MINTO CLARKE LANDS ,

PLANNING RATIONALE AND INTEGRATED REVIEW STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF A DRAFT PLAN OF SUBDIVISION OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT AND ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT

Prepared By:

NOVATECH Suite 200, 240 Michael Cowpland Drive Ottawa, Ontario K2M 1P6

April 11th, 2016

Novatech File: 116011 Ref: R-2016- 045

April 11th, 2016

City of Ottawa Planning & Growth Management Department 110 West, 4th Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1

Attention: Lily Xu, Planner II

Dear Ms. Xu:

Reference: Minto Clarke Lands Draft Plan of Subdivision, OPA and Zoning By-Law Amendment Planning Rationale and Integrated Environmental Review Statement Our File No.: 116011

Novatech has prepared the attached Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement as part of a Draft Plan of Subdivision application submitted on behalf of Minto for the Clarke Lands on Strandherd Drive in Barrhaven.

Minto intends to develop a mixed-use subdivision with 267 dwelling units, including single detached, townhouse, back-to-back townhouse and condominium dwellings. The subdivision also includes a proposed school block, neighbourhood park, commercial lands, and open space.

The attached Planning Rationale outlines the proposed development, summarizes the relevant studies, and demonstrates that the proposal is consistent with relevant provincial and municipal policy documents.

Should you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

NOVATECH

Anna Froehlich, M.Pl Planner

M:\2016\116011\DATA\Reports\Planning Rationale\20160407_ClarkeLandsPlanningRationale.docx Planning Rationale Clarke Lands

Table of Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1 SITE LOCATION AND CONTEXT ...... 1 1.2 PLANNING CONTEXT ...... 5 1.2.1 City of Ottawa Official Plan ...... 5 1.2.2 South Nepean Secondary Plan ...... 8 1.2.3 Chapman Mills Drive Extension and BRT Corridor EA Study ...... 9 1.2.4 Existing Zoning (City of Ottawa Zoning By-Law 2008-250) ...... 10 2.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ...... 11 3.0 OVERVIEW OF TECHNICAL STUDIES ...... 14 3.1. Archaeological Assessment ...... 14 3.2. Environmental Impact & Tree Conservation Report ...... 14 3.3. Environmental Site Assessment ...... 15 3.4. Geotechnical Investigation ...... 15 3.5. Noise Control Feasibility Study ...... 15 3.6. Servicing Brief ...... 16 3.7. Community Transportation Study ...... 17 3.8. Fraser Clarke Drain Relocation ...... 18 4.0 PLANNING POLICY REVIEW ...... 20 4.1 PROVINCIAL POLICY STATEMENT ...... 20 4.2 CITY OF OTTAWA OFFICIAL PLAN...... 24 4.3 SOUTH NEPEAN SECONDARY PLAN ...... 33 4.3.1 Urban Design Guidelines for Greenfield Development ...... 35 5.0 PROPOSED OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT ...... 36 6.0 PROPOSED ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT ...... 36 7.0 CONCLUSION ...... 37 8.0 CONCURRENCE OF STUDY TEAM ...... 38

Appendices Appendix A: Concept Plan Appendix B: Draft Plan Appendix C: Zoning Schedule

i Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Novatech has been retained by Minto to prepare a Planning Rationale in support of a Draft Plan of Subdivision, Official Plan Amendment and Zoning by-Law Amendment Application for the proposed Clarke Lands subdivision on Strandherd Drive in Barrhaven. Minto intends to construct a mixed-use subdivision with 267 dwelling units, including 97 single detached, 134 townhouses, 12 back-to-back townhouse, and 24 condominium dwellings. The subdivision also includes a proposed a school block, a neighbourhood park, commercial lands, and open space.

The western portion of the site, proposed for commercial uses, is currently designated as Employment Area in the City’s Official Plan. A City of Ottawa Official Plan Amendment (OPA) is required to amend the designation of this area to General urban Area to permit the proposed commercial uses. The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS 2014) states:

Planning authorities may permit conversion of lands within employment areas to non- employment uses through a comprehensive review, only where it has been demonstrated that the land is not required for employment purposes over the long term and that there is a need for the conversion.

The City of Ottawa is currently undertaking a comprehensive review through of the City’s Employment Land Review study. Acknowledging that the City must complete a comprehensive review, this Rationale will address the potential conversion from the Employment Area to General Urban Area designation and the proposed commercial uses on the property.

This Rationale will outline the various aspects of the proposal and illustrate that the proposed development is consistent with relevant provincial and municipal policies.

An Integrated Environmental Review has been prepared as part of this report as required under Section 4.7 of the Official Plan. The purpose of an Integrated Environmental Review is to demonstrate how supporting studies influenced the design of the development with respect to effects on the environment and compliance with the appropriate policies of Section 4 of the Official Plan.

1.1 Site Location and Context

The subject site is located in Barrhaven, south of Strandherd Drive and north of the Jock River, between to the west and the Kennedy-Burnett Stormwater Facility to the east. The South Nepean Town Centre is directly adjacent, east of the stormwater ponds, as shown on Figure 1.

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N

Figure 1: Site Location and Context

The site currently is currently vacant and has no municipal address. It is legally described as Part of Lots 14 and 15, Concession 3 (Rideau Front), Geographic Township of Nepean, now City of Ottawa. The subject site has an area of 34.16 hectares, with approximately 956 metres of frontage on Strandherd Drive, and approximately 300 metres (non-contiguous) frontage along Cedarview Road.

The subject land was formerly part of the Clarke family farm, and the fields were sold to Minto in 2009. The Clarke family home is located on the west end of the site on a separate parcel surrounded on three sides by the subdivision lands. The Clarke family still own and live on this property, which contains a single family dwelling and some outbuildings and trailers at the rear of the property, as shown on Figure 2. The proposed subdivision has been designed to respect this existing site.

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Figure 2: Clarke Family parcel (3231 Cedarview Road) surrounded by the subject site.

The following describes the existing or planned land uses adjacent to the subject site:

North: Strandherd Drive borders the site to the north and separates the development lands from the established residential areas of Barrhaven. Directly north of the Site is a Tartan Homes subdivision constructed in 2011 containing singles and semi-detached dwellings.

Figure 3: Residential Subdivision north of Strandherd Drive

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There is a commercial plaza and a new retirement home under construction by Viva Retirement Communities northwest of the site, across the intersection of Tartan Drive and Strandherd Drive. The Ottawa Christian School is located adjacent to the retirement home.

