Report to/Rapport au :
Comité de
l’urbanisme
And Council
/ et au conseil
14 June 2011 / le 14 juin 2011
Submitted
by/Soumis par: Marianne
Wilkinson, Councillor/Conseiller
Kanata North/Nord
(Ward/Quartier 4)
Contact Person/Personne resource: Marianne Wilkinson, Councillor/ Conseillère
613-580-2474,
Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca
|
Ref
N°:ACS2011-CMR-PLC-0012 |
SUBJECT: CLOSURE
OF STATEWOOD DRIVE AT TERRY FOX DRIVE
OBJET: FERMETURE
DE LA PROMENADE STATEWOOD À L'ANGLE DE LA PROMENADE TERRY-FOX.
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Committee recommend
Council direct staff to initiate the procedure to
formally close Statewood Drive at Terry Fox Drive.
RECOMMANDATION
DU RAPPORT
Que le Comite de l’urbanisme recommande que le conseil
dirige le personnel d’entamer la procédure de
fermeture officielle de la promenade Statewood à
l'angle de la promenade Terry-Fox.
BACKGROUND
At
the 14 June 2011 meeting of the Planning Committee, Councillor Qadri introduced
the following notice of motion on behalf of Councillor Wilkinson:
WHEREAS
access roads to arterial roads such as Terry Fox Drive should be restricted to designed
and designated collector roads; and
WHEREAS Statewood Drive is a local residential street of town
houses and townhouse bungalows; and
WHEREAS Statewood Drive has a reduced width road 9 metres wide; and
WHEREAS
residents have petitioned to have Statewood closed at
Terry Fox Drive; and
WHEREAS a
count of traffic on Statewood on May 20th from 3 to 6
pm had 207 vehicles using the intersection, showing that this local street has
become used like a collector for a broader area; and
WHEREAS
although the intersection was to be right in and out only vehicles are going
the wrong way in order to do left turns, creating a dangerous traffic
situation; and
WHEREAS
access to the area should be by the Second Line Road to Brady, both of which
are collector roads;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that staff initiate the procedure to formally close Statewood Drive at Terry Fox Drive.
DISCUSSION
Following the receipt of a
petition from residents of Statewood Drive concerned
about increased traffic on Statewood Drive as a
result of the opening of the road to Terry Fox Drive, Councillor Wilkinson has
brought this matter to the attention of staff in Public Works and Planning and
Growth Management.
At the request of the
residents, the Councillor brought forward this motion to Planning Committee for
consideration.
RURAL
IMPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
CONSULTATION
Planning
and Growth Management Comments
Pursuant
to the Committee direction, staff will move forward with the process for a
formal Street Lane Closing. As this is a Council directed application the
Planning and Growth Management Department will not receive the application fee
of $4,786.28 which covers costs associated with the application review process.
The
Planning and Growth Management Department will circulate this matter to City
Departments, the Ward Councillor, Community Organizations, affected agencies,
and abutting owners for comment. Should there be no objections to the road
closure after staff review, the matter will be addressed under delegated
authority and will not return to Committee. The process will follow normal
public comment and appeal procedures in accordance with the Council approved policy:
(http://ottawa.ca/residents/planning/dev_review_process/dev_application/17_3_11_en.html.)
If
the decision is to approve the closure, City Council will pass a By-law. Should
it be determined that the road is to be closed then there will be costs
associated with preparing a reference plan and the physical closure of the
road.
It
should be noted that Statewood Drive was dedicated as
a public street via registration of a plan of subdivision that went through the
Planning Act Process including notice, public meetings, and rights of appeal.
There was a Transportation Study completed in support of the Phase 10
subdivision that looked at the issue of connecting Statewood
to Terry Fox (see clause from subdivision agreement below) and ultimately
recommended the connection to Terry Fox Drive.
“The
Owner covenants and agrees to update the transportation study for this
development to address the revisions in the Road pattern proposed in the Plan,
which revised report will, among other items, address the feasibility of
connecting Statewood Drive to Terry Fox Drive or
terminating Statewood Drive as a cul-de-sac”.
Notwithstanding
the above, community and Councillor feedback to date
has indicated that the road opening is providing a detrimental impact to the
quality of life for residents on this portion of Statewood
Drive and may in fact also be posing a safety issue. This will be reviewed along with the impact
the road closure would have on other streets such as Brady Avenue and parts of
the Morgan’s Grant subdivision as well as the technical feasibility to
construct a proper turn cul-de-sac without impacting the existing homes and stormwater pond.
Public
Works Comments
The
Public Works Department supports the recommendation, and can provide the
following additional comments as background:
The
intersection of Statewood Drive at Terry Fox Drive
was designed to be right-in/right-out.
There have been some instances of drivers making illegal turns from Statewood Drive onto Terry Fox Drive. Once Terry Fox Drive is fully open (i.e. past
Second Line Road) on July 1, 2011 the traffic volumes along Terry Fox Drive
should be such that the illegal left-turn from Statewood
Drive onto Terry Fox Drive will be much more difficult to do. It is felt that this will alleviate the
traffic safety issues.
It
should be noted that the proposed closure of Statewood
Drive at Terry Fox Drive may result in increased traffic volumes in other parts
of the community.
COMMENTS
BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR
Councillor Wilkinson is supportive of this road closure, and has
moved this motion to that end.
LEGAL
IMPLICATIONS
In
the absence of an application for a road closing, the decision to initiate the
road closing process rests with Council. Upon the process being commenced, if
there are no objections to the road closing, staff have delegated authority to
list a by-law for the closing. Should an objection be received, the matter will
come to Planning Committee. Committee has delegated authority to determine to
refuse to close the road or to direct the listing of a by-law to affect the
closing.
RISK
MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
No risk management implications have been
identified.
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
As
this is a Council directed application, the Planning and Growth Management
Department will not receive the application fee of $4,786.28, which covers all
costs associated with the application review process. This may affect Planning
and Growth Management’s 2011 operating budget status.
Should
there be no objections, and the by-law listed, funds would be required for the
reference plan and physical closure of the roads. Costs are unknown at this
time; funds are not available from within existing resources and funding would
be subject to the Term of Council Priorities initiative, and the budget
process.
TECHNOLOGICAL
IMPLICATIONS
N/A
CITY
STRATEGIC PLAN
N/A
DISPOSITION
Upon
Council approval, staff to initiate the procedure
to formally close Statewood Drive at Terry Fox Drive.