Councillor Peter Hume, Mayor Jim Watson and other members of the Planning Committee: The Glebe Annex Community Association appreciates the opportunity to present its community concerns and, in particular, those concerns related to the Taggart Proposal regarding the property on Carling/ Cambridge/ Clemow. Primarily in response to this development proposal, we have formed our association and mobilized since December 2012. For providing the incentive to do this, we owe thanks to the Taggart Group.
As the Glebe Annex Community Association (GACA), we represent the interests of the community north from Carling Avenue to the Queensway (Highway 417) and west from Bronson Avenue to Lebreton St South. The community has significant issues with the proposed development e.g. zoning, traffic, safety, green space.
We gratefully acknowledge the support of both the Dow’s Lake Residents Association and the Glebe Community Association. Surveys of residents conducted by these two associations, and made available to Mr. Douglas James, are consistent with the positions taken in this paper.
Description of Surroundings
Currently, the subject property is occupied by 65 surface parking spaces. An 8 storey office building (265 Carling) serviced by 36 underground parking spaces is adjacent to it. The existing zoning for the lots, on which the development is proposed, is residential 4-storey R4T[1536] on the lot facing Clemow and mixed use, 9-storey AM H(28) on the lot facing Carling and Cambridge. This is situated in a residential neighbourhood primarily of single family detached and attached homes and low-rise (4 to 7 storeys) multi-unit residential buildings.
Development Proposal
The proposal for the subject property contains several elements that are contrary to the existing character of the neighbourhood:
- reduce the sun exposure due to a high rise building that is at least 200% higher than anything in the area
- eliminate the current surface parking provisions available to everyone and add underground parking spaces (Within the community this is a net increase of 55 parking spaces to be shared by new residents, their visitors, new businesses, their employees, customers and suppliers.)
- add considerably to traffic on residential streets due to more residents, more businesses and less parking to accommodate these people and their visitors
- reduce the landscaping from the existing requirement to virtually zero landscaping in front of the sidewalk
- reduce the existing on-street parking to accommodate the ramp to the new building
- increase pressures for on-street parking on Clemow, Cambridge, MacLean Street and Bell Street South due to the provision of insufficient parking to accommodate the proposed building
Neither within the community nor in the development proposal, is there any provision for a community centre, nor provision for parks and green space. Bus routes in this area have been recently reduced and the long-promised LRT is almost one kilometre away from this development. The development proposal does not enhance the existing character of the area.
In terms of mass, bulk and height, the proposed zoning changes effectively permit a building that would have more than 3 times the area currently allowed on such a small property. This would be achieved by increasing the height, proposing that much of the tower would be on property currently zoned for 4 storeys and reducing setbacks to the North and West. The result would be that the density proposed exceeds that of neighbouring properties by a large factor. We strongly recommend that the existing zoning and building height limits be respected.
We suggest that these concerns be addressed by respecting the existing zoning of 4 storey and 9 storey, respecting the existing guidelines of parking space per area of living space and maintaining existing setback guidelines. The community does not support the development as presented, but may be willing to accept a development that is within the current 4 storey and 9 storey height limits and does not ask for concessions from the current zoning.
Concluding Remarks
Chair Peter Hume, Mayor Jim Watson, other Councillors of the Planning Committee:
We are asking that this application be rejected until such time as the revision of the Existing Official Plan can be completed and that this spot-zoning be stopped.
Your decision on this proposal before you is an important one. It will determine your legacy for the City of Ottawa, and your credibility as effective representatives of the citizens of the City of Ottawa.
Glebe Annex Community Association
21 March 2013