There is a small residential subdivision, Mattamy’s Barrhaven Mews, northeast of the subject site and south of Strandherd Drive. The street network for the proposed subdivision will be integrated with the existing Madrid Avenue and Waterlily Way developed as part of Mattamy’s subdivision.

Figure 4: Barrhaven Mews, facing west on Waterlilly Way. The subject site is visible on the left (south) side of the image.

East: The Kennedy-Burnett stormwater facility borders the site to the east. The South Nepean Town Centre, a Community Design Plan Area, is located east of the stormwater facility.

Figure 5: Kennedy-Burnett Storm Pond with Nepean South Town Centre on the left. View from Strandherd Drive

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South: The Jock River is located south of the subject site. The lands between the subject site and the river are constrained by floodplain. There is a proposed residential subdivision to the southeast on the Mion property. A separate application will be filed for the subdivision but the street grid pattern, proposed land uses, and the neighbourhood park will be coordinated between the two sites.

West: Cedarview Road forms the western boundary of the site. The lands west of Cedarview are currently undeveloped. The Foster Stormwater Management Pond, a City of Ottawa stormwater facility, is located on the lands directly west of the Cedarview Road and Strandherd Drive intersection.

1.2 Planning Context

1.2.1 City of Ottawa Official Plan

The subject property is designated as General Urban Area and Employment Area on Schedule B of the City of Ottawa Official Plan, as shown on Figure 6 below.

Figure 6: Official Plan Schedule B

The General Urban Area (3.6.1) designation permits a wide range of uses, including housing with a variety of densities, employment, retail, service, cultural, leisure, entertainment and institutional uses.

The Employment Land Designation (3.6.5) which covers a portion of the western end of the site is a designation intended to provide for a wide range of economic activities, job

5 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto opportunities and pay scales, from advanced technology to traditional jobs. The Employment Land Designation is designed to maintain a sufficient supply of land for the long-term economic health of the community and its ability to attract and retain new investment by reserving large parcels of land with good access to major transportation routes. The City is currently undertaking the Employment Land Review Study. This Rationale anticipates that the lands currently designated Employment Area may be converted by the City of Ottawa to General Urban Area through the conclusions of the Study and through a further City wide Official Plan Amendment.

The South Nepean (Barrhaven) Town Centre, designated as a Mixed Use Town Centre on Schedule B, is located directly east of the subject site. The Town Centre designation applies to the long-standing cores of the suburban areas outside the Greenbelt. This area currently contains primarily large format retail. It is intended for the Town Centres to evolve to ultimately contain a diverse mix of housing, entertainment, employment and community services.

South of the subject site the lands surrounding the Jock River are designated as Major Open Space.

As shown on Figure 7, the site has frontage on Strandherd Road and Cedarview Road, which are both designated Arterial Roads on schedule E. The extension and realignment of Chapman Mills Drive and Jockvale Road are designated as a proposed Major Collector and a proposed Collector, respectively.

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Figure 7: Official Plan Schedule E

Both Strandherd Drive and Cedarview Road are designated as on-road cycling routes on Schedule C. Schedule I designates Strandherd Drive as a city-wide cycling route, while Cedarview Road and the north side of the Jock River are shown as community wide routes. A community off road multi-use pathway is shown adjacent to the Kennedy-Burnett Stormwater Ponds east of the site, and crossing the subject site diagonally between the Jock River and Strandherd Drive as shown on the excerpt of Schedule I provided as Figure 8.

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Figure 8: Official Plan Schedule I

The site is shown as being constrained by the Jock River Floodplain, as described in Schedule K, 'Environmental Constraints'. As part of the development, the existing channel north of the Clarke Family parcel is being diverted to a constructed channel along the southern boundary of the property line. A Cut-Fill has been approved by the RVCA which adjusted the boundary of the flood plain to match the open space block shown on the Draft Plan. Accordingly, the development area of the site is no longer constrained by floodplain.

1.2.2 South Nepean Secondary Plan

The site is part of Area 8 of the South Nepean Secondary Plan. This area is intended as a mixed use development and is designated Residential, Prestige Business Park, Local Commercial and Commercial Recreation on Schedule A5, shown on Figure 9.

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Figure 9: Area 8 South Nepean Secondary Plan Schedule A5

1.2.3 Chapman Mills Drive Extension and BRT Corridor EA Study

The conceptual alignment of the arterial and proposed rapid transitway corridor are shown on Schedule A5 of the South Nepean Secondary Plan. The alignment and functional design is currently being finalized through the Chapman Mills Drive Extension and BRT Corridor Environmental Assessment Study.

The preliminary preferred alignment of Chapman Mills Drive is shown as Figure 10. This is still an ongoing process and minor changes are still expected. The proposed draft plan for the development reflects the width and alignment of Chapman Mills Drive from the City of Ottawa Environmental Assessment process, presented at the last public open house of March 21st, 2016.

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Figure 10: Preliminary preferred alignment from Chapman Mills Drive Extension and BRT Corridor EA Study September 28, 2015 Open House

1.2.4 Existing Zoning (City of Ottawa Zoning By-Law 2008-250)

Figure 11: Existing Zoning

The Site is currently zoned DR – Development Reserve, except for a small portion of land adjacent to the Mattamy subdivision, which is zoned R3Z [1319] S233 – Residential Third Density, subzone Z, special exception 1319.

The purpose of the Development Reserve Zone is to recognize lands intended for future urban development in areas designated as General Urban Area and Developing Community in the Official Plan. The DR zone is essentially a placeholder to prevent development before studies have been completed and approved. These studies are being completed through the subdivision process and the site will be rezoned to support the proposed urban land uses. The area of the R3Z zone within the subject property will also be re-zoned along with the rest of the site.

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The existing zoning map also shows floodplain surrounding the Jock River and tributaries of the Fraser Clarke Drain, including a branch north of the Clarke Family Parcel. This watercourse has been relocated along the southern property line and the floodplain zoning overlay will be amended to match the new floodline. The relocation of this watercourse is further discussed in Section 3.8.

2.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

Figure 12: Proposed Development

The proposed development includes a total of 267 residential units, a neighbourhood park, and a local commercial block, east of the future Chapman Mills Drive extension. The proposal for the western portion of the site includes a school block, and commercial lands along Strandherd Drive. There is a large open space block constrained by the boundary of the Jock River Floodplain south of the planned BRT corridor.

