|
Planning and Environment Committee Comité de l’urbanisme et
de l’environnement Minutes 8 / Procès-verbal 8
Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 9:30 a.m. le mardi 24 avril 2007, 9
h 30 Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West
Salle Champlain, 110,
avenue Laurier ouest |
Present / Présent : Councillor
/ Conseiller P. Hume (Chair / Président)
Councillor /
Conseillère P. Feltmate (Vice-Chair / Vice-présidente)
Councillors
/ Conseillers M. Bellemare, S. Desroches, C. Doucet,
J. Harder, G. Hunter, B. Monette, S. Qadri
Regrets : D.
Holmes
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
DÉCLARATIONS D’INTÉRÊT
No declarations of interest were filed.
CONFIRMATION
OF MINUTES
Ratification dES
procÈs-verbaUX
Minutes 7 -
Planning and Environment Committee meeting of Tuesday, 10 April 2007.
CONFIRMED
STATEMENT REQUIRED UNDER THE PLANNING ACT
Committee Chair
Peter Hume read a statement required under the Planning Act, which advises that anyone who intends to appeal the
proposed Official Plan Amendments and Zoning By-law Amendment listed as Item 1
on today’s agenda 3must either voice their
objections at this public meeting or submit their comments in writing prior to
the amendment being adopted by City Council on 9 May 2007. Failure to do so may result in the Ontario
Municipal Board dismissing all or part of the appeals.
STATEMENT
REQUIRED FOR ZONING APPLICATIONS POST JANUARY 1, 2007
For the Zoning By-law amendments listed as Item 5 on
today’s agenda, only those who make oral submissions today or written
submissions before the amendments are adopted may appeal the matter to the
Ontario Municipal Board. In addition,
the applicant may appeal the matter to the Ontario Municipal Board if Council
does not adopt an amendment within 120 days for zoning and 180 days for an
Official Plan amendment of receipt of the application.
POSTPONEMENTS AND
DEFERRALS
RENVOIS ET REPORTS
PLanning, TRANSIT and thE EnVIRONMENT
urbanisme, transport en commun et environNement
PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE APPROVALS
APPROBATION DES DEMANDES D’URBANISME ET D’INFRASTRUCTURE
1. ZONING - 594 RIDEAU STREET AND 165 CHARLOTTE STREET
ZONAGE - 594, RUE RIDEAU ET 165, RUE CHARLOTTE
ACS2007-PTE-APR-0036
Deferred from 27 March 2007/Remis du 27 mars
2007 RIDEAU-VANIER (12)
Messrs Grant
Lindsay, John Smit and Doug Bridgewater, Planner, appeared before the committee
on this item. Mr. Bridgewater gave a
detailed presentation on the proposed zoning amendment for this property at the
southeast corner of Rideau Street and Charlotte Street. He advised there are currently one to two
and one half storey, mixed use buildings on this site, and that the proposal
calls for a building with a maximum height of 24.5 metres (8 storeys), the
additional two storeys with upper setbacks.
Mr. Bridgewater also highlighted the fact that a "h" Holding
provision is being established. It
relates to storm sewer capacity being increased and approval of the site plan
and architectural elevations prior to the zoning being approved. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation on
this item is on file with the City Clerk.
The Ward
Councillor, Georges Bédard, asked whether the proposed building represents a
distinctive architectural concept or whether the Committee was being asked to
approve zoning changes based on speculation.
The Councillor also wanted to know whether there would be an increase in
public space as part of this project.
Mr. Bridgewater clarified that the holding provision will ensure the
City is satisfied with all aspects of the plan before it approves the
zoning. Commenting on the public space
aspect, Mr. Lindsay indicated this could be explored as part of the site plan
process. Councillor Bédard about how the massing and style of the proposed
building would complement the surrounding buildings. Mr. Lindsay stated that, because of its location at the
intersection of two prominent streets, and the fact that there is a mix of
building types in the area, a six storey building with two additional storeys
set back could be accommodated at this location
The following
individuals spoke in opposition to the proposal:
·
Mr. Martin Laplante, a resident of Besserer Street;
·
Mr. Peter Rinfret a resident of Besserer Street;
·
Mr. Jon Legg a resident of Besserer Street;
·
Mrs. Judy Rinfret a resident of Besserer Street
·
Mrs. Margaret Mitchell a resident of Besserer Street
·
Mr. Roland Blassnig, residing at Wallis House, Rideau Street.
The following is
a summary of the comments made by those opposing the application.
·
The Community Design Plan (CDP) approved by Council calls for a maximum
building height of 6 storeys;
·
The value of the CDP process was questioned: it was felt the proposal
makes a mockery of the Uptown Rideau Development Plan that took three years to
complete;
·
There is no way to accommodate the increased traffic this building will
generate without traffic going through adjoining neighbourhood streets such as
Besserer and Daly;
·
A maquette of the proposed building was used to demonstrate that the
density of the proposed building is approximately double that of a six-storey
building;
·
Concerns were expressed about the invasion of privacy on the second
level decks of some of the houses on Besserer Street;
·
The extra two floors will affect the sunlight on Besserer Street and on
Wallis House, a property across the street on Rideau Street;
·
With this proposal, staff are breaking faith with Council and with the
population in Sandy Hill;
·
The application is premature since the Architect has stated that the
property would not be developed before 2012;
·
The outcomes of the Light Rail Corridor study for the Rideau Street /
Montreal Road Corridor are unknown;
·
The building plans could change overnight;
·
The traffic study was not adequate and the City should do another one;
·
The possibility of access from Wurtemburg Street should be examined;
·
The building design is not compatible with that of Wallis House.
