February 16, 2011 Mr. Simon Deiaco Planner II Planning and Growth Management Department City of Ottawa 110 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1J1 RE: Dymon Management Ltd. Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Application Mixed Use (Self Storage and Accessory Retail) Building 300 Greenbank Road Dear Mr. Deiaco, As per our pre-application consultation meeting, FoTenn Consultants Inc., on behalf of Dymon Management Ltd., Owners, are submitting a Zoning By-law Amendment application to revise the current City of Ottawa Zoning By-law to permit a new use within the current General Mixed-Use zone (GM15[1672]H(8)) and to increase the permitted height to allow for a four (4) storey selfstorage building, and associated parking and landscaping. The proposed development complies with all regulations and provisions of the GM15[1672]H(8) zone except the following which are the subject of this Zoning By-law Amendment: 1. warehouse (self-storage) must be added as a permitted use; 2. the required front yard setback must be reduced from 3.0m to 1.78m to permit the proposed building to be located adjacent to Greenbank Road; 3. the maximum building height for the site must be increased to 18 m; 4. the maximum Floor Space Index (FSI) must be increased to 2.1; 5. the minimum width of landscaped area abutting a street must be reduced to 1.78 m; and 6. the minimum parking requirement for warehouse (self-storage) must be reduced from 1 space per 100m 2 to a minimum requirement of nine (9) parking spaces. Please note that the By-law defines the self storage use as warehouse, however, given new trends in the industry, the term self storage is more contemporary and consistent with the type of development proposed at this location. Although we are not requesting an amendment to the Bylaw definition, this letter uses the term self storage, defined as warehouse in the By-law. The following materials are submitted in support of the application: FoTenn Consultants Inc. 223 McLeod Street Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0Z8 Canada T: 613.730.5709 F: 613.730.1136 www.fotenn.com
Completed Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Application Forms; A cheque in the amount of $30,119.08 Survey Plan, prepared by Fairhall, Moffatt & Woodland Ltd. Site Plan, prepared by Nicholas Caragianis Architects Elevations, prepared by Nicholas Caragianis Architects Traffic Impact Statement, prepared by Delcan Corporation Landscape Plan, prepared by James B. Lennox and Associates Sun shadow analysis, prepared by Nicholas Caragianis Architects Additional Studies: Gradient Microclimate Engineering Inc. is currently preparing a Noise Study, assessing noise sources including the vehicle loading areas and roof-mounted mechanical equipment to the residential areas to the north. The Study is based on the most-recent building elevations, and will use noise measurements from existing Dymon Self Storage facilities in Ottawa. The Study is not required, but has been initiated to respond to concerns raised by abutting land owners. A Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) will be submitted under separate cover. Please be advised that Dymon has retained Paterson Group to coordinate application for site remediation under the City s Brownfield Program. Site Context The subject property measures approximately 4,738.5 m 2 in area and is located on the west side of Greenbank Road, north of the intersection of Greenbank Road and West Hunt Club Road. The site was formerly a Budget Rent-A-Car establishment, and previously a gas station, but the previous building has been demolished and the site is currently vacant. The property is furthest south lands within the Urban Boundary, and is surrounded by residential townhouses to the north, Ben Franklin Park and indoor soccer facility to the east, and vacant land to the west. A hydro corridor runs north of the property. The lands to the south are part of the National Capital Commission (NCC) Greenbelt. Development Proposal The site plan, prepared by Nicholas Caragianis Architect Inc., depicts site boundaries, building area, parking and loading areas, and landscape buffers. Dymon Management proposes to develop a four (4) storey self-storage building, including one (1) basement-level floor. The building will contain approximately 10,081 m 2 (10,8508 s.f.) of self-storage facility consisting of storage units of varying size. The units would be accessible via internal elevators and vehicle loading areas, climate controlled, and in a clean and secure building. The total ground floor of the building, 2,198 m 2 (25,450 s.f.) in area, will include a mix of additional self-storage area and retail space associated with the self-storage use and oriented toward Greenbank Road and a 360 m 2 (4,000 s.f.) 2-storey drive-thru facility. 2
Dymon Management Ltd. is proposing to amend the zoning by-law to allow drive-in self storage / warehouse as a permitted use on the lands. Self-storage is defined as a warehouse in the former City of Ottawa Zoning By-law. The definition does not reflect new trends in the self-storage industry. The term self-storage is more contemporary and consistent with the type of development proposed at this location. The attached building elevations depict a building exterior with a high-quality commercial appearance achieved through the use of premium building materials, an abundance of windows and distinctive architectural detailing. Access will be located at two (2) points along Greenbank Road, one on the north side of the property and one on the south side of the property. These access points will be restricted to rightin/right-out movements. The access locations will allow for an efficient site layout and circulation pattern with direct access to the drive-thru portion of the building, and for larger trucks to circulate on the site (despite the low frequency of larger trucks). The internal loading areas will minimize site impacts, noise, vehicle fumes and lights and be completely