As noted previously, the Mion Parcel southeast of the subject site will be developed through a separate plan of subdivision which is anticipated to accommodate an additional 200 to 250 residential units. The street grid pattern, proposed land uses and the neighbourhood park will be coordinated between the two sites.

Residential

The residential portion of the subdivision has been designed to accommodate 267 residential units with a mix of unit types. The proposed unit mix includes 97 singles, 134 townhomes, 12 back-to-back townhomes along the proposed extension of Waterlilly Way

11 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto adjacent to the existing residential subdivision northeast of the site, and 24 units of a condominium product, similar to Minto’s “Infusion” terrace homes (Figure 13) along Chapman Mills Drive south of the neighbourhood park.

Figure 13: Elevation A of Minto “Infusion” Terrace Homes Condominium Product

Neighbourhood Park

The neighbourhood park has been centrally located within the residential area and across from the proposed school. The location allows for efficiency in the road grid pattern given the irregular shape of the subdivision. The central location also creates a ‘stepping stone’ of greenspace between the open space along the Jock River to the South and the Kennedy- Burnett Stormwater ponds to the east. A preliminary Park and Pathway Plan, dated April 2016, was prepared to accompany this Rationale to show the integration of the neighbourhood park within the context of the surrounding network of planned and existing pathways.

The park has frontage on three streets, including Chapman Mills Drive which will be the main road through the community with transit service, on street parking, and a cycle track. The park will serve as a gateway to the community from Chapman Mills Drive. To the north, townhomes are proposed, fronting on the park from across the street. Single detached dwellings with rear yards backing on to the park are proposed to the east. The neighbourhood park will ultimately have an area of 1.68 ha when combined with the portion in the Mion Lands subdivision to the southeast. The draft plan shows the adjacent concept plan for the Mion Lands with townhomes fronting on the park across the street to the South. It is anticipated that an intermediate size soccer field in combination with some open space, playground and/or a splashpad, could be accommodated in the neighbourhood park.

The 1.02 hectares of the parkland block within the Minto Subdivision exceeds the required parkland dedication for the residential lands. The Official Plan policy set out in section 4.10 requires 1 hectare for every 300 dwelling units that exceed 18 units per net hectare. This

12 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto calculation results in a minimum of 0.89 hectares for the proposed 267 residential units. Parkland requirement for the commercial blocks will be provided as cash-in-lieu.

School

The 6.7 ha school block has been sized to accommodate a playing field and all required school facilities. Bus lay-bys for the school have been integrated into the Chapman Mills Functional Design drawings as shown on Figure 14, reproduced from the March 21st 2016 Chapman Mills Drive Extension and BRT Corridor EA Study open house. Investigating options for more efficient bus lay-bys and student pick up/drop off areas is a recommendation of the City’s Building Better and Smarter Suburbs (BBSS) initiative. The BBSS is a study being undertaken jointly by The Planning Partnership, Delcan, and City staff to review current suburban subdivision design guidelines and practices. One of the key aspects of the study is to make efficient use of land and infrastructure in suburban neighbourhoods.

Figure 14: Chapman Mills Functional Design drawings reproduced from the March 21st 2016 Open House

Commercial

Figures 15 provide a concept plan for the proposed commercial lands. The concept does not include the adjacent Clarke Family parcel; however, allowances have been made in the planning and engineering to permit their inclusion at a later stage. The details of this could be addressed in the future through an application for Site Plan Approval.

The proposed commercial lands are one of the only remaining vacant parcels along Strandherd Drive suitable for commercial development. The site has excellent visibility from Strandherd Drive and access from both Strandherd Drive and Cedarview Road. The soils underlying this portion of the site and the engineering constraints make it unsuited for the construction of basements. Commercial pads with slab on grade construction work well.

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Figure 15: Conceptual Commercial Development

3.0 OVERVIEW OF TECHNICAL STUDIES

3.1. Archaeological Assessment

Section 4.6.2 of the Official Plan states development proposed on lands that have been identified as having archaeological potential on the City’s Archaeological Resource Potential Mapping Study will be required to prepare an archaeological assessment. Golder Associates conducted a Stage 1 and 2 Archaeological Assessment (Revised Report March 2015) of the subject site between April and June of 2010. The assessments concluded that a Stage 3 archaeological assessment be undertaken for a portion of the site. The remaining areas were not found to require a Stage 3 archaeological assessment and were recommended for clearance by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

As recommended, a Stage 3 Archaeological Assessment (February 2013) of the identified portions of the site was conducted by Golder Associates in June and July 2013. The report recommended that no further archaeological work be required.

The Archaeological Assessment Reports were reviewed by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and a letter was provided in June 2014, confirming that the Ministry is satisfied with the fieldwork and reporting and concurring that there are no archaeological concerns for this area.

3.2. Environmental Impact & Tree Conservation Report

An Environmental Impact Statement and Tree Conservation Report has been prepared by

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Dillon Consulting Limited (March 2016). The EIS/TCR has been prepared following the City of Ottawa Tree Conservation Report Guidelines and Section 4.7.8 of the Official Plan. The property is not located near any provincially significant wetlands, significant woodlands, significant valleylands, areas of natural and scientific interest, significant wildlife habitat, or any other designated natural heritage system constraints. No Species at Risk or Species at Risk habitat was identified within the Study Area.

The report concludes that given the lack of natural vegetation and wildlife habitat within the Study Area, few substantive impacts are likely to occur as a result of the proposed development. It is recommended that an effort be made to incorporate, where possible subject to grading and engineering, mature trees and specimen trees into the proposed development (i.e., parkland etc.) and along the relocated Fraser Clarke Watercourse corridor along the southern boundary of the Study Area. Overall, no residual impacts are anticipated as a result of this development provided appropriate mitigation is applied.

3.3. Environmental Site Assessment

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment was prepared by Paterson Group (December 2014) to investigate potential site contamination by current or past uses. The results of the historical research, personal interviews, and the site inspection did not identify any potential environmental concerns with respect to the subject site or within the Phase I ESA study area. Based on the results of the assessment the report concludes that a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment is not required for the property.

