Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ottawa’s Planning and Housing Committee has approved a zoning amendment to facilitate a 25-storey, mixed-use building on Scott Street, between Parkdale and Holland avenues.
The building would add 228 residential units and ground-floor commercial space across from Tunney’s Pasture Station and provide a mid-block pedestrian connection between Scott and Bullman streets, a city statement says. “The amendment would establish a permitted height of 89 metres, where current zoning allows between about 72 and 98 metres, and would limit the footprint of the tower portion to 750 square metres.”
In other business at the meeting last Wednesday (June 7), the committee also approved zoning amendments for two residential subdivisions.
The first, located west of River Road and between Earl Armstrong and Rideau roads, would add 54 residential dwellings to the area, including 27 detached homes and 27 townhouses. An environmentally sensitive portion of the site, to the north and west of the planned subdivision, would be conveyed to the city.
The second subdivision would add 302 single homes and townhouses in Stittsville, between Abbott Street and Hazeldean Road along the future extension of Robert Grant Avenue. The applicant would convey the land for that extension to the City and would also extend Cranesbill Road.
The zoning amendment for this first phase of the subdivision affects two parcels. The first, abutting Abbott Street, would be rezoned as Residential Third Density with a portion zoned to permit rear-lane townhouses, where home-based businesses could operate. The second parcel would be used for a stormwater management pond, with a portion zoned for single detached homes and townhouses.
As well, the committee approved the zoning for two smaller infill projects as well, including one that would redevelop the site of St. Thomas d’Aquin Catholic Church, on Kilborn Place. The applicant is planning a four-storey, mixed-use building with park and outdoor amenity space to the west. The amended zoning would retain the 15-metre height limit currently in place.
In the Glebe Annex neighbourhood, the committee approved zoning for a three-storey, semi-detached building at the northwest corner of Old Sunset Boulevard and Bronson Avenue. The building would include two primary residences – one facing Old Sunset Boulevard and one facing Madawaska Drive. Each unit would have a secondary basement suite, making four units in total. While that is greater density than the rest of the neighbourhood, the site borders Bronson Avenue and the city’s new Official Plan envisions a higher density of development for that corridor.
The statement says the city is developing a new comprehensive Zoning By-law that will implement the policies and directions in the new Official Plan. Visit Engage Ottawa for updates and information on future public engagement opportunities to have your say on the new Zoning By-law.
The committee received an update on the city’s application to the Housing Accelerator Fund – a $4- billion federal fund that aims to create more supply of housing at an accelerated pace. If successful in its application, the city anticipates signing a contribution agreement for funding before the end of July with the first installment of funding expected in September.
Visit ottawa.ca for more information about the fund and the city’s application.
City Council will review the committee’s decisions at its meeting tomorrow (June 14).