[PLANNING RATIONALE] For Site Plan Control and Lifting of Holding Zone By-Law 101 Champagne Avenue May 23, 2014
Contents 1.0 Introduction... 2 2.0 Site Context... 2 2.1 Adjacent Uses... 2 Figure 1: Site Location... 3 2.2 Community Context... 3 3.0 Proposed Development... 3 Figure 2: Proposed Site Plan... 4 4.0 Planning Policy Framework... 5 4.1 City of Ottawa Official Plan... 5 4.2 Central Area Secondary Plan... 6 4.3 Preston Carling Community Design Plan... 7 5.0 Integrated Environmental Review Statements... 9 6.0 Conclusions... 10 May 2014 1
1.0 Introduction This report has been prepared in support of applications for Lifting of Holding By-Law and Site Plan Control Approval for lands at 101 Champagne Avenue in the City of Ottawa. The purpose of the report is to present the appropriateness of the proposed development in terms of site context and policy framework. 2.0 Site Context The subject site is a mid-block site located on the east side of Champagne Avenue, between Beech Street and Hickory Street in the City s Little Italy neighbourhood, as illustrated in Figure 1. The lot has approximately 54 meters of frontage on Champagne, with a lot depth of 60 meters, it is 3,310 m² in size. The lands are currently vacant. 2.1 Adjacent Uses North The property immediately to the north is a designated urban park, known as Ev Tremblay Park. The site contains a swimming pool and change building, a paved basketball court, an unused and overgrown sand area, and open green space. East Abutting the subject site to the east is the O-train line which runs from Bayview at the northern terminus, south past Carleton University to Greenboro station at South Keys. South The Soho Champagne condominiums directly abut the subject property to the south, with one 20-storey tower under construction and a second to be built in the future. Located one block further south is the Carling O-Train Station, just one stop south of Bayview Station, part of Ottawa s newest and largest $2.1 billion infrastructure project. West Directly across Champagne Avenue from the subject site are two residential towers, the newly complete Hom Development, a 14 storey 110 unit project, as well as an older 15 storey residential apartment building set back from the street. May 2014 2
Figure 1: Site Location 2.2 Community Context The immediate surrounding area is designated as a Mixed Use Centre in the Official Plan with new development projects in the immediate context and low rise residential areas predominately to the south and west. The area contains retail/ commercial and office type uses and buildings. The subject site is one of a number of sites in the Preston-Champagne area being considered for large scale site development. Champagne Avenue has a north-south orientation and operates with two way vehicular traffic. Champagne Avenue is classified as a local road on Schedule E of the City of Ottawa s Official Plan and is located within 2 blocks of Preston Street and connects with Carling Avenue. Both Carling and Preston are arterial roads in the Official Plan and are considered major roads which carry large volumes of traffic. Carling and Preston function as major public corridors accommodating car and truck traffic as well as pedestrians, cyclists and public transit. 3.0 Proposed Development The development will include a 28 storey residential building designed for mature student lifestyle. There will be a total of 156 rooming units, with 60 at grade parking spaces for the use of the residents and commercial users. These spaces will be temporarily until the future phase of the development takes place. A loading space is not proposed for the site and bicycle parking will be provided as per zoning by law requirements at the south east corner of the site. The site is currently zoned R5B [924]-h (Residential Fifth Density Zone, Area B - Schedule 1, Exception 924). Section 65 does not apply to a canopy or similar projection and such a projection may project to a lot line. The proposed development complies with all relevant policies with the exception of the holding provision, for which this application is submitted. May 2014 3
Figure 2: Proposed Site Plan May 2014 4
4.0 Planning Policy Framework 4.1 City of Ottawa Official Plan The pattern of intensification described by the Official Plan is based upon a series of nodes and corridors. The Central Area is the focus, serving both as the symbolic heart of the nation and the economic and cultural nerve centre of the city. The Central Area contains the highest density development pattern in the entire city. Radiating out from the downtown is a linear network of Main streets. These streets perform a dual role. They carry cross-town commuters and attract shoppers from all over the city. At the same time, they act as the primary service corridors, meeting place, and residence for the many who occupy the numerous neighbourhoods that lie along their path. Complementing and at times paralleling these linear arteries is the dedicated rapid transit network whose major stations anchor nodes of dense development, designated as Mixed-Use Centres and Town Centres. These concentrations act as mini downtowns, seeking to take full advantage of the volume of transit riders that pass through by providing complementary high density, high rise employment and residential development opportunities. Land uses around stations should serve as both origins and destinations of trips. This Plan encourages areas around major transit stations to develop compact, walkable, mixed-use developments with densities that support transit use. Schedule B of the City of Ottawa s Official Plan designates the subject property as Mixed Use Center. Mixed Use Centers are, and will continue to be, diverse inner city neighbourhoods, containing a mix of residential, office, retail, and