Avalon West Stage 3 Zoning By-law Amendment

April 2014Revised May 30, 2014

Prepared for: Prepared by:

Avalon West Stage 3 Zoning By-law Amendment

Planning Rationale

April 2014

Prepared for: Prepared by:

223 McLeod StreetOttawa ON K2P 0Z8613 730 5709www.FOTENN.com

Avalon West Stage 3 Zoning By-law Amendment

Planning Rationale

Revised May 30, 2014

Minto Communities Inc.- Avalon West- Stage 3 Planning Rationale for Zoning By-law Amendment

Revised May 30, 2014

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

FOTENN has been retained by Minto Communities Inc. to prepare a Planning Rationale in support of a Zoning By-law Amendment application for the lands known as Avalon West-Stage 3, a residential development located in Ottawa’s eastern community of Orléans. Consistent with the draft approved plan of subdivision, Minto is proposing a mix of uses on the subject lands, including 138 detached dwellings, 24 townhouse dwellings, 51 stacked dwellings, an elementary school, a secondary school, and a municipal park. The subject lands are currently zoned Development Reserve (DR) in the Comprehensive Zoning By-law (2008-250). The present Zoning By-law Amendment application seeks to rezone the subject lands to R3YY[XXXX]- Residential Third Density Zone, Subzone YY with Exceptions, R5Z- Residential Fifth Density Zone, Subzone Z, I1B- Minor Institutional Zone, Subzone B, and O1- Parks and Open Space Zone. 1.1 Background Since the late 1990s, Minto has developed over 3,500 homes in Avalon, a 300 hectare (750 acre) community located south of Innes Road in the southeast corner of Orléans. Development on the east side of Tenth Line is nearing completion and Minto is now in the process of developing the lands known as Avalon West, which are located on the west side of Tenth Line Road, north and south of Brian Coburn Boulevard. On January 9, 2007, a Draft Plan of Subdivision was approved for the following lands (City File No. D07-16-09-0018 and D07-16-06-0009):

(1) Minto-owned lands located immediately south of the existing hydro corridor and proposed Transitway, between a future Mixed-Use area to the east and the future Montfort Hospital Health Hub to the west. These lands are known as Avalon West Stages 1 and 2;

(2) Minto-owned lands located south of Brian Coburn Boulevard, between Tenth Line to the east and Mer Bleue Road to the west. These lands will be developed as future stages of Avalon West, the first stage being the subject lands, known as Stage 3.

(3) A residential community developed by Tamarack Homes, known as Chaperal, is

located directly in between the two above noted areas of land owned by Minto. This community is almost built-out.

Amendments to the above noted draft plan of subdivision have been ongoing since the subdivision was first draft approved in 2007. The latest draft plan, which has been used to prepare the present Zoning By-law Amendment application, is Revision 19, dated May 28, 2014. The Avalon West- Stage 1 lands were zoned on April 27, 2011 and are almost completely built-out. The Stage 2 lands were zoned in March 2014 and Minto is currently in the process of obtaining building permits in order to start construction in the near future. This present Zoning By-law Amendment application seeks to rezone the Stage 3 lands, referred to throughout this Planning Rationale as the subject lands.

ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT | MINTO COMMUNITIES INC. | APRIL 2014 | 2 REVISED MAY 30, 2014

2.0 SUBJECT LANDS AND SURROUNDING LAND USES

The subject lands, which are legally known as Part of Lot 3, Concession 11, Geographic Township of Cumberland, are located within the Avalon West community (Figure 1). More specifically, the subject lands comprise of two separate areas:

(1) A secondary school block located immediately south of Brian Coburn Boulevard, part way between Tenth Line Road and Mer Bleue Road; and

(2) An area of land located between Tenth Line Road and the future extension of Strasbourg Street, both north and south of the future extension of Brian Coburn Boulevard. These lands will accommodate an elementary school, a municipal park, and a mix of detached dwellings, townhome dwellings, and stacked dwellings.

The subject lands are currently vacant and devoid of any significant natural vegetation.

