KoL at BLACKSTONE April 2015 Planning Rationale Prepared in support of a Site Plan Control and Draft Plan of Condominium
KoL at BLACKSTONE P L A N N I N G R A T I O N A L E Contents List of Figures... 1 List of Tables... 1 INTRODUCTION... 2 Development Overview... 2 Site Context... 3 Previous Applications... 3 POLICY FRAMEWORK... 5 Provincial Policy Statement (2014)... 5 City of Ottawa Official Plan... 8 Fernbank Community Design Plan... 10 City of Ottawa Zoning by-law 2008-250... 12 CONCLUSION... 12 List of Figures Figure 1 Site Plan... 2 Figure 2 Surrounding Context... 3 Figure 3 Zoning Map... 4 Figure 4 Official Plan Designation... 8 Figure 5 Fernbank CDP Demostration Plan... 10 List of Tables Table 1 Built form Guidelines for Residential Dwellings and Apartments... 11 Table 2 Zoning Summary... 12 Page 1
INTRODUCTION Development Overview Cardel Homes is proposing to build eleven (11) residential buildings totaling one hundred twelve (112) units. There will be eight (8) blocks of stacked townhouses and three (3) low rise apartment buildings. The apartment buildings will each contain twelve units, be (3) storeys in height and have one level of underground parking. The total amount of parking spaces on the site (indoor and underground) will one hundred fifty-six (156). The storage lockers within the apartment buildings are sized to fit bicycles and additional bike parking has been accommodated within the landscaped areas of the site. The marketing name for the development show in Figure 1 will be KoL. FIGURE 1 SITE PLAN Page 2
Site Context The site is located within the new community of Blackstone, Ward 6 - Stittsville. Blackstone is bounded by Terry Fox Drive to the east, Fernbank Road to the south, the Trans Canada Trail to the north and future development lands to the west. The specific area for KoL is north of Livery Street, between Asturcon Street and Tapadero Aveune. The lands surrounding KoL, for the most part are characterized as new, low density residential dwellings as depicted in Figure 2. The lands north of the project are to remain open space, as it is a hydro transmission corridor with pole lines for both Hydro Ottawa and HydroONE. FIGURE 2 SURROUNDING CONTEXT Once developed the community of Blackstone will be a mixture of single detached, townhomes, stacked townhomes and low-rise apartments. There will be several parks and open spaces which will be connected by pathways and trails. There are schools planned in the later phases and transit services will be extended to service the new residents. KoL, in time will be less than 300 meters away from a transit station (one is proposed to the west). Currently the KoL site is vacant, while the lands to the south are recently constructed townhouses. The adjacent streets are built and underground services and utilities are in place. The lands (Phase 3 of Blackstone) to the east received final subdivision approval and were registered in September 2014 (City File No. D07-16-11-0023). Fernbank Crossing (the community to the west) has also commenced construction; however the section closest to KoL is part of a later phase. Previous Applications A Plan of Subdivision application was assigned to City Planner Cheryl McWilliams (File Number D07-16- 10-0008) and was registered June 18 th, 2013. KoL is proposed to be built on Block 207 on 4M-1491. Page 3
On July 13, 2011 City Council approved an R4Z zoning designation for KoL. This was done in conjunction with the zoning for the entirely of Blackstone Phase 1. The zoning map attached to the Council Report is shown as Figure 3, the KoL site is highlighted. FIGURE 3 ZONING MAP Previous Site Plan and Draft Plan of Condominium applications were submitted for this site in May 2013 (City File Nos. D07-12-13-0068 and D07-04-13-0013), these applications were abandoned by Cardel when it was clear that HydroONE s concerns could not be mitigated. The 2013 proposal needed to be reworked, resulting in these new applications. Page 4
POLICY FRAMEWORK Provincial Policy Statement (2014) The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) is issued under Section 3 of the Planning Act. It came into effect on April 30 th 2014 and applies to planning decisions made on or after that date. It replaced the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005 and applies province-wide. The purpose of the PPS is to provide policy direction on Ontario s land use vision. It provides a guide to the Province on how to settle the landscape, create the built environment, and manage the land and resources over the long term. The goal of the PPS is to achieve livable and resilient communities. Land use planning decisions in Ontario must be consistent with the PPS. The KoL proposal is consistent with the policies in the Provincial Policy Statement, notably; - Section 1.1 Managing and Directing Land Use to Achieve Efficient Development and Land Use Patterns This section of the PPS highlights that new development should take place in designated growth areas and should not occur in isolation. To achieve healthy and livable communities, planning authorities should approve developments which; Provide an appropriate mix of uses and residential densities Avoid land uses patterns which have environmental and safety concerns Prohibit future growth in settlement areas Consider all the different ability