that a two-thirds majority of Council approve in principle the possibility of removing lands from the City’s park inventory and to seek public input on the proposal. This is in turn followed by a public meeting and a Council decision which requires a two-thirds majority to formally declare the lands surplus.

 

A motion was presented at the Planning and Environment Committee of 18 August 2008 recommending that the subject lands be declared surplus parkland and removed from the City’s park inventory.  The motion also recommended that the lands be formally dedicated by by-law as part of the Byron Avenue right-of-way.  To comply with the policies of the former City of Ottawa dedicated to the removal of parkland dedication, the Department was to undertake the steps required and report back to Council with recommendations related to the above.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The City Operations Department has confirmed that the subject strip of land does not function as a formal park, but rather as a landscaped boulevard for Byron Avenue, and does not object to the removal of its dedicated park status.  Removal of these lands from the parkland inventory would have no impact on the function the Byron linear park provides in the community.  As well, the presence of the strip of dedicated parkland precludes having vehicular access provided from Byron Avenue to the developments proposed without the need of an easement.  Removal of this land from the park inventory, and having the lands dedicated as part of the Byron Avenue right-of-way would allow direct access from the street (Byron Avenue) to the new development.  The strip of land will also be improved with the introduction of a sidewalk and landscaping as a boulevard which will improve the functional connection of the strip being the Byron linear park to the east and to the west.

 

CONSULTATION

 

Notice of this application was carried out in accordance with the City's policies related to the disposal of excess parkland.  The Ward Councillor is aware of this application and the staff recommendation.  A public meeting was held in the community of which three persons attended.  As a result of the public meeting, the City did not receive any negative comments or opposition to having the parkland status of the strip of land removed to allow the lands to be dedicated as part of the Byron Avenue right-of-way.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1      Location Map

 

DISPOSITION

 

City Clerk and Legal Services Branch, Legislative Services to notify the adjacent owner, Bourk’s Family Development c/o Ken Hoppner, 135 Walgreen Road, Carp, Ontario, K0A 1L0, of City Council’s decision.

 

Legal Services to prepare and forward to City Council the required By-laws to implement Recommendations 1 and 2.


LOCATION MAP                                                                                                  DOCUMENT 1