Report to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
5 August 2009 / le 5 août 2009
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 : John Smit, Manager/Gestionnaire, Development
Review-Urban Services/Examen des projets d'aménagement-Services urbains,
Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
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SUBJECT: |
CASH-IN-LIEU OF PARKING - 220 Sparks
Street (FILE NO. D07-03-09-0006) |
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OBJET : |
REGLEMENT
FINANCIER DES EXIGENCES DE STATIONNEMENT - 220, RUE SPARKS |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
1.
That the Planning and Environment Committee approve
a Cash-in-lieu of Parking application exempting the Owner of 220 Sparks Street
from providing the five parking spaces required by the conversion to an office use, subject to the following
conditions:
(a) The Owner to enter into the standard agreement
required by Section 40 of the Planning
Act;
(b) A total payment of $44,950.00, payable in full upon
execution of the agreement;
2.
That this approval is void if the agreement has not been
signed within six months of the date of this approval.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
1.
Que
le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement approuve une demande de
règlement financier des exigences de stationnement dispensant le propriétaire
du 220, rue Sparks de fournir les cinq places de stationnement requises par la
transformation en utilisation de bureau, sous réserve des conditions
suivantes :
(a) Le
propriétaire passe l’accord type exigé en vertu de l’article 40 de la Loi sur l’aménagement du territoire;
(b) Un
versement total de 44 950,00 $, payable intégralement lors de la
conclusion de l’accord;
2.
Que
cette approbation soit annulée si l’accord n’a pas été signé dans les six mois.
BACKGROUND
The site is located at 220 Sparks Street, which is on the southeast corner of Sparks Street and Bank Street. It is 12 metres wide by 30 metres deep, representing 360 square metres in lot area. The site is developed with a four-storey building containing a mix of commercial uses, including a retail store, bar, medical facility, and recreational and athletic facility. The site is surrounded by other mixed commercial uses, including retail and office uses. The site fronts onto the Sparks Street Mall, which is a pedestrian street with no vehicular access except for deliveries at certain times, and Bank Street.
The site is designated as “Central Area” in the Official Plan, and is
part of the “Core” in the Central Area Secondary Plan. The zoning of the site is MD S27 (Mixed-Use
Downtown Schedule 27) in Zoning By-law 2008-250.
The
purpose of this application is to permit cash-in-lieu of five parking spaces.
The applicant proposes to allow the conversion of 650 square metres of
commercial floor space within the building to office uses. There are no parking spaces currently on the
site. Five spaces are required by the
Zoning By-law for the proposed additional office space. As the current building completely covers
the site, there is no space for additional parking. Therefore, the applicant is requesting cash-in-lieu for five
spaces to facilitate the conversion to office uses. The applicant is also requesting a reduction in the required cash
payment to $5.00.
DISCUSSION
EVALUATION OF PARKING DEMAND
1. Cash-in-Lieu of Parking may be appropriate where the existing parking
supply in the surrounding area can accommodate the on-site deficiency.
Staff considered the current parking provisions in the vicinity of the site, extending from Wellington Street to the north, Slater Street to the south, O’Connor Street to the east, and Kent Street to the west. There are 11 private parking facilities, and one municipal parking facility within the study boundary, six of which are within one block of the site. Additionally there are 59 one-hour on street paid parking spaces within the vicinity.
The size of the proposed office expansion, and thus the parking demand,
is small compared with other office uses within the Central Area. The site is serviced by both OC Transpo and
STO transit services, within two blocks to the north along Wellington Street
and two blocks to the south along Albert and Slater Streets, and has excellent
pedestrian access. Based on the amount
of parking facilities and spaces in the vicinity, the small size of the
proposed office uses, and the availability of alternate transportation modes,
staff do not anticipate that exemption from five parking spaces will have an
impact on current parking demand in the immediate area of the site.
2.
A factor to consider is whether the City currently has, or has identified the
need for, a parking strategy in the area.
The
City has not identified a need for a parking strategy in the area as a result
of the availability of on-street parking.
3.