un-intrusive to adjacent properties, including the residential areas to the north. The nearest portion of the building is located approximately 12 metres to the south property line of the abutting residential properties. The sun-shadow analysis prepared by the project architects confirms minimal shadows on private amenity space associated with the residential properties to the north, with the most noticeable impact in December mornings. Most of the shadows associated with the additional building height (beyond 8 metres) is directed towards Greenbank Road. As will be assessed in the GmE Noise Study, the loading door mechanisms are designed to function rapidly and quietly at low noise levels. Noise walls are proposed abutting all truck loading areas for noise mitigation. A 1.8-metre high wood fence is proposed along the north property line, supplemented by on-site (and off-site) landscape materials. A total of nine (9) parking spaces are provided on site for the self storage use, located on the north side of the building. The amount of parking reflects current industry standards for a modern selfstorage facility. The majority of vehicle trips are accommodated within the drive-thru portion of the building. Policy and Regulatory Context City of Ottawa Official Plan The property is designated as General Urban Area in the City of Ottawa Official Plan (2007, as amended). This designation permits a wide range of housing types and densities as well as employment, retail, service, industrial, cultural, leisure, greenspace, entertainment and institutional uses. The intent of the General Urban Area designation is to permit the development of complete and sustainable communities. Greenbank Road and West Hunt Club Road are both designated as Arterial Roads in Schedule E Urban Road Network and Major Recreational Pathways in Schedule I Major Recreational Pathways and Scenic/Entry Routes Urban. 3
The policies of the General Urban Area generally support retail and service uses, particularly when that use does not negatively affect surrounding residential uses. Policies: General Urban Area designations are found on Schedule B Urban Policy in the Official Plan. The designation permits all types and densities of housing, as well as employment, retail uses, service, industrial, cultural, leisure, greenspace, entertainment and institutional uses. The General Urban Area permits uses that may generate traffic, noise or other impacts that have the potential to create conflicts with the surrounding residential community. Such uses will be directed to: o Suitable locations on the perimeter or, or isolated from, established residential neighbourhoods. Throughout the General Urban Area, the City will encourage the provision of a variety of small, locally-oriented convenience and service uses that complement adjacent residential areas. The City will ensure that these uses: o Are permitted to cluster with other community-oriented uses, such as parks, pedestrian linkages, community centres or leisure facilities, in order to facilitate interaction among residents and contribute to a sense of community; and o Are of a size and scale that will not result in the attraction of large volumes of vehicular traffic from outside the immediate area. The proposed development conforms to the Official Plan. Modern self storage retailers do not have the same negative externalities that traditional warehouse uses do, and the proposal will provide a service to the surrounding community. The location of this site at the perimeter of a residential community, as well as the modest size and scale of the proposed building, will not attract large volumes of traffic. City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-law The property is currently zoned GM15 [1672] H(8) - General Mixed Use zone. It is subject to the provisions of subzone 15 and exception 1672, and is limited to a height of 8 metres. The GM15 zone permits a wide variety of residential and non-residential uses including a bank, community centre, drive-through facility, office, retail store, apartment dwelling, both low and mid-high rise, multiple attached, and residential care facility, among others. Subzone 15 permits additional automobile related uses such as Automobile Service Station, Car wash and Gas bar, while expectation 1672 permits Automobile Rental Establishments. The proposed self-storage / warehouse uses is in keeping with the intent of the Zoning By-law, and will not have undue adverse impacts on adjacent uses. The intensity of the use and scale of the building is in character with the arterial roadway, and is consistent with the planned function of the mixed-use corridor. The proposed development complies with all regulations and provisions of the GM15[1672]H(8) zone, except the following, which are the subject of this Zoning By-law Amendment: Provision Requirement Proposed Compliance Lot Area (min) None N/A 4
Lot Width (min) None N/A Front and Corner Side Yard (min) 3.00 m 1.78 m Interior Side Yard (min) Abutting A Residential Zone 5.00 m 12.04 m Rear Yard (min) None N/A Building Height (max) 8.0 m 18.0 m Floor Space Index (max) 2.00 2.1 Width Landscaped Area of Parking (min) Abutting a street Abutting a residential zone Other cases 3.00 m 1.78 m 3.00 m 5.89 m None N/A 0.8/100 m 2 of GFA (Total of 82) 9 1. warehouse (self-storage with drive-thru) must be added as a permitted use; 2. The permitted Floor Space Index (FSI) must be increased from 2.00 to 2.1; 3. The required front yard setback must be reduced from 3.00 m to 1.78 m to permit the proposed building to be located closer to Greenbank Road. 4. The maximum building height must be increased from 8.0 m to 18.0 m 5. The minimum parking requirement for warehouse (self-storage) must be reduced from 0.8 spaces per 100 m 2 to a minimum requirement of nine (9) spaces. The development will comply with the majority of the provisions of the General Mixed Use zone and general provisions of the By-law, including loading provisions, access aisles, and landscape