PLANNING RATIONALE. Site Conditions and Surrounding Context. June 25, 2013

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1 PLANNING RATIONALE June 25, 2013 Ms. Hieu Nguyen Planner II Planning and Growth Management Portfolio 110 Laurier Avenue West, 4 th Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1 Dear Ms. Nguyen, RE: Cash-in-Lieu of Parking Application for 258 Durocher Street, Ottawa FOTENN Consultants Inc. have been retained by the Riverside Congregation of Jehovah s Witnesses to file a Cash-in-Lieu of Parking Application to reduce the number of required parking spaces for a proposed retrofit of a former Canada Post building into a place of worship. If approved, the application would reduce the number of required parking spaces from 58 to 43, a reduction of 15 spaces. To this end, please find the following documents: Three (3) copies of this cover letter/planning Rationale prepared by FOTENN Consultants Inc.; One (1) copy of the completed application form; Two (2) copies of the Survey Plan prepared by Annis, O Sullivan and Vollebekk Ltd..; Two (2) copies of the Site Plan and Building Floor Plan prepared IBI Group; Ten (10) copies of a Parking Study prepared by IBI Group; Ten (10) copies of a Traffic Memorandum prepared by IBI Group; A cheque in the amount of $2, made payable to the City of Ottawa for application fees; and A CD with all of the submission materials in digital format. Site Conditions and Surrounding Context The subject property is located in the Vanier North neighbourhood of Ottawa, to the north of Montreal Road and to the east of the Vanier Parkway. The property is bound by Durocher Street to the east, St. Paul Street to the south, Desrosiers Street to the west, and a collection of residential properties to the north. Further, the subject site has a lot frontage of approximately 64 metres along Durocher Street, a lot depth of 60 metres, and a lot area of 3, m² (0.97 acres). The site is currently occupied by a 1,013 m² one (1) storey building constructed in 1968, which served as a Canada Post office and distribution facility. In addition to the building the site includes surface parking for staff, visitors, a secure area for Canada Post vehicles and a loading area for service vehicles on the west side of the building. Access to the parking lot is via a main entrance on Durocher Street as well as a secondary entrance along Desrosiers Street. In addition, there is a depressed curb along Desrosiers Street that provides two-way entry into the site. On-street parking is widespread in the direct vicinity of the site, with parking spaces located along Durocher Street, Desrosiers Street, and St. Paul Street that are typically limited to a maximum of two (2) hours during business hours. Two main entrances to the building are provided at the northeast and southeast corners. Several large deciduous trees are located throughout the site with the

2 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE majority of them being located along the street frontages and primary vehicular entrances. There is a range of dwelling types in the area including some detached, semi-detached, townhomes, and three-unit dwellings. The site is conveniently located near Montreal Road, a designated Traditional Mainstreet in the City of Ottawa Official Plan, which consists of a broad mix of commercial, retail, and restaurant uses. Transit The subject property is well served by nearby public transit with regular all-day bus routes 9 and 12, both being located within approximately 200 metres from the subject property. Area Context Map Proposed Re-development: 258 Durocher Street The proposed re-development of 258 Durocher Street to accommodate a place of worship will include renovations to the interior space to provide two (2) main auditoriums, two (2) smaller meeting rooms, as well as other smaller ancillary rooms. In order to retrofit the building, a 35m 2 addition will be built in the location of the existing loading dock. Parking spaces will be re-allocated across the site to use space more efficiently. A total of 43 surface parking spaces, meeting City of Ottawa Zoning By-law specifications, can be accommodated on the site whereas the Zoning By-law requires a minimum of 58 parking spaces. Based on an accompanying Parking Study prepared by IBI Group, there is sufficient on-street parking and public transit routes in the area to compensate for the shortfall in on-site parking.

3 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE The following table accurately summarizes the uses that are proposed within the building: Detail Quantity Total GFA 824 m² Meeting Room GFA 580 m² Number of Meeting Seats 362 Parking Spaces 42 (standard stalls) and 1 (barrier free) Purpose of the Application: Cash-in-lieu of Parking Riverside Congregation of Jehovah s Witnesses is proposing to reduce the required number of parking spaces from 58 to 43 to accommodate a place of worship use. The requested reduction in on-site parking is reasonable given the location of the building, the proximity to off-site parking/public transportation, and given that the use will be limited in time scale, primarily occupied on weeknights and one day on the weekend where the Parking Study identified a capacity to accommodate these vehicles. Policy and Regulatory Framework City of Ottawa Official Plan (2007, as amended) The subject property is designated General Urban Area on Schedule B: Urban Policy Plan of the City s Official Plan. This designation permits a full range of housing, employment, retail, service, cultural, leisure, entertainment and institutional uses. All types of densities of housing are permitted, including high-rise apartment buildings. The intent of providing for a mix of uses in combination with a range of housing types and tenures in the General Urban Area is to facilitate the development of complete and sustainable communities. Sustainable communities include compact land uses and enhanced opportunities for walking, cycling and transit. As a result, reductions in parking requirements for uses located within close proximity to Traditional Mainstreets, and for sites that are well served by public transit are appropriate. Schedule E - Road Network As per Schedule E in the City of Ottawa Official Plan, the subject property is well served by the existing road network. Montreal Road and Vanier Parkway are identified as existing Arterial Roads. In addition, Deschamps Avenue is identified as an existing Collector Road. A series of local roads such as Durocher Street, Desrosiers Street, and St. Paul Street provide connections to the more frequently travelled arterial and collector roads. Former City of Vanier Site Specific Policies (2000) The subject property is located in Sector 2 of the policy area known as the Central Area or French Quarter. The objective of this sector is to attract more visitors to the area, local and out-of-town, vehicular or pedestrian, and encourage them to spend time there.

