Public Storage Self-storage Facility (Warehouse) 3545 St. Joseph Boulevard Planning Rationale PREPARED FOR: Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. 2660 Argentia Road Mississauga, Ontario L5N 5V4 PREPARED BY: McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 115 Walgreen Road Carp, Ontario K0A 1L0 613.836.2184 Project No. CP-11-117 September, 2011
Contents 1.0 Overview... 3 2.0 Site Context... 4 2.1 Site Location & Description... 4 2.2 Surrounding Land Uses... 4 3.0 Proposed Development... 6 4.0 Planning Policy & Regulatory FrameworK... 7 4.1 Provincial Policy Statement, 2005... 7 4.2 City of Ottawa Official Plan... 7 4.3 City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-Law... 8 5.0 Integrated Environmental Review... 10 6.0 Conclusion... 11 McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 2
1.0 OVERVIEW This planning rationale has been prepared for Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. in support of an application for Site Plan Approval for lands known municipally as 3545 St. Joseph Boulevard in the City of Ottawa. The purpose of this Site Plan Application is to permit the construction of a self-storage facility (warehouse use) on the above referenced site which is owned by Public Storage. The proposed development has been reviewed in the context of the existing planning framework and the conformity and compliance of the proposed development with same is demonstrated herein. The proposed development has also been reviewed in respect of its compatibility with and potential impacts on the surrounding land uses. McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 3
2.0 SITE CONTEXT 2.1 Site Location & Description The subject site is located west of Taylor Creek on the north side of St. Joseph Boulevard and south of Highway No. 174 in the City of Ottawa, as shown on Figure 1 below. The subject site is described legally as Parts 1 and 2 on Registered Plan 50R566, Lot 32, Concession 1, Cumberland, OS, and Parts 1 and 2 on Registered Plan 4R19084 and is known municipally as 3545 St. Joseph Boulevard. The subject site is irregular in shape and has an area of 10.66 acres with a frontage of 20.12 metres on St. Joseph Boulevard. The site is currently vacant. Figure 1: Location of Subject Site 2.2 Surrounding Land Uses The subject site is bounded to the north by Regional Road 174, with residential and open space beyond, and to the west by the Terra Nova Estates mobile home development. Located east of the subject site is Taylor Creek, with the Taylor Creek Business Park located beyond. The Taylor Creek Business Park is comprised of a range of commercial, light industrial, warehousing, and distribution uses. Beyond the business park are manufacturing uses. Located directly to the south of the subject site is a landscaping business with a commercial glass use beyond fronting on St. Joseph Boulevard and a retail operation featuring outdoor sheds and furnishings. Located on the south side of St. Joseph Boulevard is a treed area with residential uses beyond. McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 4
Figure 2: Surrounding Land Uses McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 5
3.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT The proposed development contemplates the establishment of a series of self-storage warehouses on the subject site. A total of eight (8) separate one storey buildings are proposed with a gross floor area of 8,486.42 square metres, representing a lot coverage of 19.67%. A total of 38 parking spaces are proposed and access to the proposed self-storage warehouses will be off of St. Joseph Boulevard. Figure 3: Site Plan McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 6
4.0 PLANNING POLICY & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 4.1 Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 The 2005 Provincial Policy Statement (the PPS ), issued under Section 3 of the Planning Act, provides policy direction on matters of provincial interest related to land use planning and development, including but not limited to building strong communities. The policies of the PPS provide that healthy, livable and safe communities are sustained by accommodating a range and mix of employment uses, including industrial, commercial, and institutional uses. The proposed development will serve to add to this range of uses. The proposed development represents the intensification of a vacant and underutilized parcel of land within the urban area. The proposed development will utilize existing services including municipal water and roads and therefore is in line with PPS policies promoting the efficient use of land through intensification and utilization of existing infrastructure. The use of the subject land for a self-storage warehouse is consistent with the policies of the PPS. 4.2 City of Ottawa Official Plan The subject site is designated General Urban Area pursuant to the City of Ottawa Official Plan (the Official Plan ), as illustrated on Schedule B Urban Policy Plan, as shown on Figure 4 below. The purpose of this designation is to accommodate a great range of land uses that will facilitate the development of complete and sustainable communities. This designation permits all types and densities of residential uses as well as employment, retail, service, industrial, cultural, leisure, greenspace, entertainment and institutional uses. Figure 4: Extract from Schedule B - Urban Policy Plan McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 7
