Planning and Housing Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

08

Date:

Wednesday, May 03, 2023

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 3:30 P.m.

Location:

Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, and by electronic participation

Present:

• Chair: Councillor Jeff Leiper, 
• Vice-chair: Councillor Glen Gower, 
• Councillor Riley Brockington, 
• Councillor Cathy Curry, 
• Councillor Laura Dudas, 
• Councillor Laine Johnson, 
• Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, 
• Councillor Catherine Kitts, 
• Councillor Wilson Lo, 
• Councillor Tim Tierney, 
• and Councillor Ariel Troster 

Absent:

• Councillor Clarke Kelly 

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1.

Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

Notices and meeting information are attached to the agenda and minutes, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; in camera meeting procedures; information items not subject to discussion; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and remote participation details.

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.

Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on May 10, 2023 in Planning and Housing Committee Report 8.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Tuesday, May 2, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Wednesday, May 3.

The Chair read the following statement at the outset of the meeting pursuant to the Planning Act:

This is a public meeting to consider the proposed Comprehensive Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments listed as Item(s) 4.1 - 4.4 on today’s Agenda.

For the item just mentioned, only those who make oral submissions today or written submissions before the amendments are adopted may appeal the matter to the Ontario Land Tribunal. In addition, the applicant may appeal the matter to the Ontario Land Tribunal if Council does not adopt an amendment within 90 days of receipt of the application for a Zoning By-law Amendment and 120 days for an Official Plan Amendment.

To submit written comments on these amendments, prior to their consideration by City Council on May 10, 2023, please email or call the Committee or Council Coordinator.

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

PHC Minutes 7 – Wednesday, April 19, 2023

• Carried

4.

Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department

4.1

Zoning By-law Amendment – 15 Larch Street

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0049 - Somerset (14)

John Bernier, Planner II, Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department (PRED), presented an overview and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk. 

The following PRED Staff were also present to respond to questions:

• Andrew McCreight, Manager, Development Review - Central
• David Wise, Director, Economic Development & Long-Range Planning

The Applicants, as represented Jeffrey Kelly and Murray Chown, Novatech and Barry Hobin, Hobin Architects, were present in support, and available to answer questions. The Applicants advised that they did not need to address the Committee if the item carried.

The following written submissions were received by, and are filed with, the Office of the City Clerk, and distributed to Committee Members:

• Email dated May 1, 2023 from Joedy Burdett, The Official Opposition Party to The City of Niagara Falls Council
• Email dated May 1, 2023 from Nichole- McGill, BLiSS
• Email dated May 1, 2023 from Hélène Prémont
• Email dated May 1, 2023 from Zsofia Oroszand John Watkins
• Email dated May 2, 2023 from Catherine Boucher, Dalhousie Community Association
• Email dated May 2, 2023 from Dwight Pollock

Following discussion and questions of staff, the Committee carried the recommendations as amended.

• Report Recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 15 Larch Street, as shown in Document 1, to permit a 26-unit, low-rise apartment building with site-specific exceptions, as detailed in Document 2.
  2. That Planning and Housing Committee approve the Consultation Details Section of this report be included as part of the ‘brief explanation’ in the Summary of Written and Oral Public Submissions, to be prepared by the Office of the City Clerk and submitted to Council in the report titled, “Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of May 10, 2022” subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried as amended
• Motion No. PHC 2023-08-03
  Moved by A. Troster

  WHEREAS report ACS2023-PRE-PS-0049 seeks a zoning by-law amendment approval to permit a 26-unit, low-rise apartment building with site-specific exceptions; and 

  WHEREAS a technical amendment has been requested from the project architects to slightly increase the maximum height in Document 2 of the report.

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, with respect to report ACS2023-PRE-PS-0049, Planning and Housing Committee amend Document 2 by:

  1. Increasing the maximum building height from 11.4 metres to 11.6 metres in Section 2(b)(i) 
  2. Adding “maximum number of dwelling units: 26” as Section 2(b)(vii)

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that pursuant to subsection 34(17) of the Planning Act, no further notice be given.

  Carried

4.2

Zoning By-law Amendment – 377 and 381 Winona Avenue

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0050 - Kitchissippi (15)

Adrian van Wyk, Planner I, Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department (PRED), presented an overview of the report and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk. 

The Applicant as represented by Jeffrey Kelly and Murray Chown, Novatech, provided an overview of the Application and responded to questions from Committee.  Darryl Hood, CSV Architects was also present to respond to questions.

