Report to/Rapport à: Planning and Development Committee /
Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’aménagement
and Council / au Conseil
15
January 2001
Submitted by/Soumis par: Ned Lathrop, General Manager/Directeur général,
Development and
Infrastructure Approvals Branch/
Prepared by/Préparé par: Nigel
T. Brereton, Senior Project Manager/
Gestionnaire principal de projet,
580-2424
ext. 21233 nigel.brereton@city.ottawa.on.ca
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Ward/Quartier: 12 Rideau-Vanier |
Ref N°: ACS2001-DEV-APR-0006
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SUBJECT/OBJET: |
CITY
OF OTTAWA 1991 COMPREHENSIVE OFFICIAL PLAN AND DEFERRALS NO. 13 AND 17 / PLAN DIRECTEUR DE 1991 DE
LA VILLE D’OTTAWA ET REPORTS NOS 13 ET 17 |
This report recommends
approving parts of the 1991 Ottawa Official Plan that relate to the Rideau /
Congress Centre and Rideau Street.
These parts had been deferred because the Viking Rideau Corporation had
expressed concern that policies to re-establish an east-west orientation along
Rideau Street contradicted an earlier decision to promote north-south retailing
activity at the Rideau Centre. Wording
acceptable to the interested parties has been agreed to.
Le présent rapport recommande l’approbation des parties du Plan
directeur de la Ville d’Ottawa de 1991 qui ont trait au Centre des congrès
Rideau et à la rue Rideau. Ces parties ont été différées, car la Viking Rideau
Corporation a exprimé des inquiétudes quant aux politiques visant à rétablir
une orientation est-ouest le long de la rue Rideau qui contredisaient une
décision précédente promouvant des activités de commerce au détail nord-sud au
Centre Rideau. Les parties intéressées se sont entendues sur un libellé
acceptable.
REPORT
RECOMMENDATION(S)
That City
Council lift Deferrals No. 13 and 17 to the 1991 City of Ottawa Official Plan
and approve the affected text as modified by the Approval Page attached as
Document 1.
The former Ottawa-Carleton Council gave partial
approval to the 1991 City of Ottawa comprehensive Official Plan on 13 April
1994. At that time, various parts were
deferred from approval pending either further studies or further discussions
with affected parties. Two parts of the text that were deferred related to
sections dealing with the Rideau/Congress Centre and with Rideau Street. The Viking Rideau Corporation had expressed
concern that policies to re-establish an east-west orientation along Rideau
Street contradicted an earlier decision to promote north-south retailing
activity at the Rideau Centre. As a
result of this, the former City of Ottawa requested that various sections be
deferred pending the completion of discussions on the future of Rideau Street
with the varied Rideau Street interests.
Last year the former City of Ottawa advised that
discussions had successfully concluded and asked that Deferrals 13 and 17 be
lifted and the text approved.
DISCUSSION OR ANALYSIS
The various modifications requested are described
below. The numbering system continues
from that used in previous modifications to the Official Plan.
The first modification pertains to Volume II of the
Official Plan, Section 1.6, which relates to the Rideau/Congress Centre.
The opening section entitled “Vision” discusses
various aspects with one being “Pedestrian Environment”. It mentions removing ‘through truck traffic’
from Rideau Street “when a more appropriate route is established.” The section of Rideau Street that falls
within the Rideau/Congress Centre area stretches from Sussex Drive to Waller
Street and as none of this is a designated truck route staff have no concerns
with the removal of the above noted phrase “when a more appropriate route is
established.” Another sentence is
proposed to be added dealing with maintaining pedestrian links to and through
the Rideau Centre and enhancing other pedestrian links.
The existing paragraph with the proposed changes is
shown below:
“The pedestrian environment of the Rideau/Congress
Centre area will be greatly enhanced as improvements to traffic circulation in
the Central Area, east of the Canal, are effected, including : the
reintroduction of mixed traffic on Rideau Street and the removal of through
truck traffic when a more appropriate route is established from the
area. The maintenance of
pedestrian links to and through the Rideau Centre, and the promotion and
enhancement of other identifiable pedestrian links will be an integral part of
achieving an improved pedestrian environment within the Rideau/Congress Centre
area.” (Modification No. 348)
The
other modifications pertain to Volume II of the Official Plan, Section 1.12,
which relates to Rideau Street (between Sussex Drive and King Edward Avenue).