light industrial employment uses. The attractiveness of the subject area for redevelopment will be reinforced by its accessibility to existing and future transitway stations and the Queensway. The proposed development meets the general intent and objectives of the Official Plan in the following manner: The proposed development, by pursuing a compact form of development, will support a high-quality transit service and make better use of existing roads and other infrastructures such as the LRT and O-train Through introduction of much needed student oriented residential units, the proposed further promotes this Mixed Use area as a vital and active place The proposal conforms to the design objectives and principles set out in Section 2.5.1 Compatibility and Urban Design, in terms of built form, open spaces and access to infrastructure The proposal responds favourably to the compatibility criteria established in Section 4.11 of the Official Plan May 2014 5
The proposed development intensifies an underused lot in the Preston Champagne area Existing infrastructure, neighbourhood amenities and transit to service the proposed development are available 4.2 Central Area Secondary Plan The Central Area Secondary Plan provides more detailed area-based policy direction for a number of geographical areas. A defining characteristic of Preston-Champagne is its division into separate quadrants by major existing and future transportation corridors (the Queensway and the CPR corridor). Major redevelopment, resulting in new employment and housing opportunities, sensitively scaled to provide a transition to existing lower profile residential areas, will occur in the older industrial lands along these transportation corridors, including Carling Avenue and Somerset Street. Existing residential areas will be protected by directing neighbourhood commercial uses to Preston Street (and Somerset Street) thereby enhancing its role as the main shopping, restaurant, cultural and community focus of the neighbourhood. The Greenway System-Linkage designation along the CPR corridor is recognized. The subject site sits in the Southwest Quadrant of Preston-Champagne (south of the Queensway and west of the CPR corridor). This area is a Secondary Employment Centre with a future mix of medium and high profile employment uses, focusing on both sides of Carling Avenue. The Centre will include existing office buildings (e.g., Sir John Carling Building) and new developments which will infill vacant lands and replace older industrial uses. The northwest edge of this area will be redeveloped with low profile residential uses to provide a transition to the existing low profile residential areas to the north and west. High profile residential development is permitted on the east side of Champagne Avenue South, between Ev Tremblay Park and Hickory Street. The addition of a greater diversity of uses will create a lively, vibrant environment, while the enhancement of the area s architecture will contribute significantly to its economic vitality and its continued attraction of new businesses and people. Development of these lands shall be in accordance with the policies of Section 3.0 of the Primary Plan and with the Preston Champagne Design Guidelines and will include high profile residential development. The addition of a housing mix with a focus on senior year university residents in our proposal will particularly help to support a growing variety of pedestrian-oriented uses at grade, including entertainment and cultural uses. As a result of this proposal, more animation will be encouraged on the neighbouring Main Street Corridor of Preston Street thereby supporting pedestrian-oriented uses outside of the normal business hours. This will also contribute to creating a safe environment during all times of the day. May 2014 6
The architecture of the building is considered contemporary and modernistic and will contribute to the City s overall urban design. The height of the proposed building has been carefully conceived to communicate effectively with the future developments that have been approved in the Preston-Champagne area, and will respect the visual integrity of such developments. In particular, the proposal respects the strategic direction of the Official Plan in managing growth, supporting infrastructure, maintaining environmental integrity and building livable communities. The design will be a unique addition to the City s skyline and help to provide a visual queue for pedestrians. 4.3 Preston Carling Community Design Plan The Preston-Carling District is emerging as one of the most significant re-urbanization areas in the City, transforming into a destination within a broader downtown context. The principles and directions for the Carling Avenue-Preston Street area acknowledge and embrace the significance of the change anticipated in the area while ensuring that the broad objectives of the Official Plan are met. Two elements which are critical to the transformation of the Preston-Carling District is a built form strategy that will define the area as the western gateway into the larger downtown area, and a comprehensive public realm strategy to ensure sufficient, generous, and high quality public spaces supporting the transformation of the District. Within the Community Design plan (which is currently in draft form), the 101 Champagne Avenue site sits within the Station Area and is located adjacent to the LRT station along Carling and Champagne Avenues. It is acknowledged that this area will see the highest density and tallest buildings in the entire District and the City, with transition towards the surrounding stable residential neighbourhoods. The plan speaks to development of exceptional architectural design for all buildings to ensure the highest streetscape quality and to