All of the zoning by-law amendments sought by the developers of 15-17 des Oblats were approved by City Council in June despite concerns expressed by a number of City Councillors and local residents. Photo by John Dance

John Dance

Despite many questions raised by City Councillors, local residents and the local community association, Ottawa City Council recently approved the zoning bylaw amendments sought for the conversion of the Sisters’ Convent at 15-17 des Oblats Avenue to a fully furnished, 284-unit apartment building.

During the course of a two-hour discussion at the June 21st meeting of the City’s Planning and Housing Committee (PHC), a number of Councillors questioned a contentious and unique rezoning provision that allows the developer to provide no parking spaces for new residents despite the zoning bylaw requiring a minimum of 136 parking spaces.

Both PHC chair Jeff Leiper and Capital Ward Councillor Shawn Menard strongly supported the provision, and City staff noted that the developer has provided a “very comprehensive transportation demand strategy that includes a number of elements that will encourage these active and supportive modes.”

This strategy includes more bicycle parking than is required, 28 parking spaces for visitors and car-sharing spots, “pre-loaded presto cards” for the initial batch of tenants, 10 rental bikes, and a notice in each lease agreement that parking is not available on-site and that onstreet parking is not a viable option.

The no-resident-parking provision “supports the shift towards more sustainable modes of transportation,” lead City planner Andrew McCreight told the committee. He subsequently was asked if the City had previously supported a no-resident-parking provision and he responded that it hadn’t.

The City-stated planning rationale for the project notes: “When a site is located within an 800-metre walking distance to a transportation hub, we are to consider reductions in minimum parking rates.” However, as critics noted, the 15-17 des Oblats development is more than this distance from the Lees Avenue LRT station. While the Old Ottawa East Community Association (OOECA) agreed that some reduction in the resident parking requirement was reasonable, the proposed “zero” provision was not.

No resident parking a concern

PHC members raised a raft of other concerns pertaining to the no-resident-parking provision. Councillor Riley Brockington asked what the offset for tenants would be as a result of the parking provision, given that the developer would realize substantial saving not being required to construct costly underground parking spaces. Specifically, he asked whether there would be “affordable” units (less than 30 percent of a household’s before-tax income units). The response was that “(a)ffordable units are not contemplated,” because the “all-inclusive” units are fully furnished and include utilities.

Councillor Clarke Kelly noted that the no-resident-parking provision would mean the development would exclude those people in the trades who need vehicles every day for their jobs. “Where are these people supposed to live?” he asked. In response, McCreight said residents will have access to vehicles through car-sharing and he concluded that the proposal was a “model example of what a developer should do.”

Greystone Village resident Jim McPhee spoke at the committee and argued that the “reality is that new residents will still be looking for parking spaces” and commented on the limited capacity of the streets around the new development.

Other concerns raised by Councillors pertained to the nature of the new units. Councillor Cathy Curry questioned whether the development would be “family friendly” and Councillor Ariel Troster questioned the likelihood of there being long-term tenants, deeming the development “hotel style” and noting, “I cannot imagine people wanting to live there for more than a year when they can’t choose a single item.”

In addition to objecting to the no-resident-parking provision, Ron Rose, former chair of the OOECA Planning Committee, said that the proposed density was much more than what the Old Ottawa East Community design plan and secondary plan targeted. He similarly argued that the developer should be required to seek an Official Plan amendment because the proposal was contrary to provisions of the secondary plan.

Adriana Beaman, a resident of The Corners on Main, was concerned about the total elimination of residential parking spaces, the development’s impact on local traffic and the addition with its fifth storey amenity space that required a zoning by-law amendment.

Three years to complete

But despite the various concerns of committee members, only Kelly voted against it. When the proposal went on to full City Council a week later, Kelly was joined by Councillors Andrew Luloff and David Brown in opposing the proposal. However, a strong majority approved it. At the Council meeting, Menard noted he has asked City staff to work with the developer to seek a voluntary contribution for affordable housing in Old Ottawa East and to extend the “pre-loaded” Presto card provision for new tenants from one year to five.

Despite the disagreement on the no-resident-parking provision, OOECA commended the developer for the creation of a new parkette with its large trees at the northeast corner of the lot, the repurposing of the Sisters’ building, the mid-block pedestrian connection between Springhurst and des Oblats avenues, and the geothermal heating of the building.

Actual construction will not proceed until the City has approved the site plan control application. It will be a minimum of three years before the development is completed. There are numerous details to be worked out, including the relocation of the Mary statue, the design of the parkette and of the pathway between The Corners on Main condominium and the Sisters’ building.

Editor’s note: John Dance is chair of the OOECA planning committee.