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1. APPLICATION TO ALTER 294 MANOR AVENUE, A PROPERTY DESIGNATED UNDER PART V OF THE ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT AND LOCATED IN THE ROCKCLIFFE PARK HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT
DEMANDE DE MODIFICATION DE LA PROPRIÉTÉ SITUÉE AU 294, AVENUE MANOR, DÉSIGNÉE EN VERTU DE LA PARTIE V DE LA LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO ET SITUÉE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DE ROCKCLIFFE PARK
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
That Council:
1. Approve the application for alterations at 294 Manor Avenue according to plans submitted by Denis Kane, ARC Associates, August 3, 2010;
2. Issue the heritage permit with a two-year expiry date from the date of issuance;
3. Delegate authority for minor design changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth Management Department.
(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act will expire on October 31, 2010)
(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a building permit.)
RECOMMANDATIONS COMITÉ
Que le Conseil :
1. approuve la demande de modification de la propriété située au 294, avenue Manor, selon les plans soumis par Denis Kane, ARC Associates, le 3 août 2010;
2. délivre un permis en matière de patrimoine doté d’une date d’expiration de deux ans à compter de la date d’émission;
3. délègue la prise de décision concernant les modifications techniques mineures au directeur général, Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance.
(Nota : Le délai réglementaire de 90 jours d’examen de cette demande, exigé en vertu de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario, prendra fin le 31 octobre 2010.)
(Nota : L’approbation de la demande de modification aux termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario ne signifie pas pour autant qu’elle satisfait aux conditions de délivrance d’un permis de construire.)
Documentation
1. Deputy City Manager's report Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability dated 13 August 2010 (ACS2010-ICS-PGM-0163).
2. OBHAC Extract of Draft Minutes of 2 September 2010.
Report to/Rapport au :
Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee
Comité consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti d’Ottawa
and / et
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
13 August 2010 / le 13 août 2010
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 : Richard Kilstrom, Acting Manager/Gestionnaire intérimaire, Development Review-Urban Services/Examen des projets d'aménagement-Services urbains, Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
(613) 580-2424, 22379 Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:
1. Approve the application for alterations at 294 Manor Avenue according to plans submitted by Denis Kane, ARC Associates, August 3, 2010;
2. Issue the heritage permit with a two-year expiry date from the date of issuance;
3. Delegate authority for minor design changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth Management Department.
(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act will expire on October 31, 2010)
(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a building permit.)
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti d’Ottawa recommande au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement de recommander à son tour au Conseil :
4. D’approuver la demande de modification de la propriété située au 294, avenue Manor, selon les plans soumis par Denis Kane, ARC Associates, le 3 août 2010;
5. D’émettre un permis en matière de patrimoine doté d’une date d’expiration de deux ans à compter de la date d’émission;
6. De déléguer la prise de décision concernant les modifications techniques mineures au directeur général, Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance.
(Nota : Le délai réglementaire de 90 jours d’examen de cette demande, exigé en vertu de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario, prendra fin le 31 octobre 2010.)
Nota : L’approbation de la demande de modification aux termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario ne signifie pas pour autant qu’elle satisfait aux conditions de délivrance d’un permis de construire.)
BACKGROUND
294 Manor Avenue is a two-storey wood framed house clad in brick built circa 1930 in Rockcliffe Park. The Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District was designated in 1997 under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act by the former Village of Rockcliffe Park. 294 Manor Avenue is located in the middle of a block between Mariposa Avenue and Park Road. This section of Manor Avenue has an eclectic mix of housing styles as is typical throughout Rockcliffe Park (Documents 1, 2 and 3).
This report has been prepared because alterations in heritage conservation districts require City Council approval.
DISCUSSION
Recommendation 1:
294 Manor Avenue is located in the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District (HCD). The Rockcliffe Park HCD was designated for its cultural heritage value as an early planned residential community first laid out by Thomas Keefer in 1864. The district is also important for its historical associations with Keefer and his father-in-law, Thomas MacKay, the founder of New Edinburgh and the original owner of Rideau Hall. The picturesque nature of the village also contributes significantly to the cultural heritage value. The Statement of Heritage Character (Document 7) notes that today, the “Village of Rockcliffe Park is a distinctive community of private homes and related institutional properties within a park setting.”
The Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study contains guidelines for the management of development in the district. The guidelines related to buildings and landscape are applicable to this proposal:
Section iv) Buildings
4. Any application to construct a new building or addition should be reviewed with consideration of its potential to enhance the heritage character of the Village.
5. New buildings and additions should be of their own time, but should also harmonize with the existing cultural landscape. They should be sited and designed so as to retain the existing topography. The use of natural materials should be encouraged.
Section v) Soft and Hard Landscape
1. The dominance of soft landscape over hard landscape should be recognized as an essential feature of the past history and present character of the Village.
2. New buildings, fences and other landscape features or alterations and additions to existing buildings and features, should be designed and sited so as to protect and enhance significant qualities of the existing landscape.
The complete Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study was previously distributed to all Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee (OBHAC) members and is on file with the OBHAC Co-ordinator (Document 8).
This proposal involves the demolition of an existing two-storey addition on the south side of the house that includes a one-car garage. The replacement will be a larger two-storey addition with an expanded garage. The new addition will have a new kitchen and family room on the main floor and a new master bedroom and ensuite on the second floor. The addition will extend further to the rear of the property than the existing addition.
The brick on the existing addition will be salvaged during the demolition and reused to clad the lower storey of the new addition. The second storey will be clad in stucco. New windows will be built to match the existing and the roof will be clad in asphalt shingles. A new brick chimney will be built on the south side of the house (see Documents 4 and 5 for elevations and a rendering).
This project meets the guidelines above through its sensitive and cohesive design approach. The addition will be larger than the existing but the architect has worked to mitigate the impact of the increased size by setting the addition back from the front of the original house and by maintaining the roofline at a lower level than the existing house through the use of a shallow hipped roof with a flat section at the top. The setback of the addition and the use of stucco on the second storey of the addition will serve to differentiate the new from the old.
The application also includes a landscape plan (Document 6) which illustrates little change in the soft and hard landscaping on the property. The existing driveway will be widened at the garage entrance to accommodate two cars. The existing hedge will be cut back to accommodate this expansion. The mature coniferous tree currently located where the addition will go will be relocated on the property. All other existing mature trees are to remain. There will be a landscaped strip along either side of the asphalt drive. New stone steps will be added to the existing stone walkway located to the north of the driveway.
Recommendation 2:
The Ontario Heritage Act does not provide any timelines for the expiry of heritage permits. A two-year expiry date is recommended to ensure that projects are completed in a timely fashion and according to the approved heritage permit.
Recommendation 3:
Minor design elements including materials may evolve prior to the issuance of a building permit. Delegation of approval to the General Manager of Planning and Growth Management would allow potential changes to be approved without having to return to Committee and Council.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
CONSULTATION
Heritage Ottawa is aware of the application.
The Rockcliffe Park Resident’s Association was consulted on the proposal and had the following comments:
The RPRA Design Review Sub-Committee met with the Applicant and the Architect on July 21st. We made a number of suggestions regarding the proposed roofline, the window openings and the projections on the south elevation. These have been incorporated successfully in the attached drawings.
We feel that the addition has been well-considered in terms of massing and materials.
We have been advised that no variances are required for this project except, perhaps, the regularization of the existing encroachments into the northern side yard.
Residents within a 30-metre radius of the property were notified of the application by letter and invited to provide comments.
COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR(S)
Councillor Legendre is aware and does not object.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:
There are no legal/risk management implications associated with this report.
CITY STRATEGIC PLAN
Objective F 2: Respect the existing urban fabric, neighbourhood form and the limits of existing hard services, so that new growth is integrated seamlessly with established communities.
The City wants to protect the qualities and characteristics that define what is unique and special about each community while accommodating new growth.
Review applications as part of the development and infrastructure approval process for neighbourhood compatibility and the preservation of unique identities of our communities and villages.
Objective E 8: Operationalize the Ottawa 20/20 Arts & Heritage Plan.
2.1.2 Identify and Protect Archaeological and Built Heritage Resources, Streetscapes, Public and Symbolic Civic Places and Cultural Landscapes.
2.1.2.2 The City will preserve distinct built heritage, streetscapes and cultural heritage landscapes that serve as landmarks and symbols of local identity in both urban and rural districts, as outlined in the Official Plan.
TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no direct financial implications associated with this report.
APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS
This application was completed within the 90-day time period prescribed by the Ontario Heritage Act. The 90 day timeline expires on October 31, 2010.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Location Map
Document 2 Bird’s Eye and Streetview
Document 3 Existing Conditions
Document 4 Elevations
Document 5 Rendering
Document 6 Landscape Plan
Document 7 Statement of Heritage Character- Rockcliffe Park HCD
Document 8 Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study (On file with OBHAC Co‑ordinator)
DISPOSITION
City Clerk and Solicitor Department, Legislative Services to notify the property owner and the Ontario Heritage Trust (10 Adelaide Street East, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of Council’s decision to approve the application to alter under the Ontario Heritage Act.
LANDSCAPE PLAN DOCUMENT
6
i) Description
The Village of Rockcliffe Park is a planned residential community first laid out in 1864 by Thomas Keefer. It was created as a partial subdivision of the large estate belonging to his father-in-law, Thomas McKay. Development occurred slowly, but in 1908 a Police Village was created, and by 1926 the Village of Rockcliffe Park had been incorporated. The boundaries established in 1908 have remained intact, and the present Village of Rockcliffe Park is a distinctive community of private homes and related institutional properties within a park setting, still true to the spirit of Keefer’s original vision.
ii.) Reasons for Designation:
The Village of Rockcliffe Park is proposed for designation as a heritage district because of:
- The significance of its original design intentions;
- The continuity in its evolution;
- The richness of its current urban condition;
- Its relationship with its wide setting, and
- The importance of its historical associations.
iii.) Original Design Intentions
The Village of Rockcliffe Park is a rare and significant approach to estate layout and landscape design adapted in Canada from 18th Century English precedents. McKay had adopted this approach in his initial development of the estate, and the original McKay villa and grounds survive as Rideau Hall, the estate of the Governor General of Canada, on the western boundary of the village. When, in 1864, Keefer advertised his Park and Villa lots for private residences, he focused on the picturesque qualities of the scenery, and the importance of curving roads, extensive plantings, and naturalistic settings as key features in any future development. Lots were sold as components of the larger Estate, implying a cohesive landscape approach- purchasers were enjoined from erected anything that would be “inconsistent with the maintenance of the Estate as a park for private residences.” Tree planning on road fronts was an immediate requirement on purchase, and commercial and industrial uses were explicitly banned. This type of ‘suburban’ or borderland development is also a reflection of a particularly North American response to rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 19th Century, with its emphasis on healthy living in a rural or country setting.
iv.) Continuity in Evolution
The Village of Rockcliffe Park today is a remarkably consistent reflection of the ideas set out by Keefer. Although development of the residential lots has taken place very gradually, the ideas of Estate management, of smaller lots as part of a larger whole, of picturesque design, of residential focus, have survived as controlling aspects of the Village’s form and character. This has been in part somewhat fortuitous and unconscious- the cumulative effect of precedent and example. The early estates such as the MacKay villa and Rockcliffe were followed quickly by Birkenfels and Crichton Lodge, which in turn inspired smaller estates on Buena Vista, Mariposa, and Acacia and later Crescent Road. These types of properties continue to establish a Rockcliffe image, which is continually translated by architects and designers into individual variations on the theme. The strong landscape setting is able to embrace a rich diversity of lot and building sizes and configurations.
However, the continuity has also been provided by an active effort by overseers and residents. In the early years, Thomas Keefer and his associates developed special arrangements to control public and private initiatives as Trustees of the MacKay Estate. Later this effort fell to the overseers of the Police Village and then the councillors of the incorporated Village. Considerable energy has been spent by every successive generation to manage development and change, through formal and informal reviews and by a variety of by-laws, planning directives, and special designations. In most communities such initiatives have focused on economic development and minimum property standards; in Rockcliffe there is an extraordinary effort to maintain the scenic qualities, the park setting, the natural features and plantings, the careful informality of streets and services. This continuity of vision is very rare in a community where development has occurred on such a relatively large scale over such a long time period.
v) Current urban condition:
The Village of Rockcliffe Park has combined public and private initiatives to create an unusually rich urban landscape. The deliberately curved roads, without curbs or sidewalks, and the careful planting of the public spaces and corridors, together with the careful siting and strong landscaping of the individual properties, create the apparently casual and informal style so integral to the picturesque tradition. The preservation and enhancement of topographical features including the lake and pond, the dramatic Ottawa River shoreline, the internal ridges and slopes, and the various outcroppings, has reinforced the design intentions. The architectural design of the residences and associated institutional facilities is similarly deliberate and careful, but in the casual elegance and asymmetry of the various English country revival styles which predominate throughout the Village. The generosity of space around the homes, and the flowing of this space from one property to the next by continuous planting rather than hard fence lines, has maintained the estate qualities and park setting envisioned by Keefer. This informal elegance has been a consistent theme throughout the long process of development from the mid-19th Century to the present. There are relatively few examples of the strict neo-classicism that would suggest a more geometric ordering of the landscape.