4 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE The development of a consistent focus and visual/functional points of interest will be facilitated by attracting appropriate commercial and cultural services as well as offices to the area. Typical uses in this sector may include the retailing of goods and services; arts and craft shops; office; studios; places of entertainment and hospitality as well as recreational or open spaces and public/institutional uses. The location of consumeroriented establishments providing goods and services to the general public will be encouraged on the ground floor of buildings situated in this sector. On Schedule A-1 of the former City of Vanier Official Plan, the site is designated for public use to reflect the former Canada Post operation on-site. The proposed use is consistent with the general intent of the Central Area or French Quarter in that it provides a cultural service to the area. The reduction in parking supports the intent for a walkable, small-scale community. Furthermore, attendees of the proposed place of worship meets the goal of attracting more people to the area to take advantage of local commercial and cultural services. City of Ottawa Vanier Local Area Parking Study (April 2013) The purpose of the Vanier Local Area Parking Study was to determine the need for, nature, and extent of municipal involvement in the provision of public parking services within the study area. The subject site is included as part of the study area. The findings of the occupancy observations in the study identify that occupancy rates are between 0-55% along Durocher Street and Desrosiers Street on weekdays and weekends. Further, these observations identify that there is additional capacity for on-street parking should the parking lot be full at any given time. City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-law ( ) The subject property is currently spilt-zoned I1A Minor Institutional, Subzone A, R4O(1125) Residential Fourth Density, Subzone O, Exception 1125, and R4Q Residential Fourth Density, Subzone Q in the City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw It should be noted that the R4Q and R4O zone, located on areas of the site s parking lot, are based on a dated zoning map and are slated for re-designation to I1A as part of the forthcoming Vanier Site Specific Policy Review. Additionally, correspondence with City Staff has determined that parking related to the proposed use is allowed on the R4O and R4Q portions of the site. The purpose of the I1A zone is to permit a range of community uses, institutional accommodation and emergency service uses to locate in areas designated as General Urban Area of the Official Plan, and to ensure that these uses are located in close proximity to residential and to ensure that such uses are of the appropriate scale and intensity to be compatible with the neigbourhood character. The proposed place of worship is a permitted use in the I1A zone.

5 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE Zoning Map Comprehensive Zoning By-law Under Zoning By-law , Schedule 1 shows the boundaries of the Central, Inner Urban, Suburban and Rural Areas as they relate to parking. The subject property is located in Area B Inner Urban. As per Section 101 Minimum Parking Rates in the City of Ottawa Zoning By-law, a Place of Worship requires 10 parking spaces per 100 m² of gross floor area of assembly area. The table below outlines the required and proposed parking space rates as per the proposed Place of Worship use. The parking requirements for the subject site (Area B) are as follows: PROVISION REQUIREMENT PROPOSED DEVLOPMENT COMPLIANCE Minimum Parking Space Rates (Section 101 Area B) 10 parking spaces per 100 m² of GFA of assembly area 580 m² / 10 = 58 spaces 43 spaces Supporting Studies/Plans The following studies/plans have been submitted in support of a reduction in parking for the proposed Place of Worship: Parking Study A Parking Study was prepared by IBI Group in support of the reduction in parking for the subject property. The study s findings identify that the site is well serviced by public transit, the site can presently accommodate 43 parking spaces, there are a total of 100

