Posted: March 25th, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Communications | No Comments »
Thanks Duff,
Although it is unlikely that WVCA will have a development within their boundaries that qualifies for Section 37 it was something I wanted to ensure I asked each Community Association. Especially with the new West Wellington CDP being strongly adhered to, there won’t be the opportunity for a developer to apply for uplift along the main business street. In general development is being targeted primarily by proximity to rapid transit which doesn’t leave a great amount in Wellington Village catchment area.
However Sec 37 of the Ontario Planning Act has not been used in Ottawa up until now, and without seeing the draft report about to go before Council, it is perhaps not well understood.
In general it is anticipated Section 37 might affect a maximum of 10 – 15 building projects a year throughout the City. When CDP’s are created, like for example at Bayview, that zoning will be set as to what Planning expects to be built. Sites will not be underzoned in order to have Sec 37 apply – what is intended for that site will have been set. Also the City does not have the manpower or funding to consider the Section 37 process for a multitude of applications. The City would have to hire another full time position to do so, as they have done in Toronto. There are requirements for separate accounting streams etc.. as well. So overall there is a great deal of overhead to the City.
The reason why I have asked all the CA’s to prepare a list of community benefits they would be interested in if Section 37 were to apply, is because of the time frames involved. Sec. 37 is an independent legal agreement that must be filed with the site plan. The agreement is part of the title.
Hintonburg is a step ahead as they have a list already inherent with its NPI, but if a community wants to ensure any particular benefits are considered, their early input helps guide a discussion the City planner has with the developer early along the planning process, perhaps even before the application is filed and is able to be legally discussed with the public. This is key for a number of reasons, one being the amount of time available in the planning process to complete the agreement given the complexity of the agreement. The benefit may be in a building amenity, not cash, that would make it of use to all in the community, not just those who live in the building. So a choice the community might come up with may not be achievable given the amount that is assessed or the time available to strike the contract. The actual $ amount won’t be known until zoning is approved. The developer must agree, as must the Councillor, so Planning advises asking for a list in advance to allow more members of the community the opportunity to input and get a feel for what a community’s interests might be should a Section 37 situation come up. It gives some direction for a discussion, since the planner and the developer may not be as intimately familiar with living in the area and may look at proposing something that is not desired by the community.
It is critical to note that Section 37 will not be an exchange for poor planning. And it is not generally a huge amount of money. Diane Holmes was able to secure $1 million dollars for one property downtown, which led many to think that was the norm, but there were a number of different circumstances at play with that particular development and it is certainly not the norm to get that amount.
Please let me know if you need any exact details on how the uplift is calculated, or anything more about what the City of Ottawa is choosing to enact this section of the Ontario Planning Act.
In terms of a square or community space as you mentioned, those types of benefits could be funded by cash-in-lieu of parkland funds for that development or from the Kitchissippi fund. Or they may be provided anyway – aside from the cash in lieu.. City Planners have negotiated this type of benefit via public easements at both the Convent property (with a park and pedestrian/cycling route that flows through from Byron to Richmond) and on Roosevelt (that has one acre of public space alone). That means the public can use the grounds, it is not private property. (Which normally it would be and could be gated). So those types of benefits can be achieved aside from Section 37 and obtained even when Section 37 does not apply. That is normal City planning practice to obtain those benefits on critical sites of importance to the entire community.
Anyhow, I appreciate that you have given this opportunity to input community benefits some discussion, and provided your considered decision in that regard.
Thanks,
Katherine
Posted: March 23rd, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Communications | No Comments »
Dear Councillor Hobbs,
You have invited us to provide you with a list of community benefits that we would like to see in our neighbourhood under a section 37 agreement. While we are not opposed in theory to section 37 agreements, we do share many of the concerns expressed by the Federation of Citizens’ Associations of Ottawa-Carleton on the City’s “Guidelines and Protocol for the Implementation of Section 37 of the Planning Act” (the Guidelines). Our preference is therefore to deal with community benefits on a case-by-case basis and not provide you with a list.
We have several reasons for this position. First, we believe that a developer should not assume that section 37 is as simple as picking a community benefit off a list. We want developers to make section 37 proposals that represent good-faith attempts to engage with the community. In other words, we want to have the opportunity to try and ensure that there is some linkage and proportionality between the variance sought and the proposed community benefit. For example, a small plaza would be a great addition to our stretch of Wellington Street, but not if it is going to be in an out-of-the-way location, in permanent shade or next to a busy driveway.