Mr. Legg also
submitted a two hundred and twenty four name (224) petition in opposition to
the project. This document is held on
file with the City Clerk.
Appearing in
support of the proposal were Mr. Richard Harrison, President of Development,
Richcraft Homes, Mr. Alan Cohen, Solicitor, Mr. Rod Lahey, Architect and Mr.
Ted Fobert, FoTenn Consultants.
Mr. Cohen
clarified that the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments for the Uptown
Rideau Development Plan were still before the Ontario Municipal Board
(OMB). He also stated that a traffic
study was not needed since there must be one hundred units before this becomes
a requirement. He posited that traffic
problems would be minimal, in light of the fact that Council is encouraging the
use of public transit in the Rideau Street/Montreal Road corridor. Mr. Cohen also pointed out that the holding
designation was introduced as a means to control the site plan after the zoning
amendment is approved.
Mr. Fobert
pointed out that Official Plan policies permit increased heights where
compatible at a gateway location or on a corner lot. Rideau Street is a Traditional Mainstreet and a transit priority
corridor, both of which support approving the zoning amendment. Mr. Fobert also highlighted intensification
policies that call for as much growth as can be supported within the urban
boundary to minimize growth where the infrastructure is not in place. He spoke about the traffic study being peer
reviewed and no problems having been found.
A full shadow study that was done illustrates that the difference in
impact between a six and an eight-storey building is negligible: there will be
no shadowing on Wallis House. With
regard to the CDP, Mr. Fobert posited it had not engaged the entire community
and not followed the rigour these studies require.
In reply to a
question from Councillor Doucet, Mr. Cohen said it was regrettable that the
intensification process had become so adversarial and that he found personal
attacks on City staff disturbing. As to
the Councillor's query about how to represent everyone's interests, Mr. Cohen
pointed out that each CDP and OPA must be dealt with on its own merits and he
stressed the importance of not being tied down for all time by the outcomes of
those processes.
The following
correspondence, held on file with the City Clerk, and requesting that the
report recommendation be rejected, was circulated to the Committee:
·
Letter dated April 16/07 from Matt and Catherine Armstrong, of 540
Besserer;
·
Letter dated April 19/07 from David Patchell and Heather Urrutia, residents
at 531 Besserer Street;
·
letter dated April 23 /07 from Stephen and Sandra Hartman, of 542
Besserer Street.
·
e-mail dated April 23/07 from Paul Martineau of 543 Besserer Street;
·
e-mail dated April 17/07 from Veronica Vaillancourt of 377 Daly Avenue.
Chair Hume then
declared closed the public hearing portion of the debate.
Councillor Bédard
put forward the view that approving the proposed application sends the message
that the community design process is useless.
He went on to say that the community had accepted and respected the
decision taken at the time of the Uptown Rideau Development Plan process to
limit the height of buildings to six storeys..
Councillor Bédard pointed out there are many CDP processes going on in
his ward, and these demand public participation. He wondered how these would develop if the public is getting the
message that the process is irrelevant.
He asked that the Committee and Council be consistent in its decision-making.
Councillor Doucet
stated that there were many aspects of the proposed building to be admired and
he congratulated the Architect for his design.
He said that, while he did not want to take a dogmatic position at all
times, he wanted to be sensitive to the residents' concerns and to local
conditions. The Councillor pointed out
that intensification is happening in neighbourhoods such as Sandy Hill,
Centretown and the Glebe that are already dense, and his perception was that
residents of those areas want to see a human scale to intensification. For this reason, he felt he could not
support the project.
Chair Peter Hume spoke about the fact that
great cities such as Paris (France) have six storey buildings and he said the
question was whether Council should adopt this principle or another one that
achieves the best urban design. He
stated that this application encapsulated this debate, and that this was
something that would need to be discussed as part of the upcoming Official Plan
review.
The Committee
then considered the report recommendation, with Councillor Doucet calling for a
recorded vote.
That the Planning and Environment Committee
recommend Council approve an amendment to the former City of Ottawa Zoning
By-law to change the Neighbourhood Linear Commercial CN7 F(2.0) zone applying
to 594 Rideau Street and 165 Charlotte Street as shown on Document 1, to a new
Neighbourhood linear Commercial CN11[xxx]H(24.5) -h zone establishing new exception
provisions, a new height limit and to establish a holding designation, all as
detailed in Document 2.
CARRIED
YEAS (6): M.
Bellemare, S. Desroches, J. Harder, G. Hunter, B. Monette, P. Hume
NAYS (3): C.