The following speaker addressed the Committee to speak to the Application:

• Tim Gray spoke to the importance of how a project transitions in the existing neighbourhood and how reducing the corner yard setback on this property by 3 meters would put restrictions on key elements of the application.

The following written submissions were received by, and are filed with, the Office of the City Clerk, and distributed to Committee Members:

• Email dated April 28, 2023 from Tim Gray
• Email dated April 30, 2023 from Heather Mitchell
• Email dated May 2, 2023 from Gail Paterson

• Report Recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 377 and 381 Winona Avenue from TM to TM [XXXX], as shown in Document 1, to permit the redevelopment of the site into a six-storey mixed-use building, as detailed in Document 2.
  2. That Planning and Housing Committee approve the Consultation Details Section of this report be included as part of the ‘brief explanation’ in the Summary of Written and Oral Public Submissions, to be prepared by the Office of the City Clerk and submitted to Council in the report titled, “Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of May 10, 2023 subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried

4.3

Zoning By-law Amendment – 572 Moodie Drive

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0059 - College (8)

The following written submissions were received by, and are filed with, the Office of the City Clerk, and distributed to Committee Members:

• Email dated April 29, 2023 from Aslam Iqbal
• Email dated May 2, 2023 from Karen Lam

• Report Recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 from I1B[407] H(15) (Minor Institutional Zone, Subzone B, Urban Exception 407, with a maximum height of 15 metres) to I1B[XXXX] (Minor Institutional, Subzone B, Urban Exception XXXX) for 572 Moodie Drive, as shown in Document 1, to add a site-specific exception to permit stacked dwellings within an Institutional zone, as detailed in Document 2.
  2. That Planning and Housing Committee the Consultation Details Section of this report be included as part of the ‘brief explanation’ in the Summary of Written and Oral Public Submissions, to be prepared by the Office of the City Clerk and submitted to Council in the report titled, “Summary of Oral and Written Public Submissions for Items Subject to the Planning Act ‘Explanation Requirements’ at the City Council Meeting of May 10, 2023, subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried

4.4

Zoning Omnibus Amendments – Q2 2023

ACS2023-PRE-EDP-0006 - City Wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve amendments to Zoning By-law 2008-250, as shown in Documents 1 and 2, and detailed in Document 3. 

  Carried as amended
• Motion No. PHC 2023-08-01
  Moved by G. Gower

  WHEREAS report ACS2023-PRE-EDP-0006 included direction carried at the September 21, 2022 Meeting of Council (ACS2022-OCC-PLC-0009) to implement height transitions in the AM11 Innes Road (Blackburn Hamlet) Subzone; and

  WHEREAS these height transitions were not to apply to properties subject to an active planning application, specifically applications for 98 and 100 Bearbrook Road; and

  WHEREAS a public submission concerning this item requested that the proposed amendment clarify that the above site is exempted pursuant to motion ACS2022-OCC-PLC-0009; and

  WHEREAS staff support an amendment to Document 3 to clarify this matter.

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, with respect to report ACS2023-PRE-EDP-0006, Document 3 – Details of Recommended Zoning be amended by adding a new paragraph with the following text to the Zoning Details for the Item dealing with AM11 – Arterial Mainstreet Subzone 11 - Building Stepbacks, as contained on page 28 of the report:

  “Amend Subsection 186(11) by adding a new clause (o) with the following text, “Despite 186(11)(n)(i) and (iii), for the lands known municipally as 98 and 100 Bearbrook Road the provisions existing as of May 2, 2023 continue to apply.”

  THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that there be no further notice pursuant Section 34(17) of the Planning Act.

  Carried

5.

Councillors’ Items

5.1

Receiving the “Scaling Up Non-Profit Housing in Ottawa” Report

Chair J. Leiper

ACS2023-OCC-CCS-0051- City Wide

Carolyn Whitzman and Kaite Burkholder Harris, Alliance to End Homelessness, presented a detailed overview of the report and answered questions from the Committee.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk. 

