Goals of the Meeting

• Present the draft of Community Design Plan;
• Provide a forum for residents to receive and respond to the content and process of the plan leading to a final version;
• Show how the plan captures the vision for the long-term development of the community.

Structure of the Presentation

• Introduce the community design plan and show how it fits in the City planning process;
• Scope: Includes Main Street and all of Old Ottawa East;
• How the community vision appears in the neighbourhoods.

What is a Community Design Plan?

• The CDP is a City planning instrument;
  Interprets City Official Plan for the local community;
• Guides zoning amendments and development applications;
• Can be adopted as a Secondary Plan under the Official Plan.

CDP and City Planning

• This presentation is intended to confirm details for the draft final Community Design Plan;
• Draft report will be on the City web site soon.

Scope of the CDP

• 20 to 25 year future vision;
• Main Street at the heart of the community;
• 7 distinct neighbourhoods each with their own character.
• Bounded by the Rideau Canal, Nicholas, Rideau River, and Old Ottawa South;
• Includes major institutional lands.

Community Vision and Major Themes

• Theme 1: Ecological Sustainability;
• Theme 2: Maintain and Enhance the Distinct Character of the Community;
• Theme 3: Revitalize and Improve Main Street and Hawthorne Avenue;
• Theme 4: Manage Growth.

Ecological Sustainability: Communities

• Encourage sustainable developments (e.g., energy self-sufficient, manage water use)
• Reduce commuting-Build local services, support systems
• Foster a healthy community: health and recreation
• Encourage and anticipate sustainable transit alternatives

Ecological Sustainability: Green Space

• Integrate and connect existing green corridors and parks as a system;
• Rehabilitate natural features (river and urban forest);
• Encourage bio-diversity;
• Create community gardens;
• Green unused lands / expand the urban forest.

Ecological Sustainability: Linkages

• Build a safe and pedestrian based community
• Build strong pathways between neighbourhoods and to adjacent communities
• Complete the public right-of-way as a Nature Trail along Rideau River
• Improve Access to Canal and River
• Add a pedestrian bridge across the Canal
• Encourage cycling options

Maintain and Enhance Distinct Character of OOE

• Definition
  • Quality of life at street level
  • Close to key services
  • Broad mix of compatible and appropriate uses
  • Close to Canal and Rideau River
  • Close to other vibrant communities
  • Embrace major institutions
• 5 potential gateway locations

Revitalize / Improve Commercial Main Street - Administrative

• Official Plan designates north of Clegg to Canal as a Traditional Main Street (TMS);
• Implement Traditional Main Street zoning (TM_) in lieu of existing commercial neighbourhood zone (CN);
• Extend TM zone to Hawthorne west of Main;
• Implement City of Ottawa Traditional Main Street Design Guidelines;
• Amend Official Plan to return Main Street south of Clegg to General Urban designation.

Revitalize / Improve Commercial Main Street – Streetscape

• Promote mixed use development;
• Encourage infill of underutilized land;
• Quality of life at street level;
• Landscaping and street furniture.

Revitalize / Improve Commercial Main Street – Traffic Calming

• Reduce speed of traffic and number of traffic lanes;
• Improve pedestrian accessibility and environment;
• Improve environment for on-road bicyclists;
• Reduce lane widths to widen sidewalks, and add bulb-outs and pedestrian crossings;
• Add landscaping and street furniture.

Revitalize / Improve Commercial Main Street – Building Height

• 15m (4 storeys) along Main Street south of Evelyn;
• 20m (6 storeys) at gateways, and key areas (Main & Lees, Col. By gateway, north side of Hawthorne)
  

click here or on image for larger view

20m 20m - 6 storeys

Revitalize / Improve Commercial Main Street – Building Height

Local examples:

• 4 storeys on Bank Street in Old Ottawa South;
• 7 storeys on Richmond Road in Westboro.

Managing Growth - Intensification

• Many opportunities for intensification meeting or exceeding City objectives in OP;
• Encourage appropriate new development on underutilized land;
• Concentrate new development near services;

Managing Growth: How Much?