and affordability levels of the population Promote efficient use of land, infrastructure, utilities and financial resources KoL is proposed in an area, where the City of Ottawa has directed growth. A Community Design Plan was prepared for this area to guide this and other new developments in this area. At present the residential densities found around this site are predominantly low density (townhouses and detached dwellings). KoL will introduce a higher density residential product to the Blackstone community, which will provide further housing options to suit individual homeowner needs. As mentioned, KoL was part of a larger planning exercise; the Fernbank Community Design Plan (CDP) which was prepared with input from other disciplines. The recommendations of the Transportation Master Plan, Master Servicing Study and Environmental Management Plan all shaped the development of the CDP. These reports outlined logical, cost-effective infrastructure (servicing and roads) requirements that were needed to support development in this area of Ottawa. The impact of this development on the environment was considered and the proposed land use pattern does not negatively harm the environment. The development of KoL has been designed to be a healthy and livable community. Page 5
KoL is being proposed within a settlement area 1 as defined by the PPS and Section 1.1.3 specifically highlights the Province s vision for such areas. Settlement areas shall be the focus of growth and development, and their vitality and regeneration shall be promoted (Policy 1.1.3.1). The land use patterns in these areas shall be a mix of densities and land uses, which take advantage of infrastructure and public service facilities. KoL should be designed with consideration for public transit and modes of active transportation. As a designated growth area 2 this development should occur adjacent to existing development in a compact-form that allows for the efficient use of land and logical extension of infrastructure and public service facilities. The City of Ottawa, through their Official Plan has directed growth to the area known as the Fernbank community, which is where KoL is being proposed. The higher density housing types of KoL (stacked townhouses and apartment units) will be serviced from logical, required expansions to existing infrastructure. While currently there is no local transit service in this area of Blackstone, roads within the development have been deemed transit streets and public transit will be available when warrants are met. The closest bus stop to KoL (Rouncey Road at Westphalian Avenue) will be approximately 420 metres. There is also a planned transit station on the new north-south arterial road, Robert Grant Way, which, when operational will be less than 300 metres from the KoL site. A sidewalk and path system is proposed to provide transportation options other than private automobile. The Trans-Canada Trial is to the north of this site and pathway connections bookend this development. The location of KoL is adjacent to existing development and is an area that is designated and available for residential growth. - Section 1.4 Housing This section of the PPS focuses on housing. Policies in this section require municipalities to provide an appropriate range and mix of housing types and densities. This will ensure that there is always room for residential growth that meets the needs of the area. Policy 1.4.3 requires that planning authorities set targets for housing affordability and promote densities for new housing that consider efficient land and infrastructure consumption. Approval of KoL would expand the current forms of housing options in this area. The homes proposed meet the established densities targets and would provide differing price points depending on the size of the unit. The introduction of these medium density units will further expand homeownership to people with low and modest income. The proposed project will be well situated to take advantage of the new infrastructure and installed services. 1 Settlement areas: means urban areas and rural settlement areas within a municipality (such as cities, towns, villages and hamlets) that are: a) built up areas where development is concentrated and which have a mix of land uses; and b) lands which have been designated in an official plan for development over the long-term planning horizon provided for in policy 1.1.2. In cases where land in designated growth areas is not available, the settlement area may be no larger than the area where development is concentrated. (PPS, 2014 pg. 48) 2 Designated growth area: means lands within settlement areas designated in an official plan for growth over the long-term planning horizon provided for in policy 1.1.2, but which have not yet been fully developed. Designated growth areas include lands which are designated and available for residential growth in accordance with policy 1.4.4(a), as well as lands required for employment and other uses. (PPS, 2014 pg. 40) Page 6