The use of the property is not considered over development of the site.
The
proposed office uses are within an existing building, which conforms to the
Zoning By-law. The proposal attempts to
make efficient use of an existing building located on the property. The use and density are permitted in the
Zoning By-law and are compatible with the existing character of the area.
4.
There will be no negative impact on the liveability of adjacent residential
areas.
The
site is within the “Core” of the Central Area, which consists of predominantly
office and employment uses, with some residential development. The area is intended to be mixed-use with a
focus on employment uses. No adverse
impacts on any residential development in the vicinity is foreseen.
OTHER PLANNING OBJECTIVES
The site is designated as “Central Area” in the Official Plan. This designation identifies the Central Area as the economic and cultural heart of the city and promotes medium to high-density mixed-use development. Office uses are included as a permitted use. Priority is to be given to walking, cycling, and transit within the Central Area. The designation specifically indicates that Sparks Street is to develop with retail at grade, with office, residential, and other uses above grade, serving as important components of the area.
The site is within the “Core” of the Central Area Secondary Plan. This area recognizes the employment focus of the area and encourages mixed-use development that contributes to the vitality of the Core.
The proposed office use is a permitted use in the Zoning By-law.
The site is within the Sparks Street Heritage Conservation District. The Official Plan seeks to protect, enhance and conserve heritage resources, and encourages re-use of heritage buildings, such as the subject building.
The site is within walking distance of retail, services, and entertainment uses and within proximity to excellent transit service. The proposed office expansion facilitated by the cash-in-lieu of parking exemption is in keeping with Official Plan policies for the Central Area and heritage resources, Secondary Plan policies for the Core, and the Zoning By-law.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The Approval of this Cash-in-lieu of Parking request will allow for the creation of additional office space, and contribute to the economic vitality of Sparks Street, and the Core.
Reduced Payment Request
As noted, this application is being brought forward to the Planning and Environment Committee to allow Committee to give consideration to the applicant's request for reduced cash payment. Staff are satisfied that the policies respecting Cash-in-lieu of parking are met, however staff is not able to approve requests to reduce the amount for the cash-in-lieu application
CONSULTATION
Notice of this application was carried out in accordance with the City's Public Notification and Consultation Policy. The Ward Councillor is aware of this application and the staff recommendation. The City did not receive any negative comments or opposition to this application.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:
There are no legal/risk management implications associated with this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The standard Cash-in-lieu of parking formula calculation requires a contribution of $44,950.00 to the Parking Reserve Fund.
APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS
The application was not processed by the "On Time Decision Date" established for the processing of Cash-in-lieu of Parking applications due to discussions with the applicant regarding existing parking credits.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
DISPOSITION
Planning and Growth Management to notify the owner, Dahavaland Capital Corp. (Cliff Ladd) 220 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5C1, the applicant, Bill Holzman, Holzman Consultants Inc, 1076 Castle Hill Crescent, Ottawa, ON K2C 2A8, OttawaScene.com, 174 Colonnade Road, Unit #33, Ottawa, ON K2E 7J5, and all interested parties of Planning and Environment Committee’s decision.
Legal Services to prepare Cash-in-lieu of Parking Agreement.
LOCATION MAP DOCUMENT
1
FACT SHEET DOCUMENT 2
Cash-in-Lieu
of Parking – Standard Method of Payment Calculation
REQUIRED PARKING
(as per Zoning By-law, 2008-250 )
Existing
Development Parking
Bar 0
Medical Facility 2.4
Recreational and
Athletic Facility 0
Total Required Parking 2
PARKING DEFICIENCY CALCULATION
Parking required 7
Parking provided 0
Parking credits 2
Parking Deficiency 5
STANDARD
PAYMENT CALCULATION (as per cash-in-lieu of Parking By-law)
Total Standard Payment $44,950.00
Cash-in-Lieu of Parking-Reduced Payment Calculation
5 spaces @ $1.00 per space
- $5.00
Approved Cash-in-lieu of Parking Applications in
Vicinity
There are no recent cash-in-lieu of parking
applications in this area