Report to/Rapport au:

Planning and Development Committee/

Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’aménagement

and Council/et au Conseil

12 March 2001 / le 12 mars 2001

Submitted by/Soumis par: Ned Lathrop, General Manager/Directeur général

Development Services Department/Services d’aménagement

Contact/Personne-ressource: Grant Lindsay, Manager, Development Approvals/

Gestionnaire, Approbation des demandes d’aménagement

244-5300 ext. 1-3242, grant.lindsay@city.ottawa.on.ca

Ref N°: ACS2001-DEV-APR-0065

SUBJECT: Zoning - 1971-1983 Baseline Road

OBJET: zonage - 1971-1983 rue baseline

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Planning and Development Committee recommend that Council approve an amendment to the Zoning By-law, 1998, of the former City of Ottawa, from Leisure Linkage Zone L2B[693]-h to District Linear Commercial CD2 F(1.0) exception zone for 1971-1983 Baseline Road, to regularize an existing parking lot, as detailed in Document 1 and as shown in Document 3.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’aménagement recommande au Conseil municipal d’approuver une modification au Règlement municipal de zonage de 1998, de l’ancienne Ville d’Ottawa, de zone de liaison de loisirs L2B[693]-h à zone d’exception de rue commerçante de district CD2 F(1.0) au 1971-1983, chemin Baseline, afin de régulariser un stationnement existant, telle qu’elle est décrite au Document 1 et présentée au Document 3.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the proposed Zoning By-law amendment is to legally permit the use of an existing parking lot in order to increase parking supply for a restaurant situated on the north side of Baseline Road east of Woodroffe Avenue, as shown in Document 3. The subject site is 761 square metres in area and was formerly leased from the National Capital Commission by a car dealership for parking purposes over the last 20 years. The subject site since has been purchased from the National Capital Commission. Pinecrest Creek borders the property to the north, and vacant lands are situated to the east and west sides of the site. A commercial shopping center (Shoppers City West) is located to the south. A site plan for a change of use from car dealership to restaurant was approved in July 2000.

DISCUSSION

Policy Context

The former Region of Ottawa-Carleton Official Plan designates the subject site and surrounding area General Urban Area. This designation applies primarily to residential areas as well as commercial shopping services and community facilities. The land use designations applicable to this area in the former City of Ottawa Official Plan, include Greenway Linkage Area and District Linear Commercial Area. The Greenway Linkage Area Designation applies to Pinecrest Creek and the associated green space administered by the National Capital Commission which forms part of the Greenway System. The District Linear Commercial Area is representative of the commercial uses situated in this location along Baseline Road which traditionally attract large volumes of traffic and require on-site needs for storage and parking.

In this case, the site proposed to be rezoned has a paved surface and is no longer part of the natural environment. Physically, it is situated immediately to the rear of an existing commercial building level with the basement. The parking area is used to access a rear entrance for vehicle loading purposes. A chain link fence is located around the perimeter of the paved area separating it from surrounding vegetation. There is also a steep slope from the parking lot isolating it from the creek and associated green space below it. Consequently, an analysis of the site indicates that the parking area is a contiguous functional component of the commercial buildings within the District Linear Commercial designation with the northern boundary of the parking lot, at the edge of the slope, delineating the point at which the commercial land use designation extends.

Zoning

The proposed CD2 F(1.0) - District Linear Commercial Zoning proposed for the parking area is consistent with the zoning applied to the adjacent commercial properties fronting Baseline Road. The existing parking lot is utilized by the district linear commercial uses on Baseline Road and has been used in this capacity for the last 20 years. A recent site plan application for a change in use from car dealership to restaurant indicated the illegal status of the paved parking area and the need to amend Zoning By-law, 1998 if it is to be used for this purpose in the future. The CD2 F(1.0) exception zone reflects the District Linear Commercial Land Use designation, permits a parking lot and resolves the dual zoning on the site. Therefore, the proposed zoning is appropriate.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

A Municipal Environmental Evaluation Report (MEER) was prepared to assess the stability of the slope for the parking lot use and potential impacts resulting from surface water discharge to Pinecrest Creek. The study results state that no significant adverse effects to the natural environment are expected due to the asphalt parking lot surface.

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RCVA) has concerns with respect to any building development on this site due to the impact of excavation on slope stability. The owners indicated that they had no intentions to build in this location and would not object to a site specific zoning to restrict the subject site to parking only. Consequently, the RCVA did not require further review provided a site specific zoning for parking only is applied.

CONSULTATION

Public Consultation

This application was subject to the former City of Ottawa Early Notification Process. No written comments were received, however one inquiry was received with no objections or issues raised.

Councillor’s Comment

Councillor Rick Chiarelli is aware of the application.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

ATTACHMENTS

Document 1 Details of Recommended Zoning

Document 2 Explanatory Note

Document 3 Location Map

DISPOSITION

Department of Corporate Services, Secretariat Services to notify the owner (Mr. Tony Graham, Tony Graham Lexus Toyota, 1855 Merivale Road, Nepean Ontario, K2G 1E3 ) and agent (Don Peterman and D. Mailing Architect, 57 Kyle Avenue, Stittsville Ontario, K1S 1G9).

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

Department of Development Services to write and circulate the implementing by-law.

Document 1

DETAILS OF THE RECOMMENDED ZONING

A site specific exception to the CD2 F(1.0) zone, prohibiting all uses except parking lot, applies to the hatched area as shown in Document 3.

Document 2

Explanatory Note

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXPLANATORY NOTE TO BY-LAW NUMBER____.

By-law Number_____ amends By-law Number, 1998, the former City of Ottawa’s Comprehensive Zoning By-law. The amendment affects those lands located near the northeast corner of Baseline Road and Woodroffe Avenue. Pinecrest Creek borders the property to the north, and vacant lands are situated to the east and west sides of the site. A commercial shopping center is located to the south. The amendment permits an existing parking lot associated with district linear commercial uses on the north side of Baseline Road. The lands are shown as the shaded area on the attached Location Map.

Current Zoning

The current zoning is L2B[693]-h which is a leisure linkage zone allowing leisure uses and recreational uses. The [693]-h signifies that an exception to the leisure linkage zone applies that permits a limited range of public uses provided certain studies are conducted to lift the “h” holding zone provision. Minimum lot area, lot width, yard setbacks, landscape area, and building height apply to this zone.

Proposed Zoning

The proposed zoning is an exception to the CD F(2.0) zone which restricts the use of the site to a parking lot. The CD F (2.0) zone is a district linear commercial zone that applies to the abutting commercial land uses. The CD zone is applied to commercial areas on major arterial roads which attract large volumes of traffic and parking. The F(2.0) signifies that a floor space index applies that permits development with a floor space potential equal two times the area of the lot.

Should you require further information regarding the amendment, please call Dave Powers at 244-5300 ext. 3989.

Location Map Document 3