The policies of the Official Plan provide that the zoning by-law will regulate the location, scale and type of land uses for the General Urban Area. The policies of the Official Plan also provide that the zoning by-law will allow certain uses that serve a larger population on the edges of neighbourhoods, thereby allowing these uses to meet unique needs such as locating on a road that provides suitable car and truck access. The proposed storage facility, which is indeed permitted pursuant to the zoning by-law, will be located on the perimeter of the existing neighbourhood. Also in accordance with the policies of the Official Plan, the proposed storage facility will be located on St. Joseph Boulevard, an existing arterial road which will provide suitable access to the proposed use. The Official Plan provides that industrial uses will only be directed out of the General Urban Area if matters such as noise, fumes, heavy equipment movement or external storage of large amounts of material will result in negative impacts for adjacent residential uses. None of the aforementioned matters are expected to pose a problem for the proposed self-storage facility use. Based on the forgoing, the proposed storage facility is consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the Official Plan. 4.3 City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-Law The subject site is zoned General Mixed Use Subzone 13 with an exception, GM13[215]H(20), pursuant to the City of Ottawa s Comprehensive Zoning By-law No. 2008-250 (the zoning by-law ), as illustrated on the City s By-law mapping. The purpose of the General Mixed Use zone is, among other things, to allow a mix of land uses in the General Urban Area designation of the Official Plan, permit large scale land uses that serve areas beyond the surrounding community, and to ensure such uses are compatible with the existing land uses in the vicinity. This zone permits a range of uses, and the exception that applies to the subject site permits additional uses, including warehouses. Figure 5: Extract from Zoning By-law Mapping McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 8
Below is a summary of the applicable general mixed use provisions and a note indicating the proposed development s compliance with each. Provision Required Provided Compliance Minimum Lot Frontage 20 metres 20.12 metres Yes Minimum Front Yard Setback 3 metres >3 metres Yes Minimum Interior Side Yard Setback (Abutting Residential) 5 metres 21.695 metres Yes Minimum Rear Yard Setback 3 metres 18.15 metres Yes Maximum Permitted Height 20 metres 2.84 metres Yes Maximum Floor Space Index 2 (86,279 m²) 0.19 (8486.42 m²) Yes Minimum Required Parking 68 Spaces 38 Spaces No Minimum Width of Landscaped Area 3 metres 3.0 metres Yes (Abutting Street or Residential Zone) Minimum Width of Landscaping Around Parking Lot 1.5 metres 1.8 metres Yes As noted above, the proposed development will not meet the minimum parking requirements established by the zoning by-law. The need for parking in respect of the proposed use is limited and accordingly, the intent is to seek relief from this provision by way of an application for minor variance that would permit a reduction in the number of required parking spaces. The proposed use is permitted pursuant to the zoning by-law and the development will comply with the regulations of the zoning by-law in all regards with the exception of minimum parking supply. McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 9
5.0 INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW An Environmental Impact Statement and Tree Conservation report, dated August 2011, was prepared by McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. and submitted in support of this application. The proposed development has been designed in a manner that will protect and maintain as much of the natural woody vegetation cover as possible and more specifically, will allow for the preservation of the vegetation communities with high retention value. The site design will not result in any negative impacts to Taylor Creek given that no vegetation removal will occur within 30 metres of the creek and that the proposed stormwater management design will mitigate any effects that runoff from the site would otherwise have on the creek. Additional and more detailed information can be found in the accompanying Environmental Impact Statement and Tree Conservation Report. McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 10
6.0 CONCLUSION The proposed development is consistent with the policies, goals and general intent of the Provincial Policy Statement and the City of Ottawa Official Plan. Further, the proposed use, being a self-storage facility (warehouse use), complies with the City of Ottawa s Comprehensive Zoning By-law No. 2008-250. As noted herein, the proposed development complies with the various zoning regulations with the exception of the minimum required parking provision, from which the owner will be seeking relief by way of an application for a minor variance. The proposed development is compatible with the existing land uses in the surrounding area. It is my professional opinion that this proposal is an appropriate use of the subject property, is in the public interest, and represents good planning. Respectfully submitted, Bridgette Alchawa, B.E.S. Intermediate Planner 613.836.2184 ext. 2228 b.alchawa@mcintoshperry.com McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. 11