Doucet, P. Feltmate, S. Qadri
BUILDING SERVICES
services du bÂtiment
2. SIGN
MINOR VARIANCE - BILLBOARD SIGN RENEWALS
DÉROGATION MINEURE AU RÈGLEMENT
SUR LES ENSEIGNES - RENOUVELLEMENT DES PANNEAUX-RÉCLAMES
ACS2007-PTE-BLD-0008 GLOUCESTER-SOUTHGATE
(10), CAPITAL (17)
Deferred from 27 March 2007
/ Remis
du 27 mars 2007
Ms. Arlene
Grégoire, Director, Building Services and Chief Building Official, requested
consideration of a request for deferral from Pattison Signs for the sign
located at 3105 and 3130 Conroy Road, to the next meeting of the
Committee. Chair Peter Hume said he was
not prepared to support a deferral to a specific date, and he recommended that
the matter be brought back when resolved.
The Committee concurred and approved the following:
WHEREAS Recommendation 1 of report ACS2007-PTE-BLD-0008
recommends that the application for minor variance from the Sign By-law
2005-439 for the renewal application of billboards located at 3105 and 3130
Conroy Road be refused;
AND WHEREAS the applicant has requested that the
minor variance application for these signs be further deferred to enable him to
submit a revision to the application;
BE IT RESOLVED that the application for minor
variance from the Sign By-law 2005-439 for the renewal application of
billboards located at 3105 and 3130 Conroy Road be deferred.
Carried
Ms. Grégoire also
requested a minor change in Recommendation 1 to read "1846 Bank Street
(west sign)" and in Recommendation 2 to read "1846 Bank Street (east
sign)".
Mr Sid Catalano,
of Pattison Outdoor Signs, explained that deferral was being requested
because of some restructuring at Pattison.
He said the company would remove the sign at 1426 Hunt Club Road and he
noted this could be done with 30 days' notice to the property owner.
Councillor Clive
Doucet put forward a Motion to remove the signs on both the west and east sides
at 1846 Bank Street. The motion was
Lost, with Councillor Doucet in favour.
The Committee
then approved the report recommendations, as amended by the above-noted
changes.
That the Planning and Environment Committee
recommend Council:
1.
Refuse the
applications for minor variances from Sign By-law 2005-439 requesting a
reduction in the setback requirements detailed in the report to secure sign
permit renewals for billboard signs at the following locations:
·
1426 Hunt Club
Road
·
1846 Bank Street
(west sign)
CARRIED
as amended
2. Approve a minor variance to reduce the
required setback between a billboard sign and the Airport Parkway to permit
issuance of a sign permit renewal for a sign at the following location:
·
1846 Bank Street (east sign)
CARRIED
as amended
LOCAL
ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
COMITÉ CONSULTATIF SUR LA
CONSERVATION DE L’ARCHITECTURE LOCALE
3. 2006 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2007 WORK PLAN
RAPPORT
ANNUEL DE 2006 ET PLAN DE TRAVAIL 2007
ACS2007-CCV-LAC-0002
That
the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee recommend that the
Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council:
a)
Receive the 2006 Annual Report of the Local
Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee as detailed in Attachment 1; and
RECEIVED
b)
Approve the objectives contained in the 2007
workplan, as detailed in Attachment 2.
CARRIED
PUBLIC
WORKS AND SERVICES
SERVICES ET TRAVAUX PUBLIQUES
UTILITY SERVICES
SERVICES PUBLIQUES
4. AUDIT REPORT – FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS FOR IN-HOUSE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION – 2006
RAPPORT
DE VÉRIFICATION – ÉTATS FINANCIERS POUR LA COLLECTE DES DÉCHETS SOLIDES PAR LA
VILLE - 2006
ACS2007-PWS-UTL-0008 (WARDS
10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19)
Councillor Clive
Doucet suggested that the report should reflect the fact that the original
contract called for escalating costs, up to 85% of the Consumer Price Index.
That the Planning
and Environment Committee recommend Council receive this report for
information.
RECEIVED
PLanning, TRANSIT and thE EnVIRONMENT
urbanisme, transport en commun et environNement
PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE APPROVALS
APPROBATION DES DEMANDES D’URBANISME ET
D’INFRASTRUCTURE
5. ZONING - 2555 BANK STREET, 3507 ALBION ROAD, 1340
& 1337
HUNT CLUB ROAD
ZONAGE – 2555,
RUE BANK, 3507, CHEMIN ALBION, 1340 & 1337 CHEMIN HUNT CLUB
ACS2007-PTE-APR-0108 GLOUCESTER-SOUTHGATE (10)
The Committee was
advised that the following technical amendment was required:
Moved By P.
Feltmate
Whereas at its meeting of 24 April 2007 the Planning and
Environment Committee recommended Council approve a report to amend the former
City of Ottawa Zoning By-law for 2555 Bank Street;
And Whereas Document 2 of the report states:
“That parking shall be permitted within a required
side yard abutting street along the Bank Street frontage and that the required
landscape strip abutting a street may be reduced to three metres at this
location.”
AND WHEREAS the zoning details in Document 2 should
have reflected a reduction in the required landscape strip to one metre;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Document 2 be amended
by replacing the above-mentioned phase with the following:
“That parking shall be permitted within a required
side yard abutting street along the Bank Street frontage and that the required
landscape strip abutting a street may be reduced to one metre at this
location.”
That no further notice be provided pursuant to
Section 34 (17) of the Planning Act.