Figure 1. The Subject Lands


The following land uses surround the subject lands: North A residential community known as Chaperal has been developed by Tamarack Homes to the immediate north of the subject lands, on the north side of Brian Coburn Boulevard. North of Chaperal are the Avalon West Phase 1 and 2 lands, beyond which is the proposed Transitway and an existing hydro corridor. Further north are industrial lands, followed by commercial lands located along the south side of Innes Road, an Arterial Mainstreet. East To the east of the subject lands, between Tenth Line Road and Portobello Road, is the original Avalon community, which is almost completely built-out. South The Urban Boundary is located to the immediate south of the subject lands, beyond which are lands designated Urban Expansion Study Area and zoned Rural Countryside (RU) Zone. These lands are vacant save for an interim stormwater management facility which will be made permanent in the future. West Future stages of Avalon West are located in between the subject lands and Mer Bleue Road to the west. On the west side of Mer Bleue Road are lands zoned Development Reserve (DR), beyond which are newly developed residential communities. 3.0 DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL Minto is proposing to rezone the subject lands from Development Reserve (DR) to a number of different residential, institutional, and open space zones which are consistent with the approved draft plan of subdivision. The following table identifies the blocks on the draft plan of subdivision (Revision 19, May 28, 2014) which are subject to the present Zoning By-law Amendment application, including their proposed use and zoning: Table 1. Proposed Zoning

BLOCK USE PROPOSED ZONING

26-37, 39-42 Detached Dwellings R3YY[XXXX]- Residential Third Density Zone, Subzone YY with Exceptions

117 Stacked Dwellings R5Z- Residential Fifth Density Zone, Subzone Z

23 Townhouse Dwellings R3YY[XXXX]- Residential Third Density Zone, Subzone YY with Exceptions

38 Walkway R3YY[XXXX]- Residential Third Density Zone, Subzone YY with Exceptions

119 Park O1- Parks and Open Space Zone

122 Elementary School I1B- Minor Institutional Zone, Subzone B

124 Secondary School I1B- Minor Institutional Zone, Subzone B

Streets 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are also subject to the present Zoning By-law Amendment application. All five streets have a Right-of-Way (ROW) width of 18 metres except Street 1, a collector road which has a ROW width of 28 metres.


5.0 POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 5.1 Provincial Policy Statement On February 24, 2014, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing released a Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) (2014) that will replace the current Provincial Policy Statement (2005) as of April 30, 2014. The PPS provides policy direction on matters of provincial interest related to land use planning and development and sets the foundation for regulating the development and use of land in Ontario. The Planning Act states that planning decisions “shall be consistent with” policy statements issued under the Act. It is important to note that all decisions made on planning applications after April 29, 2014 will be required to be consistent with the new PPS and its policies, regardless of whether an application has already been submitted. The Avalon West- Stage 3 lands are planned for growth in the Official Plan and the Mer Bleue Community Design Plan and represent a logical extension of the existing Orléans community. A range of uses are proposed on these lands, including residential, employment (in the form of institutional), school, and parkland uses. All of these uses are located within close proximity of a planned transit corridor. The proposed residential densities and the community layout allow for the efficient use of land and the extension of existing infrastructure. Given these characteristics, the development proposed in Avalon West- Stage 3 meets a number of existing PPS policies, including but not limited to: 1.1.1. Sustain healthy, liveable and safe communities by:

a. Promoting efficient development and land use patterns

b. Accommodating an appropriate range and mix of residential, employment

(including industrial, commercial, and institutional uses), recreational and open space uses to meet long-term needs

c. Avoiding development and land use patterns that would prevent the efficient

expansion of settlement areas

d. Promoting cost-effective development standards to minimize land consumption and servicing costs

g. Ensuring that necessary infrastructure and public service facilities area or will be available to meet current and projected needs

1.1.3.1 Focus growth in settlement areas

1.1.3.2 Base land use patterns within settlement areas on densities and a mix of land uses which

1) efficiently use land and resources,

2) are appropriate for and efficiently use the infrastructure and public service

facilities which are planned or available and avoid the need for their unjustifiable and/or uneconomical expansion and


3) minimize negative impacts to air quality and climate change and promote energy efficiency

There are no new policies in the 2014 Provincial Policy Statement which are of particular relevance to the subject lands and the proposed development.

