Ottawa’s planning committee approves zoning bylaw changes to reduce single family home requirements for new subdivisions

Ontario Construction News staff writer

The City of Ottawa’s planning committee has approved a zoning amendment to reduce the required percentage of single-family houses in new residential communities, providing greater flexibility for builders in Ottawa.

The new provisions apply to subdivisions not covered by earlier Local Planning Appeal Board (LPAT) rulings mandating the increased intensification in other new subdivisions

The policies requiring the mix of housing types are found in four location in the Official Plan:

1. Section 2.2.2 – Managing Intensification within the Urban Area states in Policy 26 that land, located outside the NCC Greenbelt, and that is included in a community design plan after June 2009, must contain housing comprised of at least 45 per cent singles;
2. Section 3.6.1 – General Urban Area, Policy 16b which applies to land subject to the Kanata Highlands Comprehensive Study Report (820 Huntmar Rd.) requires residential development to comprise at least 45 per cent singles;
3. Section 3.11- Urban Expansion Study Area, Policy 4e i) now applies to a remnant parcel of urban expansion land near Cardinal Creek in Orleans and requires a minimum of 45 per cent singles; and
4. Section 3.12 – Developing Community, Policy 3d i) now applies to two small expansion areas, one in the east and one in the west where a minimum of 45 per cent singles is required.

“The proposed amendment modifies the policies in these sections to reduce the minimum percentage of singles to 30 per cent of the new dwellings in those areas where these policies apply,” a staff report says. “The maximum percentage for singles will remain unchanged at 55 per cent, and the minimum percentage of apartments will remain at 10 per cent of new units in these areas.

“This reduction on the proportion of new singles will permit greater flexibility in the provision of new housing and a greater likelihood that the target suburban housing densities are achieved in the remaining undeveloped lands.”

In other business, the planning committee gave the go-ahead for a small subdivision of single-family homes on a 0.8-hectare property in the established City View neighbourhood of Nepean with a zoning amendment at 21 Withrow Ave.

The property is the site of Kilmorie House, a heritage-designated stone house. The applicant proposes to retain and protect the heritage building while constructing nine houses on the remainder of the site, with access along a new, private road.

The committee also approved amendments to permit a six-storey building at 89 Richmond Rd. Westboro. The property is intended to feature retail space at ground level and 14 apartments above, adding new rental housing to this neighbourhood.

The items approved by the planning committee wll go to the full city council on Nov. 27.