PLANNING RATIONALE 680 BRONSON AVENUE OTTAWA, ONTARIO PROPOSED ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT

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1 PLANNING RATIONALE 680 BRONSON AVENUE OTTAWA, ONTARIO PROPOSED ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT FRANK PARAVAN APRIL 2014

2 Planning Rationale Introduction FOTENN Consultants Inc. has been engaged by Frank and Michael Paravan, Owner(s) of the property, to assess the appropriateness of the requested Major Zoning By-law Amendment for the property municipally known as 680 Bronson Avenue, Ottawa. This rationale examines the proposed Amendment in the context of the surrounding community and the applicable policy and regulatory framework. Purpose of Zoning By-law Amendment The site at 680 Bronson Avenue is currently zoned R4T [488] Residential Fourth Density, Subzone T, Urban Exception 488. More, specifically, Subzone T provides specific zoning provisions for each permitted dwelling type in that zone while Urban Exception 488 permits additional commercial and retail uses if they constitute only 50% of the gross floor in a residential building. Further, Urban Exception 488 also allows other commercial uses on the ground floor of the building where 50% of the gross floor area of the building is residential. The property owner(s) is requesting that the zone be amended to allow for the proposed retail (ground floor) and associated office uses (second floor) without the need for residential uses. The building floorplate will not be changing as a result of the change in use. The requested Major Zoning By-law Amendment would re-zone the subject property to TM Traditional Mainstreet, which is in keeping with the Official Plan designation and would allow the proposed retail and office uses. No additional amendments to the zoning are required at this time as the proposal intends to meet all the provisions of the TM zone. Subject Property and Surrounding Area Land Uses The subject property is located on the west side of Bronson Avenue approximately 21 metres north of Powell Avenue and 125 metres south of Plymouth Street in the West Centretown neighbourhood. The subject property consists of one (1) lot of record, with a lot frontage of metres along Bronson Avenue, a lot depth of approximately 45.5 metres, and a lot area of approximately m². There is an existing two (2) storey stucco and vinyl building along the southeast corner of the property with an existing wood deck wrapped around the north and east sides of the building. The ground floor of the building is currently being used as a hair salon while the second floor is currently being used for residential purposes. Access to the property is from Bronson Avenue by way of a single lane driveway to the north of the building. Existing parking is located in a gravel lot along the south and west property lines in the rear of the property. A cluster of deciduous trees are located on the site in the southwest corner of the property as well as one at the northeast corner near the entrance to the property which appears to be directly on the property line with the adjacent neighbour to the north.

3 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL A combination of board and chain link fencing enclose the property on two of four sides with the north side (abutting McDonald s) and east side fronting Bronson Avenue for the most part open to pedestrian traffic. Context Map Surrounding Area Land Uses The surrounding area land uses are generally characterized by residential, commercial, and office uses that serve the immediate and broader communities. The following is a summary of the adjacent land uses: North: The lands to the north consist of a fast-food restaurant with an approximate area of 2,423.4 m² and surface parking spaces around the perimeter of the property. Further north of the fast-food restaurant there is a large site extending to the corner of Plymouth Street that is currently vacant. East: The Bronson Avenue right-of-way is located to the east of the subject property. Beyond the right-of-way, there are detached and semi-detached residential dwellings in the form of two (2) and three (3) storeys along the east side of Bronson Avenue as well as down nearby side streets (Powell Avenue and Renfrew Avenue).

4 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL South: The lands to the south of the subject site consist of a detached two (2) storey dwelling with a single lane driveway just south of it. Beyond the detached dwelling and driveway immediately to the south, there is another two (2) storey detached dwelling followed by a one and a half (1.5) storey commercial use at the northwest corner of the intersection of Powell Avenue and Bronson Avenue. West: To subject property abuts the rear yards of two and a half (2.5) and one and a half (1.5) storey detached dwellings fronting on Cambridge Street South. Beyond the detached dwellings to the west there are other forms of residential dwelling types including townhouses, low-rise apartment, and high-rise apartment dwellings along the west side of Cambridge Street South. Surrounding Area Images (North, South, East, West) Road Network and Public Transportation The subject property is well served by the existing road network. It is located on the west side of Bronson Avenue, which is identified as an existing Arterial Road as per Schedule E Urban Road Network in the City of Ottawa Official Plan. Further, Carling Avenue to the south and Chamberlain Avenue to the north are also identified as existing Arterials Roads in the Official Plan. Arterial roads are the major roads of the City that carry large volumes of traffic over the longest distances.