5.2 City of Ottawa Official Plan (2003, As Amended and OPA 150) In 2013, the City of Ottawa reviewed its Official Plan which resulted in numerous changes to policy references and land use designations. In December 2013, Ottawa Council adopted Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 150 to implement these changes. OPA 150 is currently with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) for the Minister’s Decision and final approval. For the purposes of this Planning Rationale, the current policies of the City of Ottawa Official Plan 2003 (consolidated May 2013) remain in full force and effect and have been reviewed and analysed with respect to the proposed development. In addition, although OPA 150 is not yet in full force and effect, the new policies relevant to the proposed development have been taken into consideration as the intended direction of City Council. Land Use Designation The subject lands are designated General Urban Area on Schedule B- Urban Policy Plan of the Official Plan (Figure 2). OPA 150 maintains this designation for the subject lands but does propose re-designating lands located in the broader area, including lands in the southeast corner of Mer Bleue and Brian Coburn (from Mixed-Use Centre to General Urban Area) and lands to the north of Avalon West-Stages 1 and 2 (from General Urban Area to Mixed-Use Centre). The intent of the General Urban Area is to accommodate a full range and choice of housing types to meet the needs of all ages, incomes and life circumstances, in combination with conveniently located employment, retail, service, cultural, leisure, entertainment and institutional uses. The present Zoning By-law Amendment application seeks to rezone the subject lands to accommodate low- and medium-density residential uses, elementary and secondary schools, and a municipal park. All of these individual uses are permitted within the General Urban Area designation. Combined, these uses assist in the creation of a complete, sustainable community, which is the main intent of the General Urban Area designation.


Figure 2. City of Ottawa Official Plan- Schedule B- Urban Policy Plan

Building Height Official Plan Amendment 150 proposes limiting buildings within the General Urban Area to low-rise buildings, which are defined as buildings 1- to 4-storeys in height. The built form proposed on the subject lands includes 2-storey detached and townhome dwellings, 3-storey stacked townhome dwellings, and schools which will be no higher than 4 storeys in height. As such, the 4-storey maximum will not be exceeded. Urban Design and Compatibility Section 2.5.1 of the Official Plan (OP) addresses urban design and compatibility. The OP defines compatibility as meaning:

Development that, although it is not necessarily the same as or similar to existing buildings in the vicinity, nonetheless enhances an established community and coexists with existing development without causing undue adverse impact on surrounding properties. It ‘fits well’ within its physical context and ‘works well’ among those functions that surround it.

Policy 1 of Section 4.11 states that when evaluating compatibility of development applications, the City will have regard for the policies of the site’s land use designation and all applicable plans, such as Community Design Plans. The development proposed on the subject lands meets Official Plan policies, including the General Urban Area policies, and the policies of the Mer Bleue Community Design Plan.


Policy 2 of Section 4.11 identifies a number of compatibility criteria which will also be used to evaluate the compatibility of development applications. The development proposed by Minto on the subject lands meets these criteria in the following ways:

A Transportation Impact Brief prepared by CastleGlenn Consultants Inc. in April 2013 and an accompanying addendum from January 2014 confirm that existing and proposed roads will adequately serve the anticipated traffic from the proposed development and that there will be no issues with vehicular access.

The proposed development will meet all applicable parking space rates outlined in Part 4 of the Comprehensive Zoning By-law.

The proposed development has been designed to respect and minimize impacts on adjacent neighbours.

No adverse lighting, noise, air quality, sunlight and microclimate effects are anticipated.

The proposed development will contribute two school sites and a municipal park to the surrounding area.