CARRIED
as amended
The report
recommendations were then put forward:
That the Planning and Environment Committee
recommend Council:
1. Delete the lands known as 1340 Hunt Club Road from Map 19C
of the former Gloucester By-law No. 333 of 1999, as shown in Document 1, and
these lands will no longer be subject to the provisions of By-law No. 333 of
1999.
2. Incorporate the lands known as 1340 Hunt Club Road into
Zoning Map 35, Sub Area 2 of the former Ottawa Zoning By-law Number 93-98, to
be zoned IL f(1.0) [XXX] - Light Industrial exception zone as shown in Document
1 and detailed in Document 2.
3.
That the zoning
of 2555 Bank Street, 3507 Albion Road S., and 1337 Hunt Club Road be changed
from IL F(1.0) - Light Industrial to IL F(1.0) [XXX] exception zone as shown in
Document 1 and detailed in Document 2, as amended.
CARRIED
as amended
PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY
POLITIQUES D’URBANISME,
D’ENVIRONNEMENT ET D’INFRASTRUCTURE
6. SCOPE AND TIMING OF THE REVIEW OF THE OFFICIAL PLAN,
TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN AND INFRASTRUCTURE
MASTER PLAN
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0011 CITY-WIDE
The Committee heard from Ms. Lesley Paterson,
Program Manager, Planning Policy and Area Planning West, Community Planning and
Design Division, who presented the report.
In response to questions from the Committee
Vice-Chair, Councillor P. Feltmate, Ms. Paterson confirmed that lands could be
added to the employment strategy and that phasing policies would be explored
through the White Paper approach.
Ms. Amy Kempster appeared on behalf of the Green space Alliance for
Canada’s Capital and made the following comments:
·
The Alliance finds it
disturbing that the report downplays the role to be played by the public, given
the importance of the Official Plan (OP);
·
The Alliance believes
that broad public consultation
should be the place at the outset, not just with advisory and interest groups
such as itself;
·
A broad
public consultation on planning priorities and the City’s goals and principles
should be the first step even if just to confirm that those articulated in the
2003 Plan are still valid;
Ms. Kempster pointed out that, with
significant changes in climate and other variables such as rising energy costs,
the OP may need to be completely rethought to meet those challenges. For these and other reasons, she suggested
that the public be consulted before the end of June.
Ms. Paterson advised that some events have been planned for the fall and
that using the White Paper process would allow staff to put forward issues for
discussion without taking a position on them.
Councillor Jan Harder said that, clearly, this would not be a short
process, and the department is amenable to receiving input. She also said it was her understanding that
the majority of Council members favoured a fall timeline.
After further discussion, the committee
considered the report recommendation:
That the Planning and Environment Committee and the
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and the
Transportation Committee and the Transit Committee recommend that Council
approve the strategic directions, approach, scope and timing of the Official
Plan, Transportation Master Plan and Infrastructure Master Plan reviews.
CARRIED
RÉSULTATS
DU RECENSEMENT DE 2006
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0024 CITY-WIDE
Councillor Clive
Doucet wanted to know how staff would present the Census figures to the public
as part of the first stages of the Official Plan (OP) review in 2008 when the
figures are lower than they actually are.
Ian Cross, Program Manager, Research and Forecasting, Community Planning
and Design Division, responded by saying that staff are continuing to look at
Census results in detail and comparing Ottawa’s experience with that of other
cities. He said that staff would
indicate that the 2006 Census figures are low and state that the City is best
served by using its own carefully prepared estimates.
Councillor Doucet
said his concern was that the figures show the population in the center of the
City decreasing when in fact, intensification is taking place and the number of
high-rise buildings is increasing. Mr.
Cross explained that Statistics Canada is in the process of developing a
process to review the numbers but he did not think this would result in any
changes. He added that the best that
could be hoped for would be an improved estimate of the under-count but this
wouldn’t be available before September 2008, towards the end of the O.P.
review.
Mr. Cross
indicated, in response to a subsequent question from Councillor Doucet, that he
would be more concerned if these numbers were presented in the context of the
City promoting more intensification when the Census numbers are saying that the
number of occupied units inside the Greenbelt had actually gone done by 1400.
Mr. Dennis
Jacobs, Director, Planning, Infrastructure and Environment Policy Division,
said that staff are comfortable with its estimates and that these could be
confirmed and supported through other sources, such as Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation. He added that
staff would respond in this manner at every occasion so there is no question of
challenging the estimates.
In reply to a
query from Councillor Gord Hunter, Mr. Cross indicated that, while the number
of occupied units decreased by 1400, the City approved building permit
applications in excess of 10,000. This
provides a good illustration that what the Census missed was apartment
buildings, particularly high-rise buildings such as the ones on Lees Avenue and
elsewhere in the central wards.
The Committee then considered the report
recommendation:
That
the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council receive this report
for information purposes.
RECEIVED
8. ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2006
RAPPORT ANNUEL SUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT – 2006
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0020 CITY-WIDE
That the Planning and Environment
Committee receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
9. URBAN NATURAL FEATURES STRATEGY
Stratégie visant les
caractéristiques naturelles urbaines
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0002 City-wide
The Committee
waived the requirement for a presentation on this item.
The Committee
Chair, Peter Hume, advised that he received amending Motions from Councillors
Doucet, Harder (on behalf of Councillor McRae) and Desroches and he briefly
outlined their contents.