provisions. Most setbacks in the proposal meet the zoning By-law, except for the front yard setback, which must be amended to allow the building to be located closer to Greenbank Road. The reduction in the required front yard setback is to allow for proper vehicular circulation throughout the site. Of particular interest, to be sensitive to the necessary separation and transition to the residential community to the north, the internal side yard setback is approximately 12 metres, greater than the 5.0-metre setback required in the By-law. The increase in permitted Floor Space Index (FSI) and the increase in permitted building height will also require amendment. It should be noted that the increase in FSI and height is necessary to achieve the design objectives, product, and service that is consistent with Dymon Management Limited. In addition, the most intensive portion of the building is also located at the periphery of the surrounding residential community, consistent with Official Plan policies. The additional height is consistent with building heights anticipated and often found along Arterial roadways, and will have minimal impacts on abutting lands. The self-storage use and building has no inconvenience onto abutting lands typical of residential development (balconies overlooking, etc.) 5
or commercial developments (traffic, odours from restaurants and dumpsters, noise from patios and patrons, etc.) The proposed amendment also requests a reduction in the warehouse use parking requirement to require only nine (9) spaces for the development. This reduction in parking ratio for this form of selfstorage development facility has been previously proposed, rationalized, and accepted for various other similar Dymon self-storage applications in the City of Ottawa, including locations off of Prince of Wales Drive, Bank Street (South Keys regional shopping centre), Didsbury Road in Kanata (Kanata Town Centre), Innes Road in Orleans and Coventry Road in Old Ottawa. In addition, traffic and site parking are not anticipated to generate any impacts on the surrounding roadways as the proposed uses are not expected to generate a significant increase in vehicular or truck traffic. Further, access to the site will be restricted to right-in/right-out which is commonly accepted as having the least impact upon arterial roadway traffic. Additional Considerations Encroachment into Hydro Easement and Stormwater Ditch In order to provide sufficient access through the site, for both truck movement as well as emergency services and to provide bicycle and vehicular parking, the development encroaches upon an existing Hydro Ottawa easement and approaches an existing stormwater ditch. Dymon Management Ltd. has received approval from Hydro Ottawa to encroach, on the condition that stormwater management is not affected. David Schaeffer Engineering Ltd has taken the necessary steps to ensure that this condition is satisfied. Special consideration was also given to the hydro corridor along Greenbank Road, from which a 6- metre setback was incorporated into the building design. Driveway Width Through this application, FoTenn / Dymon are requesting a waiver from the Private Approach By-law to accommodate for truck movement. The proposed driveway, which is limited to 9 metres in the By-law, is proposed to be 14 metres wide, with additional pavement markings and depressed curbs to facilitate truck access, but provide the visual appearance of a narrower driveway. Supporting Studies Transportation Brief In support of the Zoning By-law Amendment, a Transportation Brief was prepared by Delcan Corporation, confirming that the Self Storage Use is a low traffic generator and very low parking demands. A facility of this size will generate approximately 25 vehicle trips per day. The brief also concludes that the 9 spaces of parking provided are sufficient for the amount of traffic generated. Landscape Plan The Landscape Plan for the proposal features a range of plantings throughout the site, including several White Cedar Clumps along the north lot line that screen views from neighbouring residential properties. Plantings along Greenbank Road are located beneath a hydro corridor, and plant species have been carefully selected in accordance with City standards to ensure a separation between plants and hydro lines. Only one (1) existing tree, located on the west side of the property, is being 6
removed. The addition of a generous quantity of new plantings will exceed the expected compensation for this removal. Site Servicing and Erosion Control Plans Site Servicing Grading and Erosion Control and Detail Plans were prepared by David Schaeffer Engineering Limited (DSEL) in support of both the Zoning Amendment and Site Plan Control applications. The plans conclude that there is sufficient and adequate municipal servicing capacity (potable water, sanitary sewer and stormwater facilities) and servicing options available to accommodate the proposed development. A composite utility plan will be prepared at a later time, confirming the design and installation of all required private utilities. Notification In addition to meeting with the Ward Councillor, a meeting was held on January 29, 2012 with Community Association representatives to review the application. A second community meeting is scheduled for March 1, 2012. Conclusions In our opinion, the self storage building and site design proposed by Dymon fits well into the context along Greenbank Road, and makes a positive contribution to the community by providing valuable storage services at local and regional scales. For the reasons mentioned above, we find that this application represents good and appropriate planning. We look forward to discussing the application further with you once you have had an opportunity to review the submission. Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions regarding any aspect of the application. Regards, Miguel Tremblay, MCIP RPP Senior Planner Manager, Development Planning FoTenn Consultants 7