- Section 1.5 Public Spaces, Recreation, Parks, Trails and Open Spaces The Province wants to see communities that foster healthy and active lifestyles. This can be done with a combination of formal spaces for active recreation or more passive recreation opportunities. Protecting natural areas and providing accessibility to parks, trails and facilities to all community members is important. One of the goals of KoL is to create a community where people not only live but also play. A municipal park has just finished completion across the street from this site. Internal pathways have been proposed which will direct people to this facilty. This development will foster social interaction both in nearby public spaces (park, Trans-Canada Trail) as well as on-site with passive open spaces for residents to enjoy. - Section 1.6 Infrastructure and Public Service Facilities The PPS speaks to how municipalities should manage and develop their infrastructure, this includes sewage, water, stormwater, transportation, waste and energy systems. These important systems should be built efficiently in a cost-effective manner to accommodate projected needs. Sewer and water services should be provided in a sustainable manner that is fiscally responsible and values the health of humans and the environment. Transportation systems shall be built to facilitate the movement of people and goods, the need for improvements and expansions to this system should be done with a need, safely and energy efficiency analysis. Waste and energy systems shall be provided for all development and they should be planned in accordance with provincial legislation and standards. The Province encourages the efficient use of existing infrastructure systems and expansion of these systems when warranted. The proposed development of KoL will not require expansions to the existing infrastructure and public service facilities of Blackstone. The Master Servicing Study, prepared as part of the CDP process included capacity in the water, sewer and stormwater systems to accommodate this project. The Site Servicing Report prepared specifically for KoL by IBI details how this development will be serviced with municipal infrastructure. The existing road network was designed considering the traffic generated by this site. No changes to the planned transportation system of Blackstone will be required. The internal driveway network of KoL will ensure the efficient movement of people and goods. There are no concerns with either, waste management or energy supply as both are available to this site. The infrastructure needs facilitated by this proposal are either in place or will be done as required in accordance with applicable guidelines and standards. - Section 3.0 Protecting Public Health and Safety The future of the province depends on reducing risk and protecting residents from natural or human made hazards. Planning authorities have the responsibility of ensuring that development does not happen in hazardous areas, such as along shorelines, unstable soils, and areas with high potential for wildland fires. There are also man-made and climate related hazards that should be concidered in land use planning decisions. Developments should be directed away from such areas to minimize risk. The proposed site does not have any natural or human-made hazards which present an unacceptable risk to public health and safety. The Preliminary Geotechnical Investigation concluded that this site is suitable for this proposed form of housing. Developing KoL will not increase the public s cost or risk from natural or humanmade hazards. Page 7
- Section 4.0 Implementation and Interpretation The PPS applies to all planning related matters in the Province of Ontario. It requires that all decisions be consistent with the policies within (Section 4.2). Official Plans shall identify provincial interests and set out appropriate land use designations to ensure that the PPS s objectives are achieved. Zoning can provide further provisions to implement the PPS. Planning authorities must keep their planning framework up-todate with the PPS. The Provincial Policy Statement ensures that lands in Ontario are well managed. As you will read in the following sections of this Planning Rational, KoL conforms to both the City of Ottawa s Official Plan and Zoning By-law. These two documents are considered to be consistent with the PPS, therefore this proposed development should be considered in-line with provincial interests regarding land use planning. KoL is an appropriate, efficient development that accommodates future and current needs, in a land use pattern that is sensitive to matters outlined in the Provincial Policy Statement. City of Ottawa Official Plan The Official Plan (OP) for the City of Ottawa designates the KoL site as General Urban Area. Figure 4 is an excerpt of OP s Schedule B, the project location has been marked with a star. FIGURE 4 OFFICIAL PLAN DESIGNATION The General Urban Area designation permits for a full range and choice of housing types. The OP also states that the City shall be satisfied that Sections 2.5.1 and 4.11 are addressed prior to approving a development application, such as KoL. Page 8