Mr. Doug Kelly,
Solicitor for Urbandale Corporation, advised that the company
has four sites on the priority list, but of particular concern is site # 22,
Bridlewood Core Park. This site is
designated for high-density development and Urbandale is looking for a way to
negotiate a land exchange, as was done with Minto Developments in the Barrhaven
community and in Orléans to preserve the Innes Park Wood, to secure its
commitments and ensure it still has land to be developed.
Iola Price,
Chair, Ottawa Forests and Green space Advisory Committee said that OFGAC
has been an active participant in, and supporter of, the Urban Natural Areas
Evaluation Study and the Greenspace Master Plan. She stated that the City is to be congratulated, not only for
undertaking the UNAES but also for taking it to the next level and identifying
priorities for land acquisition. Ms.
Price alluded to the Mayor’s expressed wishes to make the city a leader among
the G8 capitals and a City with “swagger”, and what really gives a city class
is the quality and quantity of its green space and the care and attention the
green infrastructure receives. She
stated that members of Council needed to consider trees, forests and greenspace
as green infrastructure and pay as much if not more attention to it as to
grey
(built) infrastructure.
Ms. Price then
commented in detail about a number of aspects of the Urban Natural Areas
Environmental Study, noting in particular that:
·
OFGAC will be pushing at budget time to ensure that the commitment to
acquisition follows through;
·
The amount of funding for 2008 and beyond is less than for 2007 and
this does not bode well for the future, given the rising costs of acquiring
lands;
·
OGCAC would like the City to look beyond the 15 sites recommended for
acquisition, because the public is increasingly concerned about the environment
and greenspace protection;
·
The City must develop a more aggressive and innovative strategy for
protecting sites rated low on the environmental scale;
·
Staff should be directed to devise alternative measures for protecting
valuable woodlands, green space and wetlands, including small areas (called
pocket parks) in the urban core.
The complete text
of Ms. Price’s submission is on file with the City Clerk.
Ms. Amy Kempster,
representing the Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital, echoed many of
the comments made by the previous speaker.
She added that the development industry should look at the value that
natural areas add to their developments and plan to retain and donate natural
areas as a more regular practice. Ms.
Kempster also expressed the belief that City staff should be more aggressive in
suggesting ways for developers
to save natural areas and still make a profit.
She wondered if staff has been diligent in pointing out the much better
tax treatment such donations now receive.
Ms. Kempster also encouraged land exchanges as a means of retaining
natural areas, provided that no money is lost in the exchange.
Councillor Gord
Hunter said he was heartened to hear that using taxpayers’ money to purchase
these lands would be the last option.
He expressed his concern with the size of some of the parcels which he
felt would be of little use to the public.
The Councillor also stated that the funds used to purchase these small
parcels would reduce the amount available to acquire larger parcels at better
prices outside the present urban area.
He recalled the Environmental Area Acquisition Policy and the fact that
it was scaled down from 13 to 4 areas that were acquired, leaving behind
parcels such as the South March Highlands and the Carp Hills with high
environmental value. Councillor Hunter
suggested that the City look at purchasing larger parcels currently outside the
urban area that could be subject to urban development in future years to
preserve these for future generations.
He also pointed out that some of the smaller parcels might have been
left unaltered by the previous owners because they were deemed to be of little
value. The Councillor suggested that
the staff charged with negotiating the purchase of these areas keep this factor
in mind.
Chair Peter Hume
pointed out that the three sites recommended for acquisition are in the middle
of development areas and will be well accessible to the surrounding
communities. He spoke about the fact
that other sites would be acquired through the development process and at no
cost to the City, for example the Hospital Woods West in Alta Vista ward. Chair Hume agreed with Councillor Hunter
about purchasing parcels in the rural areas for future generations. He pointed out that Councillor Doucet’s
Motion suggests an innovative way to purchase other sites through an area rate,
or, if it were deemed that the proposed site would be of benefit to the entire
population, through a City-wide levy.
The Committee
considered a request from Councillor Shad Qadri to change the designation of
Site # 27, Poole Creek Corridor, from “medium” to “immediate”. The Councillor stated that, if the City did
not purchase the top portion of this property, the remainder wouldn’t be
developed because it provides the only access to the property. When asked to
comment on this request, Ms Murphy pointed out that the priority areas for 2007
have been set out, and that the threat of development is a changing thing. She added that staff would report back on
priorities through the 2008 budget process and, based on the associated funding
available, that particular site would be on the list to either rise to the top
or become available through the staggered acquisition plan.
The Committee
received copies of the following correspondence held on file with the City
Clerk:
·
Letter dated 24 April 2007 from Metin Atgun, President, Stittsville
Village Association, commenting on UNA Site # 27, Poole Creek Corridor, and
requesting a higher rating than “medium” for this site;
·
Copy of a letter dated 20 April 2007 to Chair Peter Hume from Don
Maciver, Director of Planning, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, expressing
support for the acquisition of the lands and pledging the assistance of the
RVCA as a possible partner to conserve and manage the Urban Natural Areas.
·
Letter dated April 23, 2007 from François Lapointe, Director, Planning,
Design and Land Use Division, National Capital Commission, providing the NCC’s
comments on the UNAES, specifically on UNA # 143, identified as the CNR Line
site or the CNR Woods).