create a unique skyline that represents the south western gateway to the downtown area. High profile mixed-use buildings up to a height in the order of 40-storeys will be permitted on blocks fronting Carling Avenue adjacent to the LRT station and for the residential developments which include the Champagne site heights up to 25-storeys will be permitted along the west side of the O-train corridor up to Ev Tremblay Park. The Community Design plan has recommendations for sites such as the 101 Champagne Avenue property, where high profile buildings are permitted: The podium and/or base of the development shall incorporate uses and human scale features to animate adjacent streets and open spaces. Point tower design with multiple faces shall be provided for high-rise buildings. Small floor plates will be encouraged with a residential tower being no greater than 750 square meters and office tower being less than 2,000 square meters. May 2014 7
A minimum distance of 20 metres between the towers. The relationship between potential towers within the same street block shall be addressed with towers being provided as shown on the tower location plan (Document 4 noted as Preston-Carling district Height ) of the design plan attached) and measures being introduced through the development review and approval process to ensure orderly development of the block. Coordination of tower locations shall be pursued to optimize views from towers to Dow s Lake and other public amenities. The proposed building height and massing are consistent with the planned function of the area and with the existing and approved building heights in the Preston Champagne Area of the City. The height of the building from grade is approximately 81 Meters plus a 5-7 Meter amenity / mechanical penthouse floor. Adjacent buildings currently under construction are in the range of 25 floors. The massing of the building is tied to the restrictions of the site, and also addresses the construction of adjacent buildings to retain views to the north for such properties. The subject property has been designed with a future second phase of the development, which would be constructed to a lower overall height in accordance with the Zoning By-law. Should a second tower proceed it would be built to the setbacks along Champagne Street, and any required parking would be relocated to a below grade condition. The podium between the two towers would be landscaped to increase the overall landscape component for the site. In addition, the following outlines the zoning requirements (exception 924) for the property, and what is provided in the submitted Site Plan: Minimum Front Yard Setback 2m - Provided 2m Minimum Rear Yard Setback 0m - Provided 0.5m Minimum Northerly Interior Side Yard Setback 0m - Provided 0.5m Minimum Southerly Interior Side Yard Setback 2.5m - Provided 3.61m - Notwithstanding s.109(11) and (12): (i) a walkway located in the front yard may have a maximum width of 2 metres; and, (ii) landscaping within the front yard may be either hard or soft. - maximum number of residential use buildings containing apartment dwelling mid-high rises permitted: 2 - where only one residential use building containing an apartment dwelling mid- May 2014 8
high rise is located on the lot, it may have a maximum of two towers. - maximum permitted building height: (i) where two buildings are located on the lot, one may be a maximum of 81 metres in height, and the other may be a maximum of 71 metres in height; (ii) where one building is located on the lot, but it has two towers, one tower may be a maximum of 81 metres in height, and the other may be a maximum of 71 metres in height; or, (iii) where one building is located on the lot with one tower, it may be a maximum of 81 metres in height - visitor parking must be provided at a rate of at least 0.083 spaces per dwelling unit after the first 12 units - amenity space with a maximum height of 5.0 metres may project above the maximum permitted building height - maximum total permitted gross floor area on the lot: 32, 750 m2 - minimum amount of landscaped open space that must be provided on the lot: 625 m2 - minimum separation distance: (i) between two buildings on the same lot, excluding permitted projections: 10.9 m (ii) between two towers on the same building, excluding permitted projections: 10.9 m The site plan proposal meets all zoning by-law requirements with the exception of the holding by-law for which an application is attached. 5.0 Integrated Environmental Review Statements Development applications, according to the City of Ottawa s Official Plan (Section 4.7.1), must incorporate an environmental review in order to ensure that the proposed development be appropriately integrated into the natural environment. In this regard, several environmental reviews have been undertaken, including a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and a Geotechnical Desktop Review, as well as a Stormwater Management Report and a Tree Conservation Plan. The proposed development implements the conclusions of these studies. All of the above studies can be found within the submitted Site Plan Application package. May 2014 9
6.0 Conclusions The proposed development requires Site Plan Approval and a By-law to lift the Holding Zone. This development complies with all policies in place including the City of Ottawa Official Plan and Zoning By-law. The addition of a mixed use student friendly building is an appropriate land use, which together with landscaping will significantly improve on the existing vacant site. The proposed development is compatible with the adjacent residential towers and Mixed-Use community both in terms of land use and design, and thus the accompanying applications for Site Plan and Lifting of the Holding By-law should be approved. May 2014 10