- Section 2.5.1 Urban Design and Compatibility A goal under this section is to have built form, open space and infrastructure work together, to create places where people want to live. While the majority of this section concentrates on how to integrating new construction projects into existing neighbourhoods, there are Design Objective principles that are still relevant to KoL. Enhance the sense of community by creating and maintaining places with their own distinct identity Within Blackstone, KoL will have its own corner. The buildings themselves will be different in form, however the exterior building materials and colours will be similar to what is being used by the neighbouring townhouses and singles. The unique community features (such as stone pillars and enhanced sidewalks) employed throughout the subdivision will be reflected in the final look of KoL. Define quality public and private space KoL has been located kitty-corner to a public park, allowing future residents the opportunity to utilize this community feature. The stacked townhouses that side on to Livery Street have been designed with a porch and stairway connection to the public sidewalk, creating an animated streetscape with visual variety for pedestrians. These corner units will appear to have their front entrance along Livery. The low rise apartment buildings have been brought forward on the site (as much as setbacks permit). Parking has been designed to be mostly, hidden from public view. Locating some of the parking underground allows for more communal open space for the residents. These open spaces have been intentionally left with minimal planting to provide flexibility to the future condominium boards, as they will be in the best position to determine what, if anything these spaces can be used for (bbq s, gardens, sitting areas). Create places that are safe, accessible and easy to get to, and move through The design for KoL considered the ease of residents/visitors to access the site both by vehicle and foot. Grading was reviewed to ensure that pathway slopes were minimal, so wheelchairs/strollers could navigate the site without concern. Attention was given to the accessibility of the surface parking spaces, while residents and visitors will have to walk to access unit entries, logical pathway connections have been planned. To improve pedestrian safety and vehicle circulation one-way driving lanes will be used. The internal road and pedestrian connections were designed to work within the phases, so as construction proceeds any existing phase could operate with little to no changes. Consider adaptability and diversity by creating places that can adapt and evolve easily over time and that are characterized by variety and choice By introducing stacked townhouses and low-rise apartment units to this area, people will have more housing choice. The stacked townhouses will be offered with 2 and 3 bedroom designs and the low-rise apartments will have bedroom units. This variety will appeal to different purchasers at different stages in their housing life cycle. Phase construction and site plan approval will allow for changes to parts of the plan if market demand shifts or improvements/innovations in the building industry materialize. - Section 4.11 Urban Design and Compatibility The merits of a development application are to be reviewed against policies in Section 4.11. The aim is to have new developments work within the context they are built. While the section has more bearing for infill development, it is still important to review the compatibility criteria in young suburban neighbourhoods, such as Blackstone. The design of Kol gave consideration to the following; Page 9
KoL at BLACKSTONE Vehicular Access Limited driveways into the project, minimizing the number of locations for headlight glare for neighbouring residents. Parking Requirements - Adequate parking has been provided on site, negating the need for spill over parking. Additional parking will be made available to purchasers who require more than one parking space per unit. Outdoor Amenity Areas All units (stacked and apartment) will have their own private outdoor amenity areas, as well as common areas between buildings and in the hydro easement. Landscaping was designed to buffer the view of the hydro towers. Outdoor Storage There are two outdoor garbage storage buildings proposed for KoL. These will be for the use of the stacked townhouse occupants. They will be fully enclosed and mirror the building materials of the residential units. Residents of the low rise apartment building will collect and sort their refuse within the underground parking garages. These bins will then be bought out only on collection day. Annex 3 KoL was designed considering city-wide, neighbourhood, street, site and building scale. Fernbank Community Design Plan The Fernbank Community Design Plan (CDP) was prepared to provide direction and further guidelines for development within approximately 674 hectares of land between the communities of Stittsville, Kanata West and Kanata South. This new suburban area has been planned to contain 9,700 to 11,000 units. Figure 5 is the Demonstration Plan from the completed CDP. The KoL site was identified for Medium Density Residential. FIGURE 5 FERNBANK CDP DEMOSTRATION PLAN Page 10