3.4. Geotechnical Investigation

A geotechnical investigation was undertaken by Paterson Group (September 2010) for the subject property to determine the subsurface soil and groundwater conditions and provide geotechnical recommendations for the design of the proposed development. A subsequent memo providing grade raise recommendations was prepared in March of 2011, and a memo summarizing the geotechnical review and discussing the sales centre structure was prepared in July 2014 as an update to the original report.

Geological mapping indicates that the soil profile underlying the site consists primarily of a thick layer of sensitive silty clay. Additional testing is to take place within the next month or so, and is expected to allow for additional grade raise in some locations. A consolidated report will be submitted to staff when complete.

According to the geotechnical reports produced to date, the site was determined to be suitable for the proposed development.

3.5. Noise Control Feasibility Study

A Noise Control Feasibility Study was prepared by J.L. Richards and Associates in March 2016 to assess the potential environmental noise impact on the proposed residential development, due to vehicular traffic on Strandherd Drive, Cedarview Road, Chapman Mills Drive, and the proposed Rapid Transit Corridor (RTC). The Study assesses noise levels generated in order to determine noise attenuation measures required to satisfy the Part 4

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Phase 1 criteria of the City of Ottawa Environmental Noise Control Guidelines (approved by City Council January 2016).

Predicted noise levels are expected to exceed the City of Ottawa ENCG and MOE criteria for daytime indoor living areas and outdoor living areas for the proposed units adjacent to Strandherd Drive, Chapman Mills Drive, and the proposed Rapid Transit Corridor (RTC). A detailed Noise Impact Study (NIS) will be required to identify noise warning clauses to be registered on title for units on affected Blocks. Similarly, noise barriers are expected to be required to protect the rear yard amenity areas of Blocks 109, 111, 112 and 113, and to protect the proposed low-rise condominiums on Block 115. The NIS will confirm the location and heights of the noise barriers. With these mitigating measures, the development will meet requirements for noise control.

3.6. Servicing Brief

Section 4.4.2.1 of the Official Plan requires development application to be supported by an assessment of the adequacy of public services. A Servicing Brief (March 2016) was prepared by J.L Richards and Associates for the subject property outlining the proposed servicing strategy in accordance with previous servicing studies developed for the subject area and the November 2009 Servicing Study Guidelines for Development Applications in the City of Ottawa.

Multiple servicing studies have been completed with respect to the municipal infrastructure servicing the Clarke Lands development:

 Infrastructure Master Plan (City of Ottawa, November 2013);  Draft Kennedy-Burnett Potable Water Master Servicing Study (Stantec Consulting Ltd., April 29, 2014);  South Nepean Collector Sewer Alignment Finalisation Report (Novatech Engineering Consultants Ltd., revised December 2014); and  Servicing Options for Lands Surrounding the Kennedy-Burnett SWMF (Novatech Engineering Consultants Ltd., December 2, 2015).

In addition to the above studies, there is an on-going Environmental Assessment being carried out by CH2M HILL for the expansion of the existing Kennedy-Burnett SWMF.

Potable water for the Clarke Lands will be supplied by a future 406 mm diameter watermain along Strandherd Drive. According to the City of Ottawa’s Infrastructure Master Plan (2013), this watermain will extend from Fallowfield Road to Greenbank Road and is anticipated to be constructed by 2018. In advance of the commissioning of the 406 mm diameter Strandherd watermain, it is anticipated that interim water servicing for the Clarke Lands can be provided by connections to existing local watermains.

Sanitary servicing for the Clarke Lands will be provided by local gravity sanitary sewers connecting to the proposed South Nepean Collector (SNC) located along the Chapman Mills Drive extension. Novatech is currently completing the detailed design of the Phase 2 SNC

16 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto extension, and it is anticipated that the SNC will be constructed up to Strandherd Drive and operational by the end of the 2016 construction season. Given this estimated timeframe, it is anticipated that the SNC extension will be available to service the Clarke Lands development. A sanitary sewer easement is proposed over the school Block to provide a sanitary outlet for the commercial blocks to the SNC on Chapman Mills Drive.

The proposed storm servicing approach for the Clarke Lands consists of an expansion to the existing Kennedy-Burnett Stormwater Management Facility, as well as water quality treatment units for the commercial lands and the school that will outlet directly to the Fraser Clarke Watercourse in accordance with Novatech’s Storm Servicing Options Evaluation Report for Future Development Lands Adjacent to the Kennedy-Burnett Stormwater Management Facility (2015).

Both minor and major system flows generated by the residential portion of the Clarke Lands are to be conveyed to the Kennedy-Burnett SWMF while minor and major system flows from the Commercial and School Blocks are to outlet to the Fraser Clarke Watercourse. Minor system flow outletting to the Fraser Clarke Watercourse is to be treated via two water quality treatment units, one for the school block and one for the commercial lands.

There is currently a temporary wet pond facility located within the Clarke Lands immediately south of Strandherd Drive, providing stormwater quality control for the existing Fraser Fields residential subdivision located immediately north of Strandherd Drive. Novatech’s Storm Servicing Strategy for Lands Surrounding the Kennedy-Burnett SWMF (2015) recommended that a separate water quality unit outletting to the Fraser Clarke Watercourse be provided for the Fraser Fields Subdivision so that the existing wet pond in the Clarke Lands may be decommissioned and the development of the Clarke Lands commercial block may proceed.

3.7. Community Transportation Study

A Community Transportation Study (CTS) is required by Section 4.3 of the Official Plan when a subdivision or rezoning application is submitted and may have an impact of the transportation network in the surrounding area.

Parsons prepared a Community Transportation Study (March 2016) for the proposed development and evaluated the potential impact of the surrounding area in combination with several other planned developments occurring in the study area. Planned developments, including the CitiGate Corporate Campus and a smaller commercial and institutional development planned at 4401 Fallowfield, have been accounted for in the projected background traffic analysis presented in this report.

The analysis indicates that several intersections were shown to operate with poor levels of service and multiple critical movements, but that the existing screenline is operating with residual capacity and can accommodate additional traffic growth and development. Several mitigation measures were investigated to mitigate operational constraints including: optimized signal timing throughout the Study Area, exclusive left exclusive left and right turn

17 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto lanes northbound on the commercial access, and dual southbound left turn lanes on Jockvale Road at Strandherd Drive.

The CTS demonstrates the impact that the Clarke Development will have on the local and regional transportation network for the 2025 and 2030 horizons. Each phase of development will undergo a Traffic Impact Study and RMA process to monitor the development’s impact in the context of the overall transportation plan for the area.