• Main Street Col By to Evelyn @ 6 floors: 300 units / 380,000sf residential / 60,000sf commercial;
• Main St Evelyn to Clegg @ 4 floors: 300 units / 240,000sf residential / 80,000sf commercial;
• Hawthorne: 170 units / 140,000sf residential / 35,000sf commercial;
• Oblates and Sisters: 1000 residential units;
• 88 Main: 90 residential units (on Graham);
• TOTAL: 1860 units / 175,000sf commercial;
• EXISTING: 3109 units / commercial unknown

Managing Growth – Social Objectives

• Compatibility with existing neighbourhoods;
  • New development buffers existing lower density inner neighbourhoods;
• Facilitate aging in place.
  • Adaptive re-use of institutional properties;
  • Mix of unit types and health-related services.
• Promote housing affordability;
• Provide needed community and recreation facilities;
• Expand Arts and Cultural facilities;

Recommended Plans for Each Part of Old Ottawa East

A detailed look at how the CDP themes are applied in each of the neighbourhoods:

• Main Street North
• Main Street South
• Hawthorne Street
• Oblate Lands
• Saint Paul University
• 88 Main Street and underutilized School Board lands
• Lees Avenue and Springhurst Park
• University of Ottawa – Lees Avenue Campus
• Rideau River Nature Trail

MAIN Street North of Clegg: Colonel By to Evelyn

• TM7 Zone maximum 6 floors on lots with minimum 30m depth:
  • Mixed uses: ground floor retail; residential on upper floors;
  • Additional 3m front setback above 4th floor;
  • Additional 45 angle rear setbacks above 4th floor.

HAWTHORNE: Pretoria Bridge to Main

• Traditional Main Street designation in Official Plan;
• TM Zones
  • Maximum 4 floors on South side;
  • Maximum 6 floors buffer on north against Queensway.
• Mixed uses including ground floor retail, and residential on upper floors.

MAIN STREET North of Clegg: Evelyn to Clegg

• New TM zoning along Main Street
  • Maximum building height 15m (4 floors);
• Mixed uses including ground floor retail, and residential on upper floors;
• West side Main Street and infill at Oblates and Saint Paul University.

Order of Oblates of Mary Immaculate

• New TM zone along Main Street frontage;
  • 50m lot depth, max 15m height:
  • Mixed-use residential/institutional buildings, 25% affordable housing;
  • Seniors uses including long term care;
  • 10.7m max. building height at _ block deep transitions to existing neighbourhoods;
  • Institutional uses to remain in designated areas.

Oblates Order continued

• Heritage protection of Deschâtelets building
  • Protection of tree-lined forecourt and sight-lines to building from Main Street;
• Sustainable Design measures:
  • Path connections from Main, along Rideau River;
• Existing areas of mature vegetation to be protected
• 45m landscaped buffer at Rideau River

LEES AND SPRINGHURST PARK

• Implement TM zone along Lees at Springhurst Park
• Traffic calming on Lees Avenue
• Implement “gateway” on Lees at Transit Station;
• Add farmers market as a permitted use;
• Modify zoning to expand ground floor commercial uses facing Lees;
• Add mixed use zone at Transit Station;
• Provide path connections to Rideau River Nature Trail;
• Develop recreational facilities in Springhurst Park;
• Implement sound buffer against Queensway;

MAIN STREET SOUTH OF CLEGG

• Revert OP designation to General Urban – Residential;
  • Requires any proposed development to be guided by existing environment.
• Gateway at Riverdale Junction;
• Traffic calming, pedestrian crossings, street landscaping;
  • Possible traffic circle.
• Designate Hydro site (incl. vacant land) for infill.

RIDEAU RIVER NATURE TRAIL

• Implement complete nature trail from Main Street/Smyth Road bridge to Queensway
• Develop a path system for pedestrians and cyclists with alternative routes for cyclists at ecologically or socially sensitive locations
• Establish ecological buffer zone along river ranging up to 45m depth
• restore shoreline habitat with protected areas from human disturbance
• Provide access points at key locations for viewing, and dock access to water.

Vision for the RRNT

• A path and amenities that support continuity, health and connection
• An approach that maintains and enhances tranquility
• Picturesque and well-treed – no “hardening” of the shoreline
• Restore terrestrial and aquatic habitats and ecological conditions

Short-term Goals

• Tree-planting and other aspects of vegetation management plan in spring ‘08
• A limited number of other widely-supported projects in the coming year