5 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL The subject property is also well served by the existing public transportation network. Schedule D Rapid Transit Network identifies this section of Bronson as well as Chamberlain Avenue to the north as Transit Priority Area. In addition, OC Transpo routes 4, 6, 85, 101, 102 are all identified as being within close proximity to the subject property to the north and south along Bronson Avenue. Excerpts from Schedule E and D from the Official Plan Schedule E Urban Road Network Schedule D Rapid Transit Network Proposed Development The owner(s) of the property are proposing to retrofit the interior space of the existing two (2) storey stucco and vinyl building, currently occupied with a personal service use (hair salon) on the ground floor and residential uses on the second floor. The proposal would be to allow for a commercial use, more specifically a Rogers retail store on the ground floor of the building along with associated staff office uses on the second floor. The floor plate of the building is not anticipated to change as a result of this application, but rather the proposal will make use of the existing building as currently constructed. The existing single lane driveway with access from Bronson Avenue will remain to access the existing rear yard parking area. Existing trees at the southwest corner of the property as well as a tree along the northern property line (near the driveway entrance) will be retained as part of this proposal. In addition to this Planning Rationale, a Concept Plan has been submitted showing the subject property s existing conditions, the parking arrangement, and landscaping. As previously stated, the building envelope is not anticipated to change as the new permitted uses will occupy the existing building.

6 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL Proposed Use Concept Plan Policy and Regulatory Environment Provincial Policy Statement (2014) On February 24, 2014, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing released a Provincial Policy Statement (2014) that will replace the current Provincial Policy Statement (2005) on April 30, The Provincial Policy Statement (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. Issued under Section 3 of the Planning Act, all decisions affecting planning matters in Ontario are required to be consistent with the PPS. It is important to note that all decisions on planning applications made after April 29, 2014 will be required to be consistent with the new PPS and its policies. The requested Zoning By-law Amendment is consistent with the following goals, objectives, and policies: Section 1.1 Managing and Directing Land Use to Achieve Efficient Development and Resilient Development and Land Use Patterns Section 1.1.1: Healthy, liveable, and safe Communities: Avoids development and land use patterns which may cause environmental or public health and safety concerns; Promotes cost-effective development patterns and standards to minimize land consumption and servicing costs; Accommodates an appropriate range of uses, which include commercial, and employment uses; Ensures that the necessary infrastructure and public service facilities are available to meet current and projected needs.

7 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL Section Settlement Areas: Shall be the focus of growth and development, and their vitality and regeneration shall be promoted; Promotes densities and a mix of land uses which efficiently use land and resources; Efficiently use existing infrastructure and public service facilities and avoid the need for uneconomical expansion; Support active transportation; and Are transit-supportive, where transit is planned, exists, or may be developed. Findings: The proposed Zoning By-law Amendment to permit retail and office uses is consistent with the applicable policies of the Provincial Policy Statement (2014) in that the requested rezoning accommodates an appropriate range of uses, ensures the necessary infrastructure and public service facilities are in place to support development, and supports existing and future planned active transportation. Official Plan (2007, as amended) and Official Plan Update (2013) In 2013, the City of Ottawa reviewed its Official Plan which resulted in numerous changes to policy references and to land use designations. Ottawa Council adopted Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 150 to implement the changes in December 2013 and it 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 analyzed for 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 and are described in this document. The subject property is designated Traditional Mainstreet on Schedule B Urban Policy Plan of the City of Ottawa Official Plan and Official Plan Update. Traditional Mainstreets, as per the Official Plan, are planned as compact, mixed-use, pedestrianoriented streets that provide for access by foot, cycle, transit and automobile. Traditional Mainstreets will also fulfill and take advantage of their multi-modal transportation corridor function. A broad range of uses are permitted on along Traditional Mainstreets including: retail and service commercial uses, offices, residential and institutional uses. On Traditional Mainstreets, surface parking will not be permitted between the building and the street. The location of surface parking will avoid interruption of building continuity along the Traditional Mainstreet street frontage and will minimize impacts on pedestrians. Findings: The proposed Zoning By-law Amendment to permit retail and office uses without the need for a residential use is consistent with the applicable policies of the City of Ottawa Official Plan, more specifically for Traditional Mainstreets. The proposed

8 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL uses within the existing building will, promote uses that are encouraged along Traditional Mainstreets, contribute to the pedestrian realm and public transportation of the area, and are in keeping with the City s vision for Traditional Mainstreets. Excerpt from Schedule B of the Official Plan Urban Design Guidelines for Development along Traditional Mainstreets The Urban Design Guidelines for Development along Traditional Mainstreets were approved by City Council on May 24, The purpose of these guidelines is to provide urban design guidance at the planning application stage in order to assess, promote and achieve appropriate development along Traditional Mainstreets. Traditional Mainstreets generally present a tightly knit urban fabric, with buildings that are often small-scale, with narrow frontages and set close to and addressing the street. This results in a strong pedestrian orientation and transit-friendly environment. Land uses are often mixed, with commercial uses at the street level and residential uses on the upper levels. These streets normally have a four-lane crosssection, on-street parking and adjacent development with limited on-site parking.

