Community Group Pores Over City Zoning Changes
This is a release from Your Applewood Acres (& Beyond) Neighbours about the City of Ottawa’s new Zoning Plan that is of utmost importance to municipal property-owners:
Note that some members have been working very hard researching the details of zoning changes being planned by the city and the impact they will have on neighbourhoods and the city in the future. An update with more details will be shared soon.
Their research has shown that this is an ever-changing landscape, including: 81 amendments made to the Official Plan (OP) through an Omnibus Report approved by Council on September 13, 2023; and another series of amendments are expected to be submitted at Planning and Housing Committee on August 28, 2024. While these changes are deemed to be ‘technical amendments’ and not substantial, those watching closely have some serious concerns about some of the amendments.
And note for anyone interested in reviewing the new Zoning By-law: If you need to consult the new Official Plan, it is critical to use the most recent version of the OP (see it here at the City’s Engage Ottawa site in the column on right: https://engage.ottawa.ca/zoning).
And go here/scroll down Ottawa is ready for a new Zoning By-law (arcgis.com) for the “Story Map” referenced by the Alta Vista Community Association message for mapping that shows drawings of what is permitted in neighbourhoods currently and then what it could look like based on the changes proposed in the current draft (new) Zoning By-Laws.
And note that the City is planning ward-specific virtual information sessions to discuss Ottawa’s proposed new Zoning By-law that the City says will cover key topics relevant to each ward. From the City: “These virtual events are an opportunity to learn about the basics of zoning, key concepts of the proposed By-law, and to ask questions and share your thoughts!”
Ward-specific sessions schedule:
- Ward 14, Ward 22 Wednesday, July 31 from 6:30 to 8 pm. To attend the Ward 14 and 22 session, please register here(External link).
- Ward 7, Ward 8, Ward 9 – Wednesday, August 21
- Ward 2, Ward 11 – Tuesday, August 27
- Ward 12, Ward 13, Ward 15 – Thursday, August 29
- Ward 10, Ward 16, Ward 17, Ward 18: Wednesday, September 4
- Ward 1, Ward 5, Ward 19, Ward 20, Ward 21: Thursday, September 5
- Ward 3, Ward 24: Tuesday, September 10
- Ward 4, Ward 6, Ward 23: Wednesday September 11
And you can subscribe to Engage Ottawa to stay updated on events and registration details.
This excerpt is courtesy of the city-wide community group Your Applewood Acres (And Beyond) Neighbours
For You:
City Helps Create Perfect Traffic Storm
Two-Year Richmond Road Reconstruction To Begin
Housing Starts Plummet In Ottawa
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– The Bulldog – News Feed Enter 
“Pores” over methinks.
Note that these are virtual information sessions where feedback can (and tends to) be carefully controlled. Whatever happened to face to face consultation with affected property owners? There are some pretty dramatic changes in housing built form in residential neighbourhoods proposed here. Dramatic, and to some degree undefined changes.
There is a much bigger picture going on here, one must look at this 50,000 feet up. Here is a snippet from an outline of what is trying to be achieved; ” The report covers the following topics:
principles of the 15 Minute City, and what makes it different
a case study of a Canadian city (Ottawa) that uses it as a policy strategy for growth management within its 2021 Official Plan
describes four ways that the 15 Minute City and Complete Streets can help each other: 1) infrastructure: safety, 2) infrastructure: neighbourhood context, 3) livability and sociability, and 4) increased economic activity
critiques and drawbacks (ignoring the suburbs, gentrification concerns)”.
Just remember it is always the glossy sales brochure that gets sold to the people.
Changes are being made to the Official Plan some of which come from a series of laws passed by the Ford Government. But others are substantive changes to a document that was negotiated with Ottawa communities over 2 years to enforce a much faster and deeper densification than the original agreements.
15 minute neighbourhoods require professional urban planning. Ottawa plans building by building.
It has no legal capacity to enforce walkable retail and no funds or imagination to ensure parks for all ages, community centres, clinics, and most importantly..no desire to ensure family sized affordable housing let alone walkable schools. Transit?