Planning and Housing Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

17

Date:

Wednesday, November 01, 2023

Time:

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

Location:

Andrew S. Haydon Hall, 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 Clarke Kelly, 
• Councillor Catherine Kitts, 
• Councillor Wilson Lo, 
• Councillor Tim Tierney, 
• and Councillor Ariel Troster 

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1.

Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

This meeting will convene at 9:30, or immediately following the regular Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

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 November 8, 2023 in Planning and Housing Committee Report 17.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, and the deadline to register by email to speak is 8:30 am on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

These “Summary Minutes” indicate the disposition of items and actions taken at the meeting. This document does not include all of the text that will be included in the full Minutes, such as the record of written and oral submissions. Recorded votes and dissents contained in the Summary Minutes are draft until the full Minutes of the meeting are confirmed by the Committee. The draft of the full Minutes (for confirmation) will be published with the agenda for the next regular Committee meeting and, once confirmed, will replace this document.

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) 4.1-4.5 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 November 8, 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 16 – Wednesday, October 4, 2023

4.

Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department

4.1

Zoning By-law Amendment – 178, 180, 182 and 200 Isabella Street 

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0124 - Capital (17)

• Report recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 178, 180, 182 and 200 Isabella Street, as shown in Document 1, to permit a 19-storey high-rise apartment 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 November 8, 2023” subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried

4.2

Zoning By-law Amendment – 1400 Upper Canada Street

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0129 - Kanata North (4)

• Report recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 1400 Upper Canada Street, as shown in Document 1, to permit a “Heavy Equipment and Vehicle Sales, Rental and Servicing” use up to a maximum gross floor area of 1,000 square metres.
  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 November 8, 2023,” subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried as amended
• Amendment:
  Motion No. PHC 2023 - 18/01
  Moved by G. Gower

  WHEREAS Report ACS2023-PRE-PS-0129 (the “Report”) recommends amending the City of Ottawa’s Zoning By-law(2008-250) to permit a “heavy equipment and vehicle sales, rental and servicing” use; and

  WHEREAS Document 2 – the details of recommended zoning does not explicitly indicate the zoning change requested; and

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Planning and Housing Committee Amend the report to include in document 2 an item stating “Rezone the lands shown in Document 1 from IP13 to IP13[XXXX].”; and

  THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that there be no further notice pursuant to Section 34(17) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended.

  Carried

4.3

Zoning By-law Amendment - 4338 Innes Road

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0126 - Orléans South-Navan (19)

• Report recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 4338 Innes Road, as shown in Document 1, to modify the zoning provisions, to permit an internal reconfiguration of the existing commercial space, which will result in a slight reduction in total retail space on the ground floor. 
  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 8 November 2023, subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried

4.4

Zoning By-law Amendment – 222 Baseline Road

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0116 - River (16)

• Report recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for 222 Baseline Road, as shown in Document 1, from R1GG zone to R4UD[XXXX] zone, to permit a four-storey low-rise apartment dwelling 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 November 8, 2023 subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried as amended
• Amendment:
  Motion No. PHC 2023 - 18/02
  Moved by G. Gower

  WHEREAS Report ACS2023-PRE-PS-0116 (the ‘Report’) recommends amending the City of Ottawa’s Zoning By-law to permit a four-storey apartment building at 222 Baseline Road; 

  WHEREAS Document 2 indicates in Column 4, Section 2.b), that the site-specific exception would prohibit low-rise apartment dwellings of 10 units or less; and

  WHEREAS the intent of Document 2 was to ensure that low-rise apartment dwellings must have more than 10 dwelling units;

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Document 2 be amended to move Section 2.b) from Column 4 to Column 5; and

  THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Report be amended by replacing the text in Document 2, Section 2.b) with “a low rise apartment dwelling must have a minimum of 11 dwelling units”; and

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

  Carried

4.5

Zoning By-law Amendment – Part of 3700 Twin Falls Place

ACS2023-PRE-PS-0127 - Riverside South-Findlay Creek (22)

• Report recommendation(s)

  1. That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 for Part of 3700 Twin Falls Place, as shown in Document 1, to permit an industrial subdivision, 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 November 8, 2023, subject to submissions received between the publication of this report and the time of Council’s decision.
  Carried

4.6

Office-to-Residential Conversions

ACS2023-PRE-GEN-0010 – City Wide

• Report recommendation(s)

  That Planning and Housing Committee recommend Council:

  1. Approve that, where a development application for Office-to-Residential Conversion requires both an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) and a Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBLA), and where the application is supported by Staff, the Official Plan Amendment portion of the Planning Application Fee be waived.
  2. Approve the inclusion of an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250, as shown in Document 1, in the Q1 2024 Omnibus Zoning By-law Amendment Report to provide flexibility for Office-to-Residential Conversions by:
     1. carrying forward the performance standards of the existing portion of the building; and
     2. providing flexibility on how the amenity space requirement can be provided on site.
  3. Receive an update on the Site Plan Control process for Office-to-Residential Conversions with no additions or new storeys, which would benefit from a scoped material and information list and be charged a “Standard Site Plan Control” fee. 
  4. Direct the General Manager of Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development to send a letter to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, copying the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Minister of Red Tape Reduction, expressing support for the Province to re-examine the exemption requirement for a Record of Site Condition to support Office-to-Residential Conversions, to assist municipalities with meeting their Housing Pledge targets.
  5. Receive an update, detailed in this report, on Site Servicing for Office-to-Residential Conversions.
  6. Receive an update, detailed in this report, on the financial mechanism reviewed in the context of Office-to-Residential Conversions.
  Carried as amended
• Amendment:
  Motion No. PHC 2023 - 18/03
  Moved by A. Troster

  WHEREAS Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland (CIL) funds are collected as the payment of funds equivalent to the value of the amount of land that the City would otherwise have been entitled to require to be conveyed for park purposes as part of a development; and

  WHEREAS the City is not meeting its approved parkland target inside the greenbelt, and the Parks and Recreation Masterplan notes that the Downtown Transect is the most underserved area from a parks and facilities perspective, and it is not recommended that CIL be waived or reduced as part report ACS2023-PRE-GEN-0010; and

  WHEREAS it would be possible under Exemptions Section 11 (2)(l) of the Parkland Dedication Bylaw for the City to forgo collection of CIL funds as part of a negotiation with the applicant for an alternative public benefit in partnership with the City; and

  WHEREAS Ward 14 includes downtown, with the most amount of office vacancies in the city, and the Ward Councillor has indicated support for a pilot that would forgo in part CIL; and

  WHEREAS there are transit and economic development benefits to facilitating rapid conversions of office to residential in downtown core to add more supply of housing to meet the City’s Housing Pledge and Housing Accelerator Fund targets;

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff be directed to implement a Financial Incentive Pilot Program for Office-to-Residential conversions with the following parameters:

  1. That Staff be delegated authority, for office to residential conversion projects, to reduce the applicable CIL cap to 8%, allocated from the Ward-specific CIL portion and not City-wide, on the condition that the Building Permit for the project is issued within 6 months from Site Plan Approval (date of issuance of the delegated authority report), with possibility of a singular extension of 3 months; 
  2. That the eligible geographic area of the pilot be limited to Ward 14; 
  3. That the eligibility of the program require the downtown vacancy rate to be above 10% as reported in the latest Ottawa Office market report by Colliers; and
  4. That the pilot be limited to a period of 2 years; after which it must be re-considered by Council.

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff convene a meeting of developers and landowners to further explore the potential impact of additional financial incentives, and report back to Planning and Housing Committee in Q1 2024.

  Carried

5.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

6.

Information Previously Distributed

6.1

Update on Planning Act requirements for Protected Major Transit Station Areas 

ACS2023-PRE-EDP-0047 - City Wide

7.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

8.

Inquiries

8.1

Councillor Johnson

On August 10, 2023 over 77 millimetres of rain fell on Ottawa in a matter of hours. The result was considerable flooding across the city, including in many private basements.

With climate change increasing the number and severity of extreme weather events each year, stormwater management systems and private property flood protection must be robust and effective.

In College Ward, some properties pre-amalgamation had been allowed to fill in their ditches, some newer infill projects had not been stopped even as their permit applications demonstrated they were filling in their ditches, and other residents still have not maintained their ditches over time. This has created a patchwork stormwater management system that is not functioning and creating flooding in people’s homes. 

City View is undergoing a massive stormwater management rehabilitation project over the next 10 years to correct this and restore the neighbourhood’s ditches, but as intensification continues in the area, residents expect assurances that this will not happen again. 

Can we get clarity on the following:

1. How did City View’s ditch system get to such a state? How were so many properties able to allow their ditches to fail/ fill in ditches and block culverts?
2. Is a ditch and culvert system an inferior stormwater management system to storm sewers? Can it handle the planned intensification for the City View community?
3. How do Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development and Infrastructure and Water Services Departments coordinate to ensure that new development construction maintains essential stormwater management infrastructure?
4. Does Infrastructure and Water Services review planning applications that come before Planning and Housing Committee, the Committee of Adjustment, or are built as of right?
5. What safeguards are in place to ensure that construction is completed in accordance with specified plans, particularly regarding stormwater systems?
6. Where stormwater infrastructure was impacted by development, what can the City do to ensure that issues are fixed?
7. What can be done to force the original builder to fix these problems, rather than holding the current homeowner responsible?

8.2

Councillor Gower

In December 2022, substantial updates were made to the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System (OWES) in support of Ontario’s Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022. Has staff analyzed how these changes affect land use planning and environmental protection in Ottawa? What are the conclusions?

9.

Other Business

There was no other business.

10.

Adjournment

Next Meeting

Wednesday, November 15, 2023.

The meeting adjourned at 12:10 pm.