Chair Hume then
called for the vote on the various Motions put forward. Having received clarification from staff
about the NCC’s request to link the purchase of UNA # 144 (McCarthy Woods) to
that of UNA # 143 (currently in NCC ownership), Councillor Harder withdrew her
Motion.
Moved by S.
Desroches
WHEREAS there is
a need to revisit the boundaries of UNA site 63 as a result of recent changes
to the location and forestation;
BE IT RESOLVED
that UNA Site 63 be referred to staff to revisit the boundary in consultation
with the owners.
CARRIED
Moved by C.
Doucet
WHEREAS the City has
undertaken a comprehensive study to identify the significant natural features
that exist within the urban boundaries as required by council,
WHEREAS 2,600 hectares of
significant natural features were identified by staff, and funding was made
available in the 2007 budget to begin purchasing these properties,
WHEREAS the City does not have
sufficient funds to acquire 100% of the identified properties immediately, a
priority list has been created in order to ensure that the most significant of
the properties will be retained in their natural state,
WHEREAS the residents of
Ottawa have not been provided with sufficient opportunity to discuss the
importance of moving quickly on the acquisition of these properties,
WHEREAS residents were not
presented with the option of paying a levy on their property tax bill that
would allow the City to generate the necessary funds needed to purchase all
2600 hectares of identified properties, as permitted in the Municipal Act for
the Acquisition of Greenspaces;
BE IT RESOLVED that staff
prepare information for residents that would outline several options for
achieving the necessary money through a levy program, and that this information
be available to residents before significant natural features are clear-cut or
drained,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this levy
would not be made available for any other purpose.
CARRIED
The Committee
then approved the report, as amended by the foregoing Motions:
That Planning and
Environment Committee recommend City Council approve:
1. The Urban Natural
Features Strategy, as detailed in Document 1, which identifies priority urban
natural areas for protection through a staged acquisition program; and,
2. That the capital budget
requirements to implement the Urban Natural Features Strategy for 2008 and
beyond, as outlined in this report and the Department’s Long Range Financial
Plan 3, be referred to the 2008 Capital Budget process.
CARRIED
as amended
10. UPDATE ON THE CLEAN WATER ACT
Le point sur la Loi
sur l'eau saine
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0025 CITY-WIDE
Responding to
questions from Councillor Clive Doucet, the Program Manager, Natural Systems,
Environmental Sustainability Division, Judy Flavin, stated that the City
received funding to prepare a study on the intake protection zone of the piped
water systems in the urban area (Britannia and Lemieux Island) and that this is
part of the ongoing characterization and background work. The Terms of Reference for the Source
Protection Plan are still to come. When
asked by the Councillor for additional details, Ms. Flavin indicated that City
staff has identified additional costs that the Province has not said it would
pay for as things progress. Staff’s
main concern has to do with the cost of its participation in the process and in
the implementation of the plan, once approved.
Councillor Doucet wanted to know who would pay for the plan, once
approved. Ms. Flavin reiterated that,
to date, the Province has given no indication that it will assist with
implementation costs: the discussion has been that the City will be given tools
to help with implementation through the Planning Act and its own
Official Plan.
The Committee
Chair, Peter Hume, stated that, rather than commenting on the report at this
time, as Councillor Doucet suggested, the Committee wait to hear from staff
about the subsequent stages of the process.
Ms. Flavin added that staff consistently raises the issue of the cost of
implementing the Source Protection Plan and how the City will be compensated
for its part in the implementation.
The Committee
then considered the report recommendations:
That the Planning
and Environment Committee and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend
that Council:
1.
Receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
2. Endorse the comments from staff
previously submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment on the
Discussion Paper on Source Protection Committees under the Clean Water Act,
2006.
CARRIED
3. Request
that staff forward to the Ministry of the Environment the minutes of the
committee and Council meetings on this report as further indication of Council’s
position on these matters.
CARRIED
Mr.
Jacobs thanked the Committee for endorsing this report, which represents a
lengthy process of evaluation by Susan Murphy and her colleagues and for the
approval of funds in the 2007 budget for this purpose.
11. IDLING CONTROL BY-LAW
LA MARCHE AU RALENTI DES
VÉHICULES
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0021 CITY-WIDE
Messrs Charles Caccia and William Pugsley and Ms. Meaghan McGarrity, of the City of Ottawa Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) presented the report. Mr. Pugsley made the following points in support of the recommendations:
· The Ontario Medical Association states that 7% of all deaths are caused by air pollution, accounting for 340 deaths each year;
· There are 400,000 registered vehicles in Ottawa used by 80% of commuters and that generate a significant amount of pollutants;
· Another significant source of air pollution comes from the heating and cooling of buildings in the city:
· The average driver spends approximately 11 minutes idling each day (this number is from the old City of Ottawa and has likely increased with population growth);
· Part of idling is the result of uncontrollable traffic conditions but the other part is attributable to motorists’ habits;
· Natural Resources Canada leads the national effort to reduce idling: this federal department recently compared idling by-laws in 30 cities across Canada and found them to be a way of using non-renewable energy resources more efficiently and producing cleaner air:
· Ottawa was one of the few cities without a standalone by-law, with enforcement done on a complaint basis and with no impact on reducing air pollution;
· In comparison, Montreal has had a by-law in place since 1988 and Toronto since 1990: in those cities, the use of anti-idling blitzes was found to be very effective in enforcing the by-laws and educating the public;
· The EAC strongly supports the revised by-law and considers it to be a major improvement over the existing by-law;
· The list of exemptions contained in the by-law has also been improved and appears to strike a reasonable balance;
· This also fits in with the Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan approved by Council three years ago.