One
proposed modification, like the modification to Section 1.6 above, strengthens
reference to pedestrian links and removes a qualifier “as alternative
acceptable routes become available” with regard to removing ‘through truck
traffic’ In this stretch of Rideau
Street the critical link in the truck route system between the Queensway and
the MacDonald-Cartier Bridge are the two blocks between Waller Street and King
Edward Avenue. Although alternative
(new) bridges to Quebec may reduce truck volumes in this corridor it should not
be presumed that the Waller-King Edward section of Rideau Street will ever be
removed from the truck route system.
However the wording is part of the vision statement and not a policy,
and staff do not intend to modify another party’s vision.
The
existing paragraph with the proposed changes is as follows:
“An
east-west flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be successfully
reactivated, complementing established north-south pedestrian routes,
and through truck traffic will be removed as alternative acceptable routes
become available. In addition,
Rideau Street’s establishment as a gateway into the Central Area, the creation
of significant development at the east end of the street, and the realization
of an aggressive centralized retail marketing strategy will all contribute to
Rideau Street’s evolution as a vital part of the Central Business
District. The potential expansion of
the Congress Centre, and increased hotels east of the Canal will also assist in
the successful realization of the Central Business District east of the
Canal.” (Modification No. 351)
Three
modifications relate to a concern Ambassador Realty had with various sections
of the Official Plan dealing with human scale of development and set backs from
the street. Although Ambassador
Realty’s concerns did not pertain to the Rideau Street/Congress Centre area,
the City requested the modification to be consistent with modifications made to
other parts of the Official Plan.
Delete
the third sentence in the paragraph entitled “Mixed Uses” in 1.12.1, Vision, as
follows:
“… New developments will be designed to high urban
design standards and will complement, and be sensitive to, surrounding
uses. “For example, the upper
stories of higher buildings will be set back from the street.” (Modification No.350)
Change
policy 1.12.3.b) so it reads as follows:
“City
Council shall ensure that development along Rideau Street provides an
interesting roof treatment, or other appropriate design feature at the upper
levels, within the height limits, is of a contributes to a sense of
human scale and avoids minimizes overpowering effects, respects
heritage resources and the preservation of the symbolic primacy of the Centre
Block, minimizes shadowing and undesirable wind impacts, and provides a
continuity of weather protection, in accordance with policies 5.6.2.c), i), j)
and n) of the Primary Plan for the Central Area and policies d) and e) below. City Council shall therefore permit a range
of building profiles while having regard to the following criteria: (Modification No. 352)
i) where it abuts the street, development shall
generally be at low profiles, retaining the sense of a traditional shopping
street;
ii) where development reaches medium to high
profiles above the street, it shall generally be set back;
iii) i) development between
Sussex Drive and Dalhousie Street will generally be at low-to medium profiles;
development between Dalhousie and Cumberland Streets will generally be at
medium-to-high profiles, and :
·
provide
an appropriate transition to abutting Character Areas and, in particular, from
Rideau Street to the low profile forms in the By Ward Market Character Area
compatible with the heritage character of the area,
·
maintain
direct sunlight on the By Ward Market Square, in accordance with policy
1.5.3.d) of this chapter, and
·
maximize
sunlight on the William and Waller Streets pedestrian malls; and
iv) ii) a concentration of high-profile development will be promoted
between Cumberland Street and King Edward Avenue in order to establish an
anchor and visual focus for the street and to help define it as a gateway into
the Central Area.” (Modification No.
354)
The
following three modifications relate to the matter of pedestrian links noted
earlier.
Add
to 1.12.1, Vision, Paragraph 2, as follows:
“…the
provision of pedestrian links to adjacent areas (especially to the By Ward
Market and the Rideau/Congress Centre areas), and the creation…”. (Modification No. 349)
Change
policy 1.12.3.g)iv) so it reads as follows:
“maintains
and provides identifiable, secure, inviting pedestrian links to adjacent
Character Areas, especially the By Ward Market and Rideau/Congress Centre
Character Areas, and to the Central Area west of the Canal, in accordance
with policy 5.7.2.a) of the Primary plan for the Central Area; and” (Modifications No. 355 and 356)
Finally,
there are two housekeeping modifications ( Nos. 353 and 357) to make the
correct cross-references to other sections of the Official Plan whose numbering
was changed by a previous Official Plan Amendment (No. 28).