Official Plan Amendment 150 proposes removing the above noted criteria from Section 4.11 of the Official Plan and adding the requirement for a Design Brief which addresses numerous new design policies as well as the City’s approved design guidelines and design provisions from other policy documents. The subject lands are not located within one of the City’s Design Priority Areas. 5.3 Mer Bleue Community Design Plan The Mer Bleue Community Design Plan (CDP) guides the development of lands located in the Orleans Expansion Area of the East Urban Community. More specifically, the study area is bounded by a proposed transit corridor/existing hydro corridor to the north, Tenth Line Road to the east, the Urban Boundary to the south, and Mer Bleue Road to the west. The Blackburn By-law Extension, known as Brian Coburn Boulevard, bisects the CDP area. The subject lands are designated Mixed Density Residential in the Community Design Plan (Figure 3). This designation allows for a variety of housing forms including single-detached, semi-detached, townhome, stacked townhome, and low-rise apartment units. As such, the detached, townhome and stacked townhome uses proposed in Avalon West- Stage 3 are permitted within the Community Design Plan.


Figure 3. Mer Bleue Community Design Plan

Section 6.2 of the Mer Bleue CDP contains a number of design guidelines which read together are the “urban design language” for the future development of the Mer Bleue area. The proposed development meets a number of the guidelines that are applicable at this stage of development, including but not limited to: 6.2.5.3 A strong street edge should be defined with consistent, minimum front yard setbacks in the range of 3-6 metres. 6.2.5.9 The flankage of dwellings on corner lots should be designed with architectural treatments complementary to the front elevation. 6.2.5.11 Landscaping on corner lots should treat both the front and side yards with equal attention. 6.2.5.12 All dwellings should be located within 400 m of greenspace including formal parkland and community facilities such as schools. 6.2.5.14 Units should be mixed with other built forms so as to not dominate an entire neighbourhood.


6.2.5.17 Units within the same block should be located at a consistent setback from the street lot line. However, architectural detailing is encouraged to avoid a monotonous façade 6.2.8.2 Schools should have frontage on at least two streets to increase the visibility of the building in the community. 5.4 Urban Design Guidelines for Greenfield Neighbourhoods (September 2007) The City of Ottawa has produced urban design guidelines to assist in the evaluation of proposed developments. The Avalon West- Stage 3 development meets the following guidelines: Guideline 11: Connect new streets to existing streets in adjacent developments and plan for future connections to land that has yet to be developed. Guideline 12: Layout collector streets to be direct and continuous through the neighbourhood so homes are within 400 metres of transit and other destinations along them. Guideline 13: Layout local street patterns so that development blocks are easily walkable – between 150 and 250 metres in length. Guideline 16: Locate elementary schools sites on sites of approximately 2.5 hectares that have at least two road frontages, one of which faces a collector street, and are near a neighbourhood park or greenspace. Consult with school boards. Guideline 17: Locate intermediate and secondary school sites on sites of approximately 5.0 to 8.0 hectares that have at least two road frontages, one of which faces a collector street, and are near parks or greenspaces. Consult with school boards. Guideline 20: Locate parks so that they front onto at least two streets, or have the longest edge front onto the street. Locate parks at ‘T’-intersections to terminate streetscape views Guideline 35: Mix various types of housing on each street while considering the relationship (height, size, bulk) between each other, and to existing houses. Guideline 38: Site and design residential buildings on corner lots so that both the front and the side of the building are oriented to the public street and are detailed with similar quality and style. Guideline 46: Incorporate mid-block walkways to make walking more direct and convenient where long blocks cannot be avoided. Ensure that landscaping, fencing, and facing windows support a safe and attractive environment.


5.5 City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-law (2008-250) The subject lands are currently zoned Development Reserve (DR) in the City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-law (2008-250) (Figure 4). The intent of the DR zone is to recognize lands intended for future urban development in areas designated as General Urban Area and Developing Communities in the Official Plan.

Figure 4. City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-law (2008-250)

Minto is seeking to rezone the subject lands from Development Reserve (DR) to:

R3YY[XXXX]- Residential Third Density Zone, Subzone YY with Exceptions

R5Z- Residential Fifth Density Zone, Subzone Z

I1B- Minor Institutional Zone, Subzone B; and

O1- Parks and Open Space Zone.