6 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE on-street parking spaces in the study area, and the maximum on-street parking occupancy was identified as 23% during weeknight peak periods and 51% during peak period on Sunday. Based on these findings, it is anticipated that there is sufficient parking off-site to accommodate an overflow of vehicles on site. If attendance levels reach the maximum expected level of 302 people, shared parking arrangements may be arranged with nearby commercial businesses to offset some of the demand on on-street parking. Traffic Memorandum A Traffic Memorandum was prepared by IBI to assess and report the number of trips generated by the proposed use, and any impacts to the adjacent transportation network based on the trip generation. The proposed use is anticipated to generate approximately 100 trips during peak operations hours (Sunday and one weekday evening). The anticipated trips will occur outside peak periods on the vicinity s roadways, and thus are not expected to negatively impact existing traffic operations. Site Plan/Floor Plan See appendix A and B. Topographic Survey See appendix C. Conclusion Based on the above information, FOTENN is of the opinion that the proposal to reduce the required number of parking spaces for a Place of Worship is appropriate for the following reasons: The subject property is located in the General Urban Area as per the Official Plan, which encourages sustainable communities through such implementation tools as compact land uses and the use of other forms of transportation, including public transit. In addition, the site is within walking distance to Montreal Road, a Traditional Mainstreet in the City s Official Plan, which is planned as compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented streets that provide for access by foot, cycle, transit and automobile. The subject property is well-served with an established road network; Montreal Road and Vanier Parkway are nearby Arterial Roads, and Deschamps Avenue is a nearby existing Collector Road as per Schedule E Urban Road Network in the City of Ottawa Official Plan. The subject property is currently spilt-zoned I1A Minor Institutional, Subzone A, R4O(1125) Residential Fourth Density, Subzone O, Exception 1125, and R4Q Residential Fourth Density, Subzone Q in the City of Ottawa Comprehensive Zoning By-law A Place f Worship is a permitted use in the I1A zoning designation, and accessory parking related to the use is permitted on the R4 zoning portions of the site. As per the City of Ottawa Vanier Local Parking Area Study (April 2013), the study

7 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE identifies that the occupancy observations rates for the subject property are between 0-55% along Durocher Street and Desrosiers Street on weekdays and weekends, and that there is some additional capacity for on-street parking should the parking lot be full at any given time. As per the findings of the submitted Parking Study prepared by IBI Group, there are a total of 100 on-street parking spaces within the study area. In addition, the results of a parking utilization survey indicate a maximum on-street parking occupancy of 23% during the weekday evening peak periods, and 51% during peak periods on Sundays. A parking deficit of 15 spaces on the subject property can be accommodated through the existing on-street parking spaces. As a result of the above, no undue adverse impacts are anticipated as a result of reduced parking rate and as such the proposal is considered minor in nature. Yours truly, Carl Furney, MCIP RPP, AICP Senior Planner FOTENN Consultants Inc. Phil Busby Planner FOTENN Consultants Inc.

8 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE Appendix A Site Plan

9 ISSUED DATE June 21, 2013 NO. FOR PRELIMINARY REVIEW REVISION DATE 1 R1 2 R2 3 R3 RD1 RD3 4 R4 RD4 RD2 GENERAL NOTES: 1. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROV. BUILDING CODES & APPLICABLE MUNICIPAL BY-LAWS. 2. ALL DIMENSIONS SHALL BE VERIFIED BY THE CONTRACTOR. ANY DISCREPANCIES SHALL BE REPORTED TO THE ARCHITECT/ENGINEER PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF WORK. 3. DO NOT USE THIS DRAWING FOR CONSTRUCTION UNLESS ISSUED FOR THAT PURPOSE. 4. WORK TO DIMENSIONS - DO NOT SCALE! SEAL: KINGDOM HALL of JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES CLIENT: RIVERSIDE CONGREGATION LOCATION: 258 DUROCHER ST., OTTAWA, ON. SHEET TITLE: SITE PLAN DRAWN BY: CDN CAD FILE: SCALE: CHECKED BY: DATE: DRAWING NUMBER: A1 cad file.dwg AS NOTED date drawn REV NUMBER: 1

10 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE Appendix B Floor Plan

11 1 R1 DATE June 21, 2013 ISSUED FOR PRELIMINARY REVIEW NO. DATE REVISION RD1 2 R2 RD2 3 R3 RD3 4 R4 RD4 GENERAL NOTES: 1. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROV. BUILDING CODES & APPLICABLE MUNICIPAL BY-LAWS. 2. ALL DIMENSIONS SHALL BE VERIFIED BY THE CONTRACTOR. ANY DISCREPANCIES SHALL BE REPORTED TO THE ARCHITECT/ENGINEER PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF WORK. 3. DO NOT USE THIS DRAWING FOR CONSTRUCTION UNLESS ISSUED FOR THAT PURPOSE. 4. WORK TO DIMENSIONS - DO NOT SCALE! SEAL: KINGDOM HALL of JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES PRELIMINARY FLOOR PLAN DRAWN BY: CDN CHECKED BY: CLIENT: RIVERSIDE CONGREGATION LOCATION: 258 DUROCHER ST., OTTAWA, ON. SHEET TITLE: CAD FILE: cad file.dwg SCALE: DATE: AS NOTED date drawn DRAWING NUMBER: A2 REV NUMBER: 1

12 CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH S WITNESSES JUNE Appendix C Topographic Survey

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