Second, we note that, under principle 2.4 of the Guidelines, a benefit that is linked to a development in our neighbourhood could be provided on a “city-wide scale rather than necessarily in proximity to the development”. We believe that by dealing with section 37 agreements on a case-by-case process we will have a better opportunity to try and balance the needs of our community and the needs of the City against the potential impact that the proposed variance may have on our community.
Third, we believe that case-by-case consultations and negotiations will allow for greater community involvement and will better accommodate the needs of the community over time. If a benefit is simply chosen off a list and presented to the community as something “chosen for them”, there will be even more cynicism about planning and development than there already is. Moreover, there is no guarantee that any community benefits that our Board could choose for you today will reflect the priorities of the community when a possible agreement comes up five years from now. And there is certainly no guarantee that benefits chosen today will constitute a good trade-off for a major variance that no one expected.
Finally – and also with an eye to the future – we believe that dealing with section 37 agreements on a case-by-case basis will give us an opportunity to try and ensure that any community benefit that is located on private property will be properly secured against title to that property. Our concern here is that an agreement that binds the developer of a condominium may not bind the condominium corporation after the handover to the corporation. Accordingly, our preference is to deal with section 37 agreements in our neighbourhood on a case-by-case basis.
Yours truly,
Duff McLeod
On Behalf of the Wellington Village Community Association Board of Directors
Posted: March 23rd, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Events | No Comments »
From Selma Hassan, City of Ottawa:
The Infill Study is currently scheduled to be presented at the April 10th Planning Committee meeting. Planning Committee agendas are posted online, approximately 10 days ahead of the meeting date, and can be accessed at http://www.ottawa.ca/cgi-bin/docs.pl?lang=en.
If you would like to speak at Planning Committee or provide written comments, please contact Caitlin Salter MacDonald (613) 580-2424 x. 28136, email hidden; JavaScript is required in advance of the meeting date. If you are unable to notify Caitlin in advance of the meeting, you may also register the day of, at the meeting. Note that presentations are limited to 5 minutes.
Posted: March 22nd, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: News | No Comments »
From Councillor Hobbs:
The project is located on Holland Avenue from Scott Street to 40 meters south of Tyndall.
The project includes the following:
- Replacement of the existing 152,, diameter watermain with a new 406mm diameter watermain along Holland Avenue from Scott Street to Tyndall Street including watermain tie-ins at Spencer Street, Armstrong Street, Byron Avenue and Tyndall Street
- Replacement of existing water services to the property line for each property within the project limits
- Reconstruction of an existing 225mm diameter sanitary sewer from Tyndall Street to 40m south of Tyndall
- Two localized sewer repairs along Holland Avenue
- Trench reinstatement from Scott Street to Byron Avenue for the proposed watermain and private services installation
- Full road reconstruction from Byron Avenue to 40m south of Tyndall Street
Construction associated with this project is anticipated to begin between late June and early July 2012. The construction work will be completed before the end of the 2012 construction season.
Posted: March 22nd, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: News | No Comments »
From Ecology Ottawa:
ACTION ALERT!
Every year, the City of Ottawa dumps hundreds of millions of litres of untreated sewage directly into the Ottawa River. Now you have an opportunity to help stop this travesty once and for all. The province and the City of Ottawa have developed a plan, and the province and the city have both agreed to put up their fair share of the money. All we need is federal funding in the upcoming 2012 federal budget. Click here to let Ottawa area members of parliament know that you want action to clean up the river! http://ecologyottawa.ca/our-community/take-action/ottawa-river-action-plan/
The city has developed the Ottawa River Action Plan to address this issue and the plan is already delivering results. In June, the city announced that recent infrastructure upgrades have cut the untreated sewage going into the river by more than half compared to measurements of four years ago. However, in 2011, the city still discharged 417-million litres of combined sewage and rainwater into the river—that is the equivalent of almost 166 Olympic-sized swimming pools full of sewage!
City council would like to move forward with the next phase of the Ottawa River Action Plan—the construction of major combined sewage overflow (CSO) storage facilities. CSO storage facilities will lower the amount of contaminants released to the Ottawa River, improving the water quality and possibly reducing the number of beach closures.
According to Ottawa Riverkeeper Meredith Brown, who has endorsed this letter-writing campaign, it is imperative that the city moves ahead with the Ottawa River Action Plan, with or without federal support.