Mr. Pugsley concluded his presentation by calling unnecessary idling “the low-hanging fruit” in terms of air pollution, just waiting to be picked.
Councillor Gord Hunter wanted to know whether there are were any studies to illustrate that anti-idling by-laws contribute to less gasoline being sold in municipalities that have them. Mr. Pugsley said he was not aware of any such studies but he posited a conclusion could be drawn by using the anti-idling by-law reduction target of 5 minutes per day, per vehicle and multiplying that number by the emission rate of idling cars which is 3.5 litres per hour. When asked by Councillor Hunter if he could provide any example of the by-law’s success in other municipalities, Mr. Pugsley said there are 27 cities with standalone by-laws and they all report success in terms of public awareness and compliance.
Mr. Michael Polowin appeared in support of the by-law.
Chair Peter Hume suggested that the language in Section 3, subsection “l” of the General Provisions be amended to include the term “hybrid cars” and that this be done prior to the by-law coming before Council for approval.
Councillor Jan Harder said that, in recognition of the fact that By-law Services already have an extensive number of matters to investigate, City Council approved hiring seventeen additional by-law enforcement officers during the 2007 budget deliberations. She wanted to know whether there was any proof that having staff work at educating the public wouldn’t have the same effect as trying to catch someone countermanding the provisions of the by-law. Mr. Dennis Jacobs, Director, Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Policy, said the general observation is that a combination of education and regulatory measures give the best results. Councillor Harder expressed the view that common sense cannot be legislated. She said her preference would be that the 17 newly hired by-law officers be engaged in enforcing matters about which she and the residents of her community have greater concern.
Councillor Bob Monette asked whether the new by-law officers would all be engaged in enforcing this by-law. Ms. Jones indicated that six out of the seventeen new hires would be assigned to parking enforcement and this would be part of their duties. The Councillor wanted to know how many public meetings had been held on this by-law. Mr. Jacobs stated there were no formal public meetings, however staff have been actively engaged in disseminating information by speaking at public events and appearing in various facilities. Councillor Monette suggested that more public consultation is required before the by-law is approved. He also inquired as to why By-law Services was moving away from enforcement on a complaint basis, as is done for other regulations. Ms. Jones responded by saying this approach was suggested by the EAC and supported by the Planning and Environment Committee when it directed staff to prepare a by-law. Councillor Monette expressed the view that the proposed by-law was completely ridiculous and he asked why Council believes it should decree what people can do on their properties. The Councillor felt the approach should always be education as opposed to legislation, and he urged his colleagues not to support the by-law.
Responding to a question from Councillor Steve Desroches, Mr. Jacobs advised that staff did not undertake a specific cost/benefit analysis related to the by-law. He went on to say it does fall under the umbrella of the City’s Environmental Strategy and the Air Quality and Climate Change Management Plan, two of the many initiatives that will help move the City towards cleaner air and a cleaner environment. Councillor Desroches said he believes in protecting the environment but he felt that the city’s residents are capable of regulating their own behaviour. He also did not want to take by-law enforcement officers away from more important activities and investigations. Councillor Desroches added that the City should be looking at making significant investments in public transit to reduce the number of vehicles using public roads.
Councillor Shad Qadri had questions about the percentage of contested tickets and the success rate of the appellants. Ms. Jones stated that very few were challenged, noting that approximately 95% of complaints are settled through education, prevention and compliance: the remaining 5% might result in enforcement action. She also indicated that the revenue generated did not come close to the cost of enforcement. Councillor Qadri asked for examples of the kinds of complaints against idling coming from the core of the City compared to those in Suburbia. Ms. Jones advised that about 95% of complaints originate from the core of the City and include complaints about tour buses that are idling and people that pick up other people in front of office buildings at the end of their working day. Complaints from suburban areas relate to parents dropping off or picking up their children at schools, and from people on neighbouring properties.
Councillor Qadri expressed the view there were still a few loopholes in the by-law in terms of enforcement and until these are closed, it would not be very successful. He also cautioned that the public would be questioning Council’ s judgement based on its approval of the by-law. It was for these reasons that the Councillor did not support approving it.
Councillor Clive Doucet quoted passages from the Air Quality and Climate Management Plan that illustrate that these and other initiatives relate to collective rights and the quality of the air people breathe. He felt an anti-idling by-law was one of the easiest and cheapest things that could be done. The Councillor also called it a statement of intent on the part of City Council, as the steward of the community’s health, to demonstrate that it took this responsibility seriously. Councillor Doucet pointed out that Council spent three years educating people about the use of pesticides and then blamed the educator because it wasn’t very effective. He added he was not confident that people could be educated about turning off their engines when they go into a restaurant or other facility.