R3YY[XXXX]- Residential Third Density Zone, Subzone YY with Exceptions A R3YY zoning with Exceptions is proposed to accommodate both the townhomes in block 23 and the detached dwellings in blocks 26-37 and 39-42. The following two tables outline the standard R3YY provisions and the requested changes to the R3YY provisions through the creation of a site-specific Exception. Table 2. Proposed Zoning for Detached Dwellings (Blocks 26-37 and 39-42)

Zone Provision R3YY Requested (R3YY[XXXX])

Minimum Lot Width 9 m No change

Minimum Lot Area 240 m2 No change

Maximum Building Height 12 m No change

Minimum Front Yard Setback 6 m No change

Minimum Corner Side Yard Setback

4.5 m 3 m

Minimum Rear Yard Setback 6 m No change for interior lots 1.2 m for True Corner Lots

Minimum Interior Side Yard Setback

1.8 m, with one minimum yard, no less than 0.6 m wide. Where there is a corner lot on which is located only one interior side yard, the minimum required interior side yard setback equals the minimum required for at least one yard.

No change

Table 3. Proposed Zoning for Townhome Dwellings (Block 23)

Zone Provision R3YY Requested (R3YY[XXXX])

Minimum Lot Width 6 m 5 m

Minimum Lot Area 150 m2 No change

Maximum Building Height 12 m No change

Minimum Front Yard Setback 6 m No change


4.5 m 3 m

Minimum Rear Yard Setback 6 m No change


1.2 m No change


As illustrated in Figure 5, Minto has a “True Corner Lot” detached dwelling product in which the house is oriented towards the corner side lot line. An attached garage is provided in what is the rear yard (1.2 metres from the rear lot line) and amenity space is provided in the corner side yard, within the confines of the building walls. The standard R3YY zone provisions do not contemplate True Corner Lots. The R3YY zone anticipates that for all dwellings, the rear lot line will abut an adjacent rear lot line and that the amenity area will be located in the rear yard. On True Corner Lots, the rear lot abuts an adjacent side lot line and therefore acts as a side yard. The proposed 1.2 metre rear yard setback, which exceeds the minimum required side yard setback of 0.6 metres, is appropriate.

Figure 5. Minto’s True Corner Lot

Garage

Amenity

Space

Street

Street


R5Z- Residential Fifth Density Zone, Subzone Z A R5Z- Residential Fifth Density Zone, Subzone Z zoning is proposed for the stacked townhomes in Block 117. The R5Z zone provisions are as follows: Table 4. R5Z Zoning Provisions (Block 117)

Zone Provision R5Z

Minimum Lot Width 18 m

Minimum Lot Area 450 m2

Maximum Building Height 15 m

Minimum Front Yard Setback 3 m*


3 m*

Minimum Rear Yard Setback **


**

*The minimum setback between the vehicular entrance to a private garage or carport and an existing or planned sidewalk is 6.2 m. No portion of a private garage or carport shall be located more than 2.5 m closer to a street lot line than the closer of: a) a building front wall or side wall, or b) a covered porch or veranda that is at least 2.5 m wide. **In the case of building walls less than or equal to 11 m in height, the yard setback is 1.5 m for the first 21 m back from a street lot line. In the case of building walls greater than 11 m in height, the yard setback is 3 m for the first 21 m back from a street lot line. In all other circumstances, the yard setback is 6 m. Minto is not proposing any changes to the base R5Z zoning in order to accommodate the stacked townhomes. I1B- Minor Institutional Zone, Subzone B and O1- Parks and Open Space Zone Minto is not proposing any changes to the standard I1B and O1 zones in order to accommodate the two school sites and a municipal park respectively.


6.0 Conclusions This Planning Rationale has been prepared in support of an application to amend the zoning on the lands known as Avalon West- Stage 3 in order to accommodate a range of residential, school, and parkland uses. As demonstrated in this Planning Rationale, the proposed zoning is consistent with and meets the policies of the Provincial Policy Statement, Official Plan, Mer Bleue Community Design Plan, and Urban Design Guidelines for Greenfield Neighbourhoods. As such, the application reflects good planning. Reviewed by: Prepared by:

Natalie Hughes, MCIP RPP Julie Carrara, MCIP RPP Senior Planner Planner FOTENN Consultants Inc. FOTENN Consultants Inc.

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Avalon West Stage 3 Zoning By-law Amendment