Ottawa city council opposes contentious development projects in Kanata North and Hintonburg
Ottawa city council has shown its opposition to two proposed development projects — one in Kanata North and the other in Hintonburg.
Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen
Sep 21, 2022 • 23 hours ago • 3 minute read
Ottawa city council has shown its opposition to two proposed development projects — one in Kanata North and the other in Hintonburg.
The first is a proposal to build two four-storey residential buildings on Steacie Drive in an industrial business park in Kanata North. Council voted Wednesday to refuse the bylaw amendments that would allow the project to move ahead.
In the second case, council decided to instruct city lawyers to oppose the approval of the zoning and official plan amendments needed to make way for a 16-storey project at the corner of Wellington Street West at Parkdale Avenue with the Ontario Land Tribunal.
The city’s planning committee had already decided at a meeting on Sept. 9 to oppose the Kanata North project, even though a report from city staff had recommended it. City planners argued that the project, which included a total of 258 residential units and 206 parking spaces on a 2.24-hectare site, was consistent with the city’s official plan.
According to a staff report, the land is designated general urban in the official plan, which allows a wide variety of uses, including residential. But residents who attended public consultations indicated concerns about height, density and traffic.
“Council decided in 2019 to allow churches to be located in industrial and business settings. But people driving in and out of church services don’t end up living in a business park 24/7,” Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry told fellow councillors on Wednesday.
There will be no sidewalks built in the foreseeable future, it takes a 600-metre walk to get to a transit stop, and the site is close to commercial and industrial land uses, Curry said.
“This will never be the kind of residential neighbourhood we as a council aspire to,” she said.
“Fundamentally, I believe that locating these two residential buildings in this industrial commercial setting was not a good long-term decision for future residents and families. Residents of this proposed development have little to no hope of seeing sidewalks built.”
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