In this CDP, stacked townhouses and low-rise apartments are considered Medium Density Residential. A minimum of 3,000 medium density units will be require in the Fernbank area to meet the density targets proposed in the CDP. KoL will help achieve the minimum requirement for apartment buildings (10%) in the Fernbank area. The appropriate location for Medium Density Residential is outlined in Section 4.2.2 of the CDP. These uses should be along the busier streets in the community (arterials and collector roads), close to community amenities such as parks and abutting hydro transmission corridors when possible. This section also suggests utilizing the hydro easement for surface parking in medium density designations. Section 6.6.2 provides general guidelines for residential dwellings and apartment buildings within the Fernbank area. Table 1 summarizes these objectives and relates them specifically to KoL. TABLE 1 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES FOR RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS AND APARTMENTS Guideline Dwellings should be located close to the street to reinforce a strong street edge. Architectural design on all elevations should be consistent. Front entrances should be visible from the street. Where possible, utility elements and equipment should be located away from publicly exposed views, and are discouraged from being located in the front yard or flankage yard of a corner lot. Where utilities are required to be located in the front or flankage yards, the utilities should be located in a discreet area or screened from public view through landscaping or other screening mechanisms. Buildings with entrances not facing the street should be designed to direct people towards interior driveways and where applicable, the amenity area. KoL Response Both the stacked townhouses and apartments are proposed close to the public street. The stacked townhouse have porches within the required front yard setback (permitted projection). Apartment B is proposed as close as grading permits to the public ROW. There is consistency with the building setback distances to create a clean edge to the Blackstone Community. The same materials and motif are proposed for the different units. The stacked townhouses and apartments will work with each other to create a sense of place within this project. While the stacked townhouses are proposed to be parallel to Livery Street, they have been designed so that one of the corner unit, front doors face the street. Each apartment building has one entrance that is visible from either Livery Street or Tapadero Avenue. Conversations with the utilities are underway and thus far the need for any required kiosks have not been identified. If any are required they will be located towards the rear of the site. The utility meters required by the stacked townhouses will be enclosed in a utility closet attached to the northern end unit of each block. These closets will appear to be part of the building. The metres for the apartments will be housed within the underground parking garage. The existing hydro towers and poles do present a visual challenge, however the buildings and landscaping within KoL hopefully will provide a distraction. The front doors for the stacked townhouses which do not face a public ROW s are either front onto a communal amenity area or the internal driveway. Each apartment building has 2 entrances, one which faces a public street and the other an internal driveway. Entrances are logically located close to parking and off internal sidewalks. Page 11
Parking should not be permitted between the street and the principal façade of the building. Parking areas should be screened from the public street through landscaping. Service areas should be located at the rear of the building and screened from public view. There is no parking between the buildings and the public ROW. The majority of the surface parking area will be located behind the buildings screened from the public street. For the areas that are visible, landscaping has been planned to mitigate the presence of vehicle parking. The only area of concern are the refuse collection areas. Garbage buildings are proposed for the stacked townhouse units. These buildings will contain the required bins for residents to bring their refuse for collection. The bins for the apartments are located within the underground parking, which would only be placed out on collection day. City of Ottawa Zoning by-law 2008-250 As mentioned the site is zoned Residential Forth Density (R4Z). KoL has been designed to meet the provisions of this zone, as summarized in Table 2. TABLE 2 ZONING SUMMARY Provisions Requirement Provided Lot area (min) 1,400 m 2 16,564 m 2 Lot width (min) 18 m 321 m Front yard setback (min) 3 m 3 m Corner side yard setback (min) 3 m n/a Interior side yard setback (min) 3 m for the first 21 m from the road and 6 m thereafter 3 m Rear yard setback (min) 6 m 15 m Height (max) 15 m 15 m Required Number of Resident Spaces 1.2/unit = 134 134 spaces Required Number of Visitor Spaces 0.2/unit = 22 22 spaces Vehicle Parking Space Dimensions (min) 2.6 m wide x 5.2 m long 2.6 m wide x 5.2 m long Bicycle Parking Spaces 0.5/unit = 56 total 74 spaces CONCLUSION The development of KoL is an opportunity to provide 112 units (76 stacked townhouses and 36 apartments) within the new, growing community of Blackstone. The proposed development has been designed to meet the planning framework. It is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and conforms to the Official Plan and Fernbank Community Design Plan. The zoning for this project is in place and does not need to be amended to permit this development. KoL, as proposed represents good land use planning. Report by: Lisa Dalla Rosa MCIP, RPP Manager Planning and Development Cardel Homes Page 12