The following members of the public spoke before the Committee and provided comments on the report recommendations from the Alliance to End Homelessness: 

1. Mike Bulthuis
2. Ray Sullivan
3. Toon Dreesson
4. Glenn Grignon
5. Aditya Rao
6. Anthony Leaning
7. Elizabeth McIsaac
8. Steve Ball, OGHA
9. Courtney Lockhart, Co-op Housing Federation of Canada
10. Mark MacAulay, Salus
11. Dean Tester
12. Graeme Hussey
13. Annie Caruthers, Options Bytown and Liz Wigfull
14. Tom Belanger
15. Larisa Cheshire, Somerset West Community Health Centre
16. Sam Hersh
17. Cheryl Parrott
18. Anne Marie Mason
19. John Le and Bethany Wollin
20. Joseph Ostrovsky
21. Steve Pomeroy

The following Staff were present to respond to questions:
Community and Social Services Department (CSS)

• Clara Freire, General Manager
• Paul Lavigne, Director, Housing
• Lauren Reeves, Manager, Affordable Housing

Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development (PRED)

• David Wise, Director, Economic Development & Long Range Planning
• Royce Fu, Manager, Policy Planning
• Peter Radke, Director, Corporate Real Estate Office

Following discussions and questions of the presenters and Staff, the Committee received the report recommendations as amended and with the following direction to staff:

Direction to staff (Councillor A. Troster)

That staff provide information on what are the costs and resource requirements to end chronic homelessness in 5 years rather than 10 years.

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Planning and Housing Committee receive this report for information.

  Received
• Motion No. PHC 2023-08-04
  Moved by G. Gower

  WHEREAS when report ACS2023-PRE-PS-0049 was published with the meeting agenda on April 21, 2023 Document 1 – Our City Starts with Home: Scaling Up Non-profit Housing in Ottawa inadvertently was missing the page containing the Land Acknowledgement (page 2); and

  WHEREAS a revised report has been provided to committee and the remainder of the report is unchanged;.

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Planning and Housing Committee receive and replace Document 1 with the revised Document 1, on file with the Office of the City Clerk.

  Carried
• Motion No. PHC 2023-08-05
  Moved by C. Curry

  WHEREAS the City of Ottawa vacancy rate was at 2.2% in October 2022; and 

  WHEREAS the City of Ottawa has an established 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan for 2020-2030; and 

  WHEREAS The Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa has presented its report titled “Our City Starts with Home: Scaling Up Non-Profit Housing in Ottawa” to the Planning and Housing Committee; 

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT staff receive the Alliance to End Homelessness report and consider its recommendations when identifying programs and initiatives for the City’s forthcoming submission to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, when refreshing the 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Plan and when planning other initiatives in support of the Municipal Housing Pledge.

  Carried

6.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

7.

Information Previously Distributed

8.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

9.

Inquiries

9.1

PHC-2023-01 -Forgiving property taxes for non-profit housing providers

Submitted by Councillor A. Troster 

Can staff advise on the costs and other implications associated with forgiving property taxes for non-profit housing providers?

10.

Other Business

10.1

Additional item – 4 Campbell Reid Court

• Motion No. PHC 2023-08-02
  Moved by A. Troster

  That the following motion be added for consideration as an additional item at the May 3, 2023 meeting of Planning and Housing Committee, pursuant to Subsection 89 (3) of the Procedure By-law.

  WHEREAS a Site Plan Control application for 4 Campbell Reid Court, to permit an Animal Hospital on the existing lot, was deemed complete on October 24, 2022, prior to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issuing a Notice of Decision to approve the City’s New Official Plan on November 4, 2022; and

  WHEREAS the subject lands were not identified as Urban Expansion Area on Schedule C17 in the Council adopted Official Plan, but were subsequently included in the Category 1- Future Neighbourhood Overlay Urban Expansion Areas on Schedule C17 with Ministerial approval of the Official Plan; and

  WHEREAS policy 5.6.2.1 1) of the approved Official Plan states “Development may only receive draft approval or final approval on land within the Future Neighbourhoods Overlay once the overlay has been removed through an Official Plan amendment. Removal of the overlay can only occur once the policies of this section have been satisfied.”; and

  WHEREAS the normal business process for Site Plan review is to determine whether a Minor Variance application(s) are required to support a development only after a preliminary circulation of the site plan is completed; and 

  THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT City Council direct staff to:

  1.    Examine the unique circumstances surrounding the Site Plan Control application for 4 Campbell Reid Court and the associated Minor Variance application, including the timing of the application submission and the subsequent modifications to the Official Plan; and

  2.    Propose any necessary policy amendments or exceptions that would allow for the consideration of Minor Variances in support of the Site Plan Control application for the proposed Animal Hospital at 4 Campbell Reid Court, within the framework of the Future Neighbourhood Overlay designation; and

  3.    Report their findings and recommendations for any required policy changes to the Planning and Housing Committee by July 6, 2023, ensuring that such changes are consistent with the objectives and intent of the City's Official Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement.

  Carried

11.

Adjournment

Next Meeting

Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

The meeting adjourned at 2:57 pm.