“But,” says Brown, “the Ottawa River is a key feature of the National Capital Region. The federal government should be doing everything it can to stop the dumping of untreated sewage in the river that runs through the nation’s capital.”
The province has indicated its willingness to contribute one-third of the cost, but the federal government has not yet made a similar commitment. We want to urge the federal government to commit to its third of the funding in the federal 2012 Budget. This is why we set-up an online letter writing campaign and we are asking you to go the website and write to your local Member of Parliament today: http://ecologyottawa.ca/our-community/take-action/ottawa-river-action-plan/
Please send a quick letter now to all Ottawa area MPs urging them to ensure that funding for the Ottawa River Action Plan is included in the federal 2012 Budget.
The health of our rivers depends on you demanding action from our elected officials today.
For more information, contact us at:
Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required
Phone: 613-860-5353
You can view the Ottawa River Action Plan here:
http://ottawa.ca/env_water/tlg/alw/brs/orap/index_en.html
And the recent Ecology Ottawa update here:
http://ecologyottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/January-17-2012-Help-Protect-Our-Rivers-from-Untreated-Sewage.pdf
Posted: March 16th, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Meetings | No Comments »
WVCA members and supporters:
The next meeting of the Wellington Village Community Association is Tuesday March 20, 7 pm, at Collected Works.
We will be discussing the following opportunities and news:
- New splash pad and play structure for Fisher Park
- Police notice re. trend in property thefts from vehicles
- Changes to zoning and design guidelines for infill housing
- Clean Up the Capital
- Hampton Park dog walking rules
- WW BIA initiatives
- Further sewer replacement work to start on Holland Ave.
- New Ecology Ottawa neighbourhood environmental network
- Opportunity to paint streets/intersections
Please come out and join us!
Posted: March 15th, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Events | No Comments »
From the City of Ottawa:
On behalf of the City of Ottawa’s Cleaning the Capital Team and Tim Hortons, we would like to inform you that…
The Spring Cleaning the Capital registration is now open!
Register your cleanup online at ottawa.ca/clean or by calling 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) until 15 May 2012.
WIN PRIZES!
Register by 14 April 2012 for a chance to win an early bird prize generously provided by our campaign sponsors.
NEW!
Visit our Kids Zone for fun activities related to our campaign.
Register today and join thousands of community volunteers that help keep Ottawa clean, green, graffiti-free and litter-free!
If you have any questions, please contact us at email hidden; JavaScript is required.
Thank you,
The Cleaning the Capital Team and Tim Hortons
———————————————————————————
Au nom de l’Équipe du Grand ménage de la capitale de la Ville d’Ottawa et Tim Hortons, nous tenons à vous informer que…
L’inscription au Grand ménage Printemps de la capitale a débuté.
Enregistrez votre projet de nettoyage en ligne, à l’adresse ottawa.ca/menage ou en composant le 3-1-1 (ATS : 613-580-2401) jusqu’au 15 mai 2012.
DES PRIX À GAGNER!
Inscrivez-vous d’ici au 14 avril 2012 et courez la chance de gagner de magnifiques prix généreusement offerts par les commanditaires de la campagne.
NOUVEAU!
Visitez notre Zone pour les enfants, où vous trouverez une liste d’activités amusantes liées à la campagne.
Inscrivez-vous dès aujourd’hui et joignez-vous aux milliers de bénévoles qui contribuent à garder la ville d’Ottawa propre, verte et exempte de graffitis et de déchets.
Veuillez communiquer avec nous à email hidden; JavaScript is required pour d’amples renseignements.
Merci.
L’Équipe du Grand ménage de la capitale et Tim Hortons
Posted: March 4th, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Minutes | No Comments »
PDF
WVCA Minutes, Feb 2012
Posted: February 29th, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Events | No Comments »
From Councillor Hobbs:
Who: Councillor Katherine Hobbs
What: Come and chat with your Councillor, whatever you may wish to discuss
When: Friday, March 2nd, 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC)
Lower Lobby
1233 Wellington Street West
http://ourkitchissippi.ca/events/lets-chat-on-friday-march-2-10-12-at-the-gctc/
Posted: February 27th, 2012 | Author: westwellington | Filed under: Communications | No Comments »
Katie Paris, WVCA President
Councillor Katherine Hobbs
Yasir Naqvi, MPP
Councillor Peter Hume
Public Forum panel
WWBIA Chair Randy Kemp
Jay Baltz, HCA and FCA
Lorne Cutler, HICG
Mary Ellen Kot
