Planning Rationale Report Application for Site Plan Control Hope Cemetery 4660 Bank Street Prepared for: The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa Prepared by: Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Introduction 1.0 INTRODUCTION This Report has been prepared to support an application for Site Plan Control approval by Stantec Consulting Ltd. on behalf of the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa for property known municipally as 4660 Bank Street, the Hope Cemetery. The application for Site Plan Control seeks approval for the design of an expansion of the chapel including a mausoleum and a 15 space parking lot. 2.0 SITE LOCATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL 2.1 SITE LOCATION The site is located on the west side of Bank Street, between Leitrim Road and Analdea Drive / White Alder Avenue. The site has 202.7m of frontage, an irregular depth of 286m and an area of 19.2 hectares. Figure 1 Location Map 4660 Bank Street 2.1
Site Location and Development Proposal 2.2 SURROUNDING LAND USES To the south of the site, on the west side of Bank Street is a gas bar and a corporate head office building. To the rear of these uses and also abutting the rear of the Hope Cemetery site is a residential subdivision on urban services. To the west of the site is vacant land. To the north of the site is a commercial plant nursery business. To the east, across Bank Street, are two single detached homes and the Ottawa Rotary Home respite care facility. 2.3 DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL MFA Architecture Inc. prepared the site plan and building elevation drawings that show the details of the proposed development of this site. Figure 2 is the Site Plan and Figure 3 is the elevation drawings of the proposed chapel extension and mausoleum. The existing chapel has a gross floor area of 254 sq. m. The addition to the chapel will add 233 sq. m and the new mausoleum will add 194 sq. m to the building. The total area of the building after expansion is 681 sq. m. The addition is one storey (4.8m) in height with a parapet over an entry that is 6.3m in height. A new parking area to the west of the building is proposed that will accommodate 15 parking spaces including 1 space for the physically handicapped. A permit was issued in the fall of 2013 by the Ottawa Septic System office for an expansion to the on-site private sewage system based on the expanded capacity of the building. The installation was carried out in 2013. 2.2
PLANNING RATIONALE REPORT Site Location and Development Proposal Figure 2 Site Plan 2.3
PLANNING RATIONALE REPORT Site Location and Development Proposal Figure 3 Building Elevations 2.4
Policy and Regulatory Framework 3.0 POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 3.1 PROVINCIAL POLICY STATEMENT The Provincial Policy Statement 2014 (PPS) under Section 3 of the Planning Act sets out key provincial interests with respect to land use planning. Decisions made by all approval authorities in the Province on planning applications must be consistent with the policies of the Statement. Generally the PPS focusses growth within settlement areas (which includes the urban area of the City of Ottawa) and away from areas that are either significant resources such as prime agricultural land or land with mineral aggregate resources or areas that may pose a significant threat to public health and safety such as natural hazards (e.g. floodplains) and human made hazards. The following is a brief commentary on the application for Site Plan Control approval with regard to the Provincial Policy Statement. Part V of the PPS sets out Provincial policies on land use. Within Part V, Section 1.1.1 of the PPS indicates that healthy, livable and safe communities are sustained by accommodating an appropriate range mix of land uses including residential, employment, industrial, commercial, institutional (including places of worship, cemeteries and long-term care homes), recreation, park and open space and other uses to meet long-term needs. Section 1.1.3.1 states that settlement areas are to be the focus of growth. This site is within the urban area of the City of Ottawa. Approval of this application is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement 2014. The site is within a settlement area and the use of the site as a cemetery is meeting a long-term need of the City. 3.2 OFFICIAL PLAN The site is governed by the City of Ottawa Official Plan. Schedule B, Urban Policy Plan designates the site as General Urban Area. This designation allows a broad range of land uses including institutional all of which contribute to a complete community. The use of 4660 Bank Street as a cemetery contributes to the City being a complete community. Schedule C, Primary Urban Cycling Transportation Network shows Bank Street adjacent to this site as an on-road cycling route. On Schedule E, Urban Road Network, Bank Street is shown as an existing arterial road. 3.5
Policy and Regulatory Framework Bank Street is shown as a Scenic Entry Route on Schedule I, Major Recreational Pathways and Scenic Entry Routes (Urban). Lastly, Annex 10 Land Use Constraints due to Aircraft Noise places the site in an Airport Vicinity Development Zone. There are no planning implications to the designations of Bank Street in the Official Plan Schedules or of the Airport Vicinity Development Zone in Annex 10 that affect the site plan. Section 2.5.1 and Section 4.11 of the Official Plan have design requirements to ensure that development is compatible with those on adjacent sites. Given the unique nature of a chapel and a mausoleum and the very large separation distance between the proposed building and existing development, there are no compatibility issues with adjacent sites. The proposed development is in conformity with the Official Plan. 3.3 ZONING BY-LAW The site is regulated by By-law 2008-250 of the City of Ottawa as amended. The site is currently zoned I1D Minor Institutional Zone which permits a cemetery. A mausoleum is a permitted use within the definition of cemetery in the By-law. The proposed expansion to the chapel and mausoleum complies with the setback requirements of the Zoning By-law. Figure 4 shows the current zoning designations applying to the site and to nearby properties. A total of 15 parking spaces are proposed. The Zoning By-law does not require the provision of parking spaces for a cemetery as a land use. In conclusion, the site plan for this project complies in all respects with the Zoning By-law. 3.6
Policy and Regulatory Framework Figure 4 Current Zoning 3.7
Conclusion 4.0 CONCLUSION The application for Site Plan Control approval by the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa for a proposed extension to the chapel and mausoleum and a new parking lot at 4660 Bank Street has been fully reviewed from a land use planning perspective. It is our opinion that the requested application for Site Plan Control approval should be granted for the following reasons; 1. The approval of the application is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement 2014. 2. The application is in conformity with the City of Ottawa Official Plan. 3. The proposed development is an appropriate use of land and is compatible with adjacent land uses. 4. The proposed development complies with the City of Ottawa Zoning By-law. 5. The site plan represents good land use planning. Respectfully submitted, David Krajaefski, MCIP, RPP Senior Project Manager 4.8