Councillor Hunter asked what specific situations staff were trying to address through the by-law and whether they are confidant that the science behind the theory is solid, specifically whether stopping and re-starting vehicles, as opposed to idling, puts more contaminants in the air. Ms. Jones said the focus was to reduce or eliminate unnecessary idling. Mr. Jacob added that the by-law was formulated on the basis of the research staff reviewed which showed that anti-idling by-law could be effective in reducing air pollutants. He agreed with Councillor Hunter’s comment about new vehicles emitting less pollution, however he pointed out that the majority of vehicles now on the roads are more than ten years old.
Vice Chair Peggy Feltmate echoed some of the comments made by Councillor Doucet. She continued by saying that this might not be her highest priority, but it behoved Council to make a decision at this time. Councillor Feltmate pointed out that, as individuals, and as humans, people are resistant to change and to accepting new ideas. She said Councillors have a responsibility to think about other things than what they want as individuals at this moment in time. She stated that people would have to work hard in order to get ticketed under this by-law because it contains so many exemptions. She called the by-law is a tool to help staff address a difficult situation and to educate people about the disastrous effects they are having on themselves and on their planet. Councillor Feltmate opined this was about the collective good and the future of all residents, not about what makes someone feel good at the moment.
The Committee Chair, Peter Hume, began by complimenting staff for bringing forward a by-law in pursuance of the Committee’s directive. He went on to say that, while he did not agree with the EAC’s assessment of an anti-idling by-law as the “silver bullet” to air quality in Ottawa, he did believe it was part of the solution. He also expressed the view that bringing this matter forward at this time would damage the Committee on the environmental front. Advancing an agenda that is a bit controversial affects both the Committee’s and the EAC’s credibility and may have an adverse impact when the more difficult environmental issues come forward.
Chair Hume said he feared that the committee could lose public support because of initiatives it approved in the past. He reiterated that the by-law is part of the solution, and he indicated he would be supporting it: sending it back would give the wrong message to the citizens of Ottawa.
Councillor P. Feltmate moved the following technical amendment as requested by staff:
WHEREAS the
City’s proposed anti-idling control by-law provides for exemptions for “public
transit vehicles”;
AND
WHEREAS taxis and limousines are engaged in the business of private transit
services;
BE
IT RESOLVED that the definition of “private transit vehicles” be amended to
include the words “taxis and limousines”.
CARRIED
(J. Harder dissented)
Moved by C. Doucet
That
Recommendation 2 be amended to reflect that O degrees Celsius be the low-end
cut-off for enforcement of the idling by-law.
LOST (
(C. Doucet in favour)
The Committee then considered the report recommendations, as amended.
That
the Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:
1.
Enact the draft Idling Control By-law, attached as
Document 1, with an effective date of September 1, 2007;
2.
Amend section 10
of Noise By-law 2004-253 to clarify that this section will only apply to
noise-related idling of motor vehicles where the temperature exceeds 27 degrees
Celsius with the humidex or where the temperature is less than five degrees
Celsius including the windchill value;
LOST
NAYS (4):S.
Desroches, J. Harder, B. Monette, S. Qadri
YEAS (4): C. Doucet, P.
Feltmate, G. Hunter, P. Hume
INFORMATION
PREVIOUSLY DISTRIBUTED
INFORMATION DISTRIBUÉE
AUPARAVANT
A. ON TIME REVIEW STATUS REPORTS
RAPPORTS D'ÉTAPE SUR
L'EXAMEN EN TEMPS VOULU
ACS2007-PTE-APR-0114 CITY-WIDE
RECEIVED
B.
community environment project grants program 2006
RAPPORT DU
PROGRAMME DE SUBVENTION DE 2006 AUX PROJETS COMUNAUTAIRES RELIÉS À
L’ENVIRONNEMENT
ACS2007-PTE-POL-0022 city-wide
RECEIVED
OTHER BUSINESS
AUTRES
QUESTIONS
FIRE AT THE AMBERWOOD GOLF AND
COUNTRY CLUB (STITTSVILLE)
Councillor
Shad Qadri (Ward 6, Stittsville/Kanata West) advised that, one day before the opening of the
2007 golf season, a fire destroyed the main clubhouse at the Amberwood Golf and
Country Club in Stittsville. Damage is
estimated at one million dollars after the evening blaze gutted the main
clubhouse. A volunteer firefighter was
taken to hospital for minor smoke-inhalation.
The clubhouse is
home to a restaurant, members' lounge, pro shop, locker area and club offices.
Management insists
the golf course will still open for the season today.
There is no word
on the cause of the fire. The Fire Inspector and the Ottawa Police Arson Unit
will start searching the building's remains this morning.
A September 2002
fire at the Amberwood Golf and Country Club caused 1.5 million dollars in
damage.
INQUIRIES
DEMANDES
DE RENSEIGNEMENTS
1. 2008 OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT
Councillor Clive Doucet made the following Inquiry:
Is there any consideration being given in the
update of the Official Plan for ensuring green migration paths are available
for wild life to traverse and move about the urban areas of the city?
2. PROLIFERATION OF PLANNING
APPLICATION SIGNS
Councillor Jan Harder raised the following question:
What is the solution to
ensure the removal of planning application signs that pollute the roadsides of
our City “ad infinitum”?
ADJOURNMENT
LEVÉE DE LA SÉANCE
The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
Original signed
by Original
signed by
M.J. Beauregard Councillor
P. Hume
Committee Coordinator Chair