CONSULTATION
Staff
of the former City of Ottawa, prior to preparing their report to their Planning
and Economic Development Committee on the proposed modifications, consulted
with Viking Rideau Corporation which was the Corporation whose concerns had led
to Deferrals No. 13 and 17 being established in 1994. Details of the settlement (i.e. the proposed modifications) were
provided to Ambassador Realty (whose concerns are noted earlier), to the
Downtown Rideau Board of Management and to the Federation of Community
Associations of Ottawa-Carleton. The
Downtown Rideau Board of Management wrote to support the lifting of Deferrals
13 and 17.
In
light of the above, staff conducted no additional consultation.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
ATTACHMENTS
Document 1 - Revision to the Approval
Pages for the comprehensive Official Plan.
DISPOSITION
Upon approval of the recommendation, the City Clerk
will advise Viking Rideau Corporation of the Council approved modifications.
DOCUMENT 1
REVISION NO.
10
APPROVAL PAGES
CITY OF OTTAWA
OFFICIAL PLAN (1991)
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT the 1991 Official Plan for the
City of Ottawa which was dealt with in part by the Council of the Regional
Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton on 13 April 1994, 22 November 1995, 12 June
1996, 11 September 1996, 23 April 1997, 22 April 1998, 10 March 1999, 24
November 1999, 9 February 2000, and 12 April 2000 under Section 17 and 21 of
the Planning Act was further dealt with by City of Ottawa Council on
as follows:
1.
Under
Section 17(10) of the Planning Act, Deferrals No. 13 and 17 were lifted and the
affected parts of the Official Plan approved subject to the modifications
listed below.
2.
Under
Section 17(9) of the Planning Act the following modifications were made in
Volume II, under “Secondary Policy Plans” in “Character Areas”.
Modification No. 348
1.6.
Rideau/Congress Centre, section1.6.1.
“Vision” is modified to delete the eighth paragraph in its entirety and
replace it with the following:
“The pedestrian environment
of the Rideau/Congress Centre area will be greatly enhanced as improvements to
traffic circulation in the Central Area, east of the Canal, are effected,
including: the reintroduction of mixed
traffic on Rideau Street and the removal of through truck from the area. The maintenance of pedestrian links to and
through the Rideau Centre, and the promotion and enhancement of other
identifiable pedestrian links will be an integral part of achieving an improved
pedestrian environment within Rideau/Congress Centre area.”
Modification No. 349
1.12. Rideau
Street, section 1.12.1 “Vision”, is
modified in the second paragraph to insert after “… the provision of pedestrian
links” and before “, and the creation of …” the following:
“to adjacent areas
(especially to the By Ward Market and the Rideau/Congress Centre areas).”
Modification No. 350
1.12. Rideau
Street, section 1.12.1 “Vision” is
modified in the third paragraph to delete the following sentence:
“For example, the upper
storeys of higher buildings will be set back from the street.”
Modification No. 351
1.12 Rideau
Street, section 1.12.1 “Vision” is modified to delete the first sentence of the
fourth paragraph and replace it with the following:
“An east-west flow of
pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be successfully reactivated,
complementing established north-south pedestrian routes, and through truck
traffic will be removed.”
Modification No. 352
1.12 Rideau Street, section 1.12.3 “Policies” is
modified in Policy b) to delete the phrase “… is of a human scale and avoids …”
and replace it with:
“contributes to a sense of
human scale and minimizes ”
Modification No. 353
1.12. Rideau Street, section 1.12.3 “Policies” is
modified in Policy b) to delete “n)” in the phrase: “Policies 5.6.2.c), i), j),
and n)” and replace it with :
“l)”
Modification No. 354
1.12 Rideau Street, section 1.12.3 “Policies” is
modified in Policy b) to delete subparagraphs “i)” and “ii) in their entirety
and to renumber subparagraphs “iii) and “iv)’ as “i)” and “ii)’ respectively.
Modification No. 355
1.12 Rideau Street, section 1.12.3 “Policies” is
modified in Policy “g)iv)” to add the following before “provides identifiable,
…”:
“maintains and”
Modification No. 356
1.12 Rideau Street, section 1.12.3 “Policies” is
modified in policy “g)iv)” to add after “… adjacent Character Areas” and before
“and to the Central Area …” the following:
“especially the By Ward
Market and Rideau/Congress Centre Character Areas”.
Modification No. 357
1.12 Rideau Street, section 1.12.3 “Policies” is
modified in Policy “h)” to delete “p)” in the phrase “Policy 5.6.2p)” and
replace it with:
“g)”.
Dated this day of 2001.
Clerk, City of Ottawa