9 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL The Zoning By-law Amendment and proposed retrofit of interior spacing to allow for retail and office uses contributes to the design guidelines in the following ways: Retains the existing building location which aligns the building façade with the existing built form along Bronson Avenue in order to create a visually continuous streetscape; Maintains several windows to animate the façade of the building for pedestrians; Locates surface parking in the rear yard; Protects existing trees to enhance the vegetation coverage on-site; Provides only the minimum required vehicular parking spaces; and Provides fencing and/or a landscape buffer to physically separate the site from residential and/or restaurant uses nearby. Comprehensive Zoning By-Law ( ) The subject property is currently zoned R4T [488] Residential Fourth Density, Subzone T, urban exception 488. More, specifically, subzone T provides specific zoning provisions for each permitted dwelling type in that zone while Urban Exception 488 permits additional commercial and retail uses if they constitute only 50% of the gross floor in a residential building. Further, Urban Exception 488 also allows other commercial uses on the ground floor of the building where 50% of the gross floor area of the building is residential. The purpose of the Residential Fourth Density zone is to: 1) Allow a wide mix of residential building forms ranging from detached to low rise apartment dwellings, in some cases limited to four units, and in no case more than four storeys, in areas designated as General Urban Area in the Official Plan; 2) Allow a number of other residential uses to provide additional housing choices within the fourth density residential areas; 3) Permit ancillary uses to the principal residential use to allow residents to work at home; and 4) Regulate development in a manner is compatible with existing land use patterns so that the mixed building form, residential character of a neighbourhood is maintained or enhanced. Requested Zoning TM, Traditional Mainstreet The purpose of the Traditional Mainstreet zone is: 1) Accommodate a broad range of uses including retail, service commercial, office, residential and institutional uses, including mixed-use buildings but excluding autorelated uses, in areas designatedtraditional Mainstreet in the Official Plan; 2) Foster and promote compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development that provide for access by foot, cycle, transit and automobile; 3) Recognize the function of Business Improvement Areas as primary business or shopping areas; and

10 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL Within the TM zone, several uses are permitted, which include (among others): Office Restaurant Medical Facility Convenience Store Place of Worship Excerpt of Zoning Map from geoottawa Retail Store Retail Food Store Service and Repair Shop Theatre Bank Requested Zoning By-law Amendment As stated previously in the report, the requested Major Zoning By-law Amendment from Residential Fourth Density to Traditional Mainstreet will allow the existing two (2) storey building to operate as both retail and an office building, where it is currently not permitted without 50% of the gross floor area of the building being dedicated to residential. The R4T [488] zone would be amended to TM to support the additional uses on the property. Rationale The request to re-zone the property from R4T [488] to TM permits the proposed uses; office and retail store, both of which are uses that are supported in the Traditional Mainstreet designation in the Official Plan. Traditional Mainstreets are planned as compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented streets that provide for access by foot, cycle, transit and automobile. The proposal for retail and office uses will not detract from the intent of the Traditional Mainstreet designation.

11 ZONING BY LAW AMENDMENT 680 BRONSON AVENUE PARAVAN APRIL The building floorplate will not change as a result of the re-zoning application and will remain as a two (2) storey form, which is typically observed on mainstreets. Moreover, the building currently operates as a personal service use on the ground floor with residential on the second floor. The proposal will alter the uses slightly to incorporate office uses on the second floor rather than residential. This change in use is not out of character along Traditional Mainstreets where a mix of uses is observed and encouraged. It is our opinion that the proposed uses will contribute to an already vibrant neighbourhood and one that is currently in transition. In this regard, it is our opinion that the proposal, as filed, is appropriate for this property. Supporting Studies Following a meeting with Planning Department Staff in January 2014, it was concluded that a Survey Plan, Concept Plan, and Assessment of Adequacy of Public Services Report, were required in addition to this Planning Rationale in support of the Zoning By-law Amendment application. The applicable technical reports and plans have been included under separate cover. No adverse impacts are anticipated from the proposed additional uses. Conclusions This Planning Rationale is submitted in support of an application for a Major Zoning By-law Amendment to amend the current site zoning from R4T [488] to TM. Based on the review herein the proposed development is found to be: Consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement; Consistent with the policy intent of the City of Ottawa Official Plan; Consistent and compatible with surrounding land uses and built form. The proposed use represents, in our opinion, good land use planning and provides an opportunity to successfully keep the existing building occupied on the site. Carl Furney MCIP, RPP, AICP Senior Urban Planner Phil Busby BAA Urban Planner & Designer