Ottawa planning committee OK's apartment towers across road from Central Experimental Farm
The redevelopment proposal for 1081 Carling Ave. now goes to full city council on Aug. 23.
Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen
Published Aug 16, 2023 • Last updated 6 minutes ago • 4 minute read
The City of Ottawa’s planning and housing and development committee has approved a proposal for two towers on Carling Avenue across from the Central Experimental Farm.
The redevelopment proposal from Taggart Realty Management with Fotenn Planning + Design at 1081 Carling includes two residential towers — one 16 storeys and the other 27 storeys tall — replacing an existing eight-storey building and creating 410 units.
City staff had recommended that the committee approve the zoning bylaw amendment that would allow the project to proceed. The committee heard the project met the goals of the city’s official plan and an analysis of the shadow cast by the towers, based on the city’s terms of reference, concluded the shadows wouldn’t exceed the criteria for “open spaces” reserved for scientific, educational and cultural purposes.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada wrote the city expressing concern that the shadows cast by the 1081 Carling development would affect a plot of land used for research. Meanwhile, some councillors feared approving the project could set a precedent for upcoming high-rise developments around the experimental farm’s perimeter.
The proposal has been controversial in the neighbourhood, with 160 residents attending a virtual public meeting and 14 delegations appearing before the committee on Wednesday.
The discussion included questions about how future development would affect the farm, which is both a scientific and heritage institution providing green space for residents, although the plots are not accessible to the public.
“The experimental plots, which are directly across the street, are a significant reason for the designation of the farm as a national historic site,” said Leslie Maitland of Heritage Ottawa. “And, if these experimental plots are rendered useless, then you have to say, ‘Well, what was the point of the designation?'”
Corey Peabody appeared for the Fisher Heights Community Association. Even though the Carling development is not in Peabody’s neighbourhood, a proposal for three high-rise towers at the intersection of Fisher Avenue and Baseline Road will be up next.
“This decision on this development is really precedent-setting. 1081 (Carling) is going to set the standard for other developments around the perimeter of the experimental farm,” Peabody said. “I would really like to encourage the city to sit down with Agriculture Canada, create a buffer zone or something to protect the farmland.”
It’s council’s responsibility to address concerns over threats to the viability of the farm as a public asset, argued Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine, whose ward includes 780 Baseline.
“While we absolutely have an urgent need to build the kind of density that’s being offered here, that need does not exist in a vacuum. That does not supercede the fact that the farm is a vital asset, not only for the research that it produces, but for the unique role it plays in the city’s public life,” Devine said.
“What will Agriculture Canada do with the farm? Will they hold onto the farm if it faces death by 1,000 cuts?”
Some councillors pointed out that Agriculture Canada was not present to answer questions.
Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney said Agriculture Canada could use other plots of land for research or use the affected plot for shadowing studies. The proposal is a good opportunity to build housing in a city experiencing a housing crisis. If the proposal was rejected, the city could be overruled by the province, Tierney said.
“We have to build houses, and that’s the truth of the matter. If we don’t do it, we’re going to get overruled.”
Without significant federal legislation to protect the farm, the city will continue to chip away at the farm, River Ward Coun. Riley Brockington said. On Carling Avenue between Preston Street and Churchill Avenue, 30 towers have been approved or are in the process of being approved, he said.
“This isn’t about 1081 Carling. This is just the catalyst that got us together to talk about what I believe is the more important issue,” said Brockington, who presented a motion to defer the decision until the next planning meeting on Oct. 18 to provide an opportunity for more input from Agriculture Caanda about building heights around the farm.
“Over time, we know the perimeter around the farm is going to be faced with development. We need to have a conversation and an understanding of what the right heights should be around the perimeter of the farm. Because 780 Baseline is next, and then Merivale, and we’re going to do this over and over again,” Brockington said.
“I loathe postponing applications when they are teed up and ready to go, but we don’t have these questions answered.”
Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower agreed the city needed to have more extensive meetings with Agriculture Canada and other stakeholders and acknowledged the decision could affect future applications, but he did not support deferring the decision.
Developing a major policy document around a new way to assess shadow and solar impact for the Central Experimental Farm would require reopening a significant part of the city’s official plan, which was approved by the province less than a year ago after three years of public consultation, Gower said.
“It would be a major change to the designations we made for the Baseline corridor, the Carling corridor, and perhaps others,” Gower said. “I don’t see that happening in a way that would affect our decision on this application between now and October.”
Brockington’s motion to defer the decision failed, as did a second motion to limit the height of the second Carling tower to 16 storeys.
A motion to approving the proposal will be before full city council on Aug. 23.
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...erimental-farm
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