The findings and analysis in the CTS lead to the recommendation that the Clarke Development can proceed from a transportation perspective.

3.8. Fraser Clarke Drain Relocation

Prior to development, an approximately 1km reach of the Fraser Clarke Watercourse and associated floodplain crossed the western half of the subject property north of the Clarke Family Parcel, as shown in Figure 16. An application to alter a waterway was submitted to the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) and reviewed in 2009. Permission was granted and the watercourse was relocated along the southern property line, as shown in Figure 17. Currently, the original north channel is still in place, however water will be diverted to the new channel once the land is required for construction.

The open space Block (Block 116) on the Draft Plan reflects the floodplain of the approved realigned channel following completed cut/fill works. It is anticipated that the floodplain overlay show in the City of Ottawa Zoning By-law will be amended either through a comprehensive zoning amendment update by the City and RVCA to reflect changes to the floodplain or through a condition of draft plan approval for the subdivision.

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Figure 16: Pre-development Fraser Clarke Drain and floodplain (Stantec 2007)

Figure 17: Constructed channel and extent of floodplain following cut/fill (Stantec 2007)

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4.0 PLANNING POLICY REVIEW

4.1 Provincial Policy Statement

The 2014 Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) provides policy direction on land use planning and development matters of provincial interest, as set out in section 2 of the Planning Act. All decisions affecting planning matters are required to “be consistent with” policies of the PPS.

Section 1.1 of the PPS speaks to managing and directing land use to achieve efficient and resilient development and land use land patterns.

Policy 1.1.1 states that healthy, liveable and safe communities are sustained by promoting efficient land use patterns with a range and mix of uses arranged as to minimize land consumption and servicing costs. Further, development patterns should avoid environmental or public health and safety concerns, conserve biodiversity, and consider the impacts of a changing climate.

The proposed development consists of a range of urban dwelling types and supportive uses such as parks, schools, open spaces and commercial amenities for both the local and wider community. The proposed uses have been arranged as a modified grid street and pathway pattern, integrated with surrounding development, to minimize land consumption and promote active transportation.

The proposed development is located on lands designated by the City of Ottawa as settlement area.

Policy 1.1.3.2 requires land use patterns within settlement areas to be based on:

b) densities and a mix of land uses which:

1. efficiently use land and resources; 2. are appropriate for, and efficiently use, the infrastructure and public service facilities which are planned or available, and avoid the need for their unjustified and/or uneconomical expansion; 3. minimize negative impacts to air quality and climate change, and promote energy efficiency; 4. support active transportation; 5. are transit-supportive, where transit is planned, exists or may be developed, and; 6. are freight-supportive.

The proposed development is based on the Land Use Schedule for Area 8 of the South Nepean Secondary Plan, with the proposed residential, local commercial and open space uses conforming to the Plan. Infrastructure and public service facilities, including stormwater management facilities, road pattern, parkland, schools and commercial services have been coordinated with adjacent developments and with the wider South Nepean Urban Area.

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Transportation and transit will be based on the final alignment and detailed design recommended by the Chapman Mills Drive Extension and BRT Corridor Environmental Assessment Study.

A Community Transportation Study (CTS) (March 2016) was prepared by Parsons. The CTS provides an analysis of the existing transportation network and makes recommendations about the capacity of the surrounding transportation network and mitigation measures to alleviate operational constraints. The CTS has been summarized in this Planning Rationale under Section 3.7.

As discussed in Section 1.6 of this report, servicing and stormwater management has been coordinated with the servicing strategy for the surrounding South Nepean Urban Area. No servicing constraints were identified that could not be addressed through normal engineering practices and in-line with intended servicing strategy for the area.

Section 1.1.3.6 of the PPS states that new development should occur adjacent to the existing built-up area and allow for the efficient use of land. The proposed development is located within the City of Ottawa’s designated Urban Area and is occurring adjacent to recently developed lands.

Employment

A portion of the western end of the subject site is designated as Employment Area in the City of Ottawa official Plan and as Prestige Business Park in the South Nepean Urban Area Secondary Plan. The employment designation would need to be amended to convert the lands to General Urban Area to permit the proposed development as outlined in the Rationale. Section 1.3 of the PPS discusses Employment and Employment Areas. Section 1.3.2 discusses provincial interest in Employment Areas and directs planning authorities as to when and how conversion of these lands may be permitted:

1.3.2.1 Planning authorities shall plan for, protect and preserve employment areas for current and future uses and ensure that the necessary infrastructure is provided to support current and projected needs.

1.3.2.2 Planning authorities may permit conversion of lands within employment areas to non-employment uses through a comprehensive review, only where it has been demonstrated that the land is not required for employment purposes over the long term and that there is a need for the conversion. 1.3.2.3 Planning authorities shall protect employment areas in proximity to major goods movement facilities and corridors for employment uses that require those locations.

The City of Ottawa is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of Employment Lands and Employment Policy in the Official Plan. The review includes an estimate of future employment land demand in rural and urban area designations, and has found that based on the existing supply there is a surplus projected past 2041.

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Figure 18: Supply Demand Results from January 20, 2016 City of Ottawa Employment Lands Review Stakeholder Meeting Presentation

The Employment lands within the subject development are part of a larger Employment Area Designation served by highway 416 South, including the CitiGate 416 Corporate Campus. The portion of the Employment Area Designation on the subject site is located furthest from the 416 corridor and is separated from the CitiGate lands by Cedarview Drive and by the Foster stormwater management facility. The Clarke Family parcel also somewhat fragments the potential for employment lands. The intrusion of their lands into the designated Employment Area creates a narrow section of land along Strandherd Drive. The result is that the lands would be ideally suited for a conversion to General Urban Area in the Official Plan and Commercial designation in the Secondary Plan.

Through discussions with City staff, it is anticipated that the outcome of this review may recommend that the Clarke Employment Lands are not required to support projected needs for employment in the City and that better use of the lands could be achieved through conversion. In conformity with the PPS, the City of Ottawa Official Plan also includes a number of policies regulating conversion of Employment Lands which will be further discussed in section 4.2 of this report.

Public Spaces, Recreation, Parks, Trails and Open Space

Policy 1.5.1 states that healthy, active communities should be promoted by planning public streets, spaces and facilities to be safe, meet the needs of pedestrians, foster social interaction and facilitate active transportation and community connectivity.