There is also a set of community practices, intangible rituals that are both public and private, which continue to make sense of this environment- individual and collective outdoor activities, pedestrian and vehicular movement, areas of congregation and encounter, areas of dispersal and isolation. The urban landscape is also sustained by a variety of ongoing planning regulations, reflected most particularly in the current Official Plan and related zoning by-law.
vi.) Relationship with its wider setting:
The Village of Rockcliffe Park has an important and integral association with its larger setting, as a result of patterns of historical development. With the Rideau Hall estate there is a symbiosis that dates back to Keefer’s original vision of the village set within the larger grounds of this original villa. With Rockcliffe Park, there is a deliberate relationship again defined by Keefer, who saw the park as a natural extension and highlighting of the village’s picturesque setting. This relationship was further strengthened with the expansion of the park to the east, and with the addition of the Rockeries. Beechwood Cemetery has also served as a compatible landscape boundary to the southeast from the earliest period of settlement through to the present. These various border areas create important gateways to the village, and help establish its particular character. The views to and from the Ottawa River, the Beechwood escarpment, and the other park areas are integral to the picturesque quality of the Village. These extensions also form an integral part of the Village’s environmental ecosystem. It is unusual to have the internal character of a neighbourhood so strongly reinforced by adjacent land uses; it once again reflects the foresight of the original planners.
vii.) Historical Associations
The most important historical associations of the village as a whole are with the MacKay/Keefer family, major players in the economic, social, cultural and political development of Ottawa. The village today is a testament to the ideas and initiatives of various key members of this extended family, and their influence in shaping this key piece of Canadian landscape. Additional associations have occurred more randomly throughout the history of the village, as people of regional, national, and international significance have resided here and made this community their home base. Such associations are in some ways more private than public, and are an aspect of the village that is preserved more in the intangible continuities and oral traditions of village life than in the stones and mortar of monuments and plaques.
There are also specific associations with individuals who, whatever their prominence elsewhere, have made special contributions within the Village at a public and private level. These people have been part of an unusual form of self-governance, which has blurred the lines between formal and informal participation in the affairs of the Village.
Ottawa built heritage Advisory Committee Draft Minutes extract 44 2 september 2010 |
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Comité consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti d’ottawa ébauche de l’extrait du Procès-verbal 44 le 2 septembre 2010 |
Application to alter 294 manor avenue, a property designated under part v of the ontario heritage act and located in the rockcliffe park heritage conservation district
DEMANDE DE MODIFICATION DE LA PROPRIÉTÉ SITUÉE AU 294, AVENUE MANOR, DÉSIGNÉE EN VERTU DE LA PARTIE V DE LA LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L'ONTARIO ET SITUÉE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DE ROCKCLIFFE PARK
ACS2010-ICS-PGM-0163 Rideau Rockcliffe (13)
Lesley Collins, Heritage Planner, provided a PowerPoint presentation outlining the details of the application. The home is an example of an early 20th century residence in Rockcliffe Park, and the application is to demolish the current addition and rebuild a larger addition in the side yard. The new proposed elevation will be similar in design as the existing addition, but will be doubled in size, providing for additional living space and a garage. One tree is proposed to be relocated on the lot, and a hedge will be cut back to accommodate the addition. The differentiation between the new and old is sensitively and cohesively designed with the addition physically set back to subordinate it, said Ms. Collins, while still being compatible in the re-use of brick and similar window style use. Ms. Collins added that the application is consistent with the Guidelines for Assessing an Application in Rockcliffe District Study, and that for these reasons, staff supports the proposal.
Moved by Elizabeth Zdansky:
That the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:
1. Approve the application for alterations at 294 Manor Avenue according to plans submitted by Denis Kane, ARC Associates, August 3, 2010;
2. Issue the heritage permit with a two-year expiry date from the date of issuance;
3. Delegate authority for minor design changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth Management Department.
(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act will expire on October 31, 2010)
(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a building permit.)
CARRIED