Streets and pathways have been arranged in a modified grid pattern, connected to existing and planned adjacent development. This arrangement creates a dense, continuous network of pedestrian connections to adjacent communities, open spaces and future planned bus

22 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto and cycling facilities. The proposed development includes a centrally located neighbourhood park that is within 400m of all proposed dwellings.

The CTS prepared by Parsons addresses the required road, transit, pedestrian, and cycling facilities necessary to support the proposed subdivision. The proposed development will have adequate provisions for transit and active modes of transportation, including easy access to local pedestrian, bicycle, and transit systems as identifies in the City of Ottawa Pedestrian Plan and Cycling Plan (2013).

Infrastructure and Public Service Facilities

Section 1.6 of the PPS states that infrastructure shall be provided in a coordinated, efficient and cost-effective manner to accommodate projected needs. The proposed development will be wholly on municipal services. The Servicing Brief, discussed under Section 3.6 of this report, demonstrates that there is adequate infrastructure to support the proposed subdivision.

Transportation Systems

Section 1.6.5 of the PPS promotes safe, energy efficient transportation systems that facilitate the movement of people and goods. The Community Transportation Study addresses impacts on the adjacent community and confirms that the proposed subdivision can be safely and adequately accommodated. Additional detail is provided in this Planning Rationale under Section 3.7.

Wise Use and Management of Resources

Section 2.0 of the PPS - Wise Use and Management of Resources speaks to protecting natural heritage, water, agriculture, mineral aggregate, petroleum, cultural heritage and archaeological resources.

As discussed in Section 3 of this Rationale, and EIS/TCR was prepared by Dillon Consulting, which confirms that there are no areas of natural and scientific interest, significant wetlands, or significant valleylands on or adjacent to the subject property. The Jock River is located approximately 500m south of the site, and will not be negatively impacted by the proposed development. There are no cultural heritage resources identified on the property, and Stage 1, 2 and 3 Archaeological Assessments conducted by Paterson Group concluded that there are no archaeological concerns for this area

We find that the proposed development is consistent with Section 2.0 of the PPS.

Health and Safety

Section 3.0 of the PPS - Protecting Human Health and Safety focuses on reducing the potential for public cost or risk to residents from natural or human-made disasters.

23 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

There are no erosion or dynamic beach hazards on or adjacent to the site, and no past mineral resource extraction, aggregate operations, or petroleum resource operations are known to have occurred. As discussed in Section 3 of this Rationale, a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment was prepared by Paterson Group (2014). The Phase 1 ESA did not identify any evidence to suggest past or present soil contamination and further assessment was not recommended. The cut/fill works undertaken for the relocation of the Fraser Clarke Drain have moved the flood plain south of the BRT corridor to a block to be preserved as open space.

4.2 City of Ottawa Official Plan

As previously discussed, the subject property is designated General Urban Area and Employment Area on Schedule B of the City of Ottawa Official Plan. The proposed uses are permitted within the General Urban Area. Amendments are required to the Official Plan Amendment to convert the Employment Area designation to General Urban Area, and to the Secondary Plan to change the designation to Commercial.

Rationale drawn from the City’s Employment Lands Study and supporting the conversion of the Employment Area designation will be addressed following a discussion of the portion of the development located in the General Urban Area.

Section 3.6.1 of the Official Plan provides policy for directing development within the General Urban Area designation. Policy 2 of Section 3.6.1 of the Official Plan states that the evaluation of development applications, studies, other plans and public works undertaken by the City in the General Urban Area will be in accordance with Section 2.5.1 and Section 4.11, Urban Design and Compatibility.

Policy 1 of Section 4.11 states that when evaluating compatibility of development applications, the City will have regard for the policies of the site’s land use designation, and all applicable site specific plans, policies and urban design guidelines. The subject property is within the boundaries of Area 8 of the South Nepean Secondary Plan, discussed in further detail in Section 4.3 of this Rationale.

Section 4.11, Urban Design and Compatible Development, discusses the relationship between new and existing development and provides policies to evaluate the compatibility of a development with regard to Views, Building Design, Massing and Scale, and Design Priority Areas.

 Views: no significant viewsheds were identified on the subject property;

 Building Design: Good building design contributes to successful neighbourhood integration and the compatibility of new development with the existing or planned character of its surroundings. The proposed detached, townhouse and low-rise apartment dwellings will display strong architectural design elements and address the public realm. Detailed design for the low-rise apartment dwellings will be addressed through subsequent Site Plan applications.

24 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

 Massing and Scale: All proposed development is low-rise, with a maximum of four storeys, and is compatible and complementary in scale to the existing surrounding development. Massing and scale are regulated through zoning which is further discussed in Section 6.

 High-Rise Buildings: No high-rise buildings are being considered as part of this proposed development.

 Outdoor Amenity Areas: detached and multiple-attached dwellings will have access to private rear yard amenity areas. Amenity areas for the proposed low-rise apartment dwellings will be addressed through future Site Plan applications;

 Design Priority Area: the subject property is not located in a design priority area.

We find that the proposed development is generally consistent with Section 4.11 of the Official Plan.

Section 2.5.1, sets out design objectives qualifying how the City wants to influence the built environment and provides specific design objectives as to how the City of Ottawa wants to influence the built environment. These design objectives are addressed below:

1. To enhance the sense of community by creating and maintaining places with their own distinct identity.

The proposed mixed use development will contribute to making Barrhaven a complete community with a mix of housing forms and densities, neighbourhood parks and schools and commercial services within walking or cycling distance.

2. To define quality public and private spaces through development.

Street oriented dwellings will help to frame the public realm and create a consistent setback to define private amenity spaces. Street oriented dwellings facing the neighbourhood park along two streets will provide passive surveillance and “eyes” on the park.

3. To create places that are safe, accessible and are easy to get to, and move through.

The subdivision is designed around a modified grid street network, integrated with surrounding development. Pathway blocks connecting to recreational pathways along the Kennedy Burnett Stormwater Pond and between planned Streets 1 and 2 increase permeability and encourage walking and cycling. Transit routes along the planned BRT corridor and along Chapman Mills Drive ensure that the new development will be well served by public transit. The Community Transportation Study prepared by Parsons demonstrates that the proposed development can proceed from a transportation perspective.

25 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

4. To ensure that new development respects the character of existing areas.

Buildings within the proposed development will be of a consistent quality and character in order to establish a community identity and sense of coherence. The townhouses and back- to-back townhouses proposed along Streets 1 and 2 are similar to the existing residential development in the adjacent Barrhaven Mews. The proposed street layout and widths, block length, and lot layout are consistent with other developing neighbourhoods in Barrhaven.

5. To consider adaptability and diversity by creating places that can adapt and evolve easily over time and that are characterized by variety and choice.

The proposed development will consist of a variety of dwelling types and sizes, ranging from single detached dwellings to low-rise condominium apartments, to accommodate for economic and demographic diversity.

6. To understand and respect natural processes and features in development design.

The subdivision has been designed with an understanding of the soil conditions and floodplain constraints present on the site. The soils on the western portion of the site are poorly suited to the construction of basements and the slab on grade construction of the proposed commercial development works well for the context of the site.

Stormwater management for the development is integrated with the stormwater system for the surrounding area and accounts for quality, quantity and thermal control. The realigned channel of the Fraser Clarke Drain maintains the volume of the Jock River floodplain while moving the floodline boundary south of the future BRT corridor and out of the development lands. The EIS prepared by Dillon Consulting (March 2016) recommends that the relocated watercourse be re-vegetated with native species to ensure the area provides functional habitat replacing both the form and ecological function of the area removed.

7. To maximize energy-efficiency and promote sustainable design to reduce the resource consumption, energy use, and carbon footprint of the built environment.

The mix of residential dwelling types allows for a more urban density development, making efficient use of the land available. The development will be well connected to transit routes along the BRT Corridor and Chapman Mills Drive, and a network of sidewalks and multi-use pathways will encourage active transportation. The mixed use nature of the community, with a school, parks and commercial services within walking distance of the adjacent Barrhaven Town Centre will reduce reliance on car travel and lead to an overall reduction in carbon footprint/emissions.

Employment

As noted previously, it is acknowledged that the City must complete a comprehensive review to address the potential conversion from the Employment Area to General Urban Area designation. Conversion of Employment Lands is discussed under Section 2.2.2 of the Official Plan.

26 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

Policy 32 of Section 2.2.2 states:

Applications to remove employment lands or to convert them to non-employment uses will only be considered at the time of the comprehensive review of this Plan as required by the Planning Act. Applications received between comprehensive reviews will be considered premature unless City Council directs that the comprehensive review be initiated. In either case, approval of proposals to remove or convert employment lands will be contingent upon the comprehensive review by the City that demonstrates that the land is not required for employment purposes over the long term and that there is a need for the conversion.

Policy 33 of Section 2.2.2 includes a list of considerations to assess requests to convert employment lands to other purposes. These include:

a. Whether the employment lands being proposed for conversion are unsuited for employment purposes and whether there practical means to make them suitable;

The portion of the Employment Lands Designation within the subject site is a relatively small area, with a gross area of 6.5 Hectares. The employment lands within the subject site have no connectivity with larger CitiGate employment area to the west, as they are separated by Cedarview Road and the Foster Stormwater Pond located adjacent west of the Cedarview Road of Strandherd Drive intersection.

The Employment Area portion of the subject site is a relatively narrow area, strung out along Strandherd Drive. Employment uses are generally better suited to larger, deeper lots, however the visibility and access to Strandherd Drive is ideally suited to the proposed commercial uses.

b. Whether the lands are suitable for the uses being proposed and whether there is a need for those uses;

The lands are suitable for the proposed commercial uses. The proposed development is one of the last remaining vacant parcels along Strandherd Drive in Barrhaven suitable for commercial development. The site has excellent visibility from Strandherd Drive, and potential for access from Strandherd Drive and Cedarview Road.

A Retail Market Study prepared for the Barrhaven Business Improvement Association (BBIA) by Shore-Tanner & Associates in 2013 recommends an additional 500,000 sq.ft. of additional retail and service businesses floor space in Barrhaven between 2013 and 2018 with additional retail space recommended beyond that time horizon.

c. The current supply of developable land within the urban boundary, its distribution within the city, and its potential to be developed for housing, employment, and other purposes;

There is a sufficient supply of developable residential land within the urban boundary. As discussed in the City’s Employment Lands Review, there is a sufficient supply of vacant employment lands to support projected demand beyond 2041.

27 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

d. The distribution of employment land throughout the city, including the desire of the City to create complete communities by balancing job and housing opportunities in all urban communities outside the Central Area.

Barrhaven has a large supply of employment land with over 125 acres of employment land available for office/employment use in the CitiGate Business Park and over 30 acres of land available in the South Merivale Business Park.

Subject Site

Figure 19: Location of 416 Business Park (CitiGate) (9) and South Merivale Business Park (15) in context to the subject site. Figure taken as an excerpt from the January 20, 2016 City of Ottawa Employment Lands Review Stakeholder Meeting Presentation

e. The ability to provide sufficient opportunities for the clustering of areas of like employment;

The CitiGate lands provide ample opportunity for clustering.

f. The sufficiency of the supply of optimum-sized employment land parcels for the range of employment uses anticipated by this Plan;

As discussed above, both CitiGate and the South Merivale Business Park offer serviced vacant land available to be divided into building lots ideal for employment uses.

g. The preservation of employment lands in areas proximate to 400 series highway interchanges or with accessibility to rail and airports, within 600 meters of an existing or proposed station on the Rapid Transit Network, arterial road frontage, and accessibility to rail and airports; is intended to maintain opportunities that recognize the potential for the development of transport and freight handling uses;

The CitiGate lands are located up against the 416 with access from the Strandherd Drive interchange. The Employment designation extending on to the Clarke Lands is furthest extent of the Employment Designation from the 400 series highway. The loss of a constrained 6 hectare parcel from the total employment lands available in proximity to the 416 should not have an appreciable impact.

28 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

h. The preservation of employment lands proximate to essential linkages, such as supply chains, service providers, markets, necessary labour pools, etc.;

The proposed development will add to the mixed use community surrounding the CitiGate Employment Lands and will not remove linkages to supply chains, service providers, markets or necessary labour pools.

i. The preservation of a diversity of employment lands for a variety of employment uses (e.g. light and heavy industrial, business park, research campus, etc.);

There is plenty of variety permitted in CitiGate (prestige Business Park and regular business park) and similarly in the South Merivale Business Park. The 2006 Barrhaven South CDP also identifies employment lands along the 416 and Cedarview Road where there is potential for a future highway interchange. While these lands are not recognized in the Official Plan as employment lands, they are intended to provide employment as the area develops.

j. The demand that proposed non-employment use(s) will create for additional municipal amenities and services in addition to those required by employment uses and the cost of providing same, including any mitigation deemed necessary to address any negative effects on employment uses in matters such as those listed in ‘k’ below;

The proposed conversion would be from employment uses to commercial uses rather than creating additional residential development. Commercial land uses would not create additional demand on community facilities.

k. Whether the proposed use(s) would enhance or detract from the viability of any remaining employment lands or existing employment uses with regard to matters such as:

i. Incompatibility of land use,

The proposed commercial uses would not detract from the viability of the adjacent employment area.

ii. The ability to provide appropriate buffering of employment uses from surrounding non-employment uses on and off-site,

The lands are already separated from the employment area by Cedarview Road and the Foster stormwater pond. The proposed commercial uses will create an additional buffer between the employment lands and the residential community.

iii. Affordability (e.g. land and lease costs) for employment purposes,

The proposed development would have no impact on the affordability of the adjacent employment lands.

29 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

iv. Market acceptance/competitiveness (attractiveness of the employment lands in the marketplace for continued development for employment uses),

Removing the Clarke Lands Employment designation will not detract from the attractiveness of CitiGate for the development of employment uses. The CitiGate lands have excellent access to highway 416, and this easy access to transportation routes makes them ideally suited for employment uses. The National RCMP headquarters have recently relocated to the South Merivale Business Park, and may either expand to adjacent sites in future, or attract other government services to the area. Conversion of the employment lands on the Clarke site will not detract from the market competitiveness of the adjacent Employment Areas.

v. Removal of key locations for employment uses,

The employment lands on the Clarke parcel are not a key location for employment use. The CitiGate business park provides employment lands along Strandherd drive in closer proximity to highway 416.

vi. Reduction or elimination of visibility of employment lands or uses,

As discussed above, the CitiGate lands include all of the land along Strandherd drive between the subject site and the highway 416 interchange. Removing the employment designation from the small area along Strandherd Drive east of Cedarview Road will not decrease the visibility of the employment lands in the area.

vii. Reduction in optimum size (of either individual employment land parcels or the overall Employment Area),

The employment lands within the subject site are already separated from the larger employment area. The conversion of the Clarke Lands will have no impact on the ability to provide optimum sized employment lands or parcels within the remaining Employment Area designation.

viii. Interference with the function of the employment lands (e.g. restricting operating hours or delivery times or affecting the capacity of the transportation network due to characteristics of the employment uses such as noise or emissions or heavy equipment operation), ix. Accessibility to the employment lands, x. Ability to provide for a variety of employment options, parcels, and xi. Maintenance of the identity of the employment uses or area.

The proposed development would have no impact on the function, accessibility, flexibility or maintenance of the adjacent employment lands.

The above noted review demonstrates that due to the odd size and shape, relative isolation from the adjacent CitiGate, distance from Highway 416, and overall supply of employment land in the Barrhaven area, there is good rationale to support the conversion of the lands from Employment Area to General Urban Area. Conversely, if converted to General Urban Area, the lands are ideally suited for commercial development due to the excellent visibility

30 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto and frontage along Strandherd Drive and existing soil conditions and storm hydraulic grade line analysis that are better suited for slab on grade rather than residential development with basements.

A recent study completed by Shore-Tanner & Associates in 2013 prepared for the Barrhaven Business Improvement Area (BBIA) titled “Retail Market and Economic Study” identified that for the period of 2013-2018 that there is a need for 500,000 sq.ft of additional retail and service business floor space. It is recognized that some of this additional need will be accommodated by some development within the CitiGate employment area but there will still be a deficit of commercial floor space with good market access in the community.

At the present time, there is approximately 1.5 million sq. ft. of retail and service floor space in Barrhaven including smaller retail stores to larger multi-national chain stores. A significant amount of the larger commercial uses are currently located in the Barrhaven Town Centre CDP Area.

Section 8.3 of the Barrhaven Town Centre CDP states:

The Town Centre will not develop in its ultimate form from the outset, but instead will evolve from its initial phases to a mature state reflecting the form envisioned by the CDP. Once the Town Centre has reached its “initial build out”, overtime the larger sites with large format retail stores may redevelop to provide the more fine-grained street pattern and built form that the CDP identifies.

The noted policies indicate a goal that the Town Centre will evolve, which will likely displace some of the current large format retail, as shown in Appendix D of the South Nepean Town Centre CDP, provided as Figure 20 below.

31 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

Figure 20: South Nepean Town Centre CDP Appendix D - Demonstration Plan - Strandherd Retail District

32 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

The research in the Shore-Tanner & Associates study supports the City’s desire for the gradual evolution of the Town Centre by noting that Barrhaven has reached a “level of urbanization, affluence” that requires more “eclectic, whimsical, specialty, and boutique-type businesses”. It is anticipated that as the town centre lands evolve from their current form to the more urban ultimate buildout depicted in Phase 3 of the demonstration plan, these types of retail uses will be well suited for the planned high density and pedestrian oriented development with the CDP Area.

As the town centre lands evolve there will still be demand for larger format retail in the Barrhaven area. The subject site is one of the only remaining parcels with excellent access and visibility available for such uses in Barrhaven. The proposed commercial lands on the subject site are an ideal location to supplement the supply of additional retail and business floor space noted by the Shore-Tanner & Associates study.

An update to the 2013 Retail Market and Economic Study is currently being prepared by Shore-Tanner & Associates with additional detail on the commercial potential of the subject lands. This report will follow as a separate submission.

4.3 South Nepean Secondary Plan

The subject lands occupy a large portion of Area 8 of the South Nepean Urban Area Secondary Plan. Area 8 is intended to provide a mix of primarily residential uses as well as employment uses to provide a land use pattern which complements the adjacent planning areas and Town Centre lands.

Development Policies

Section 4.1 sets out population targets for Area 8 of 700 residential units accommodating approximately 1700 residents. The proposed development will contribute 267 units to this total. The existing residential development, Barrhaven mews, in the northeast corner of the Area 8 lands has approximately 200 residential units, and the Mion lands southeast of the subject lands is proposed to develop with an additional 200-250 units. This will result in approximately 670 to 720 residential units in Area 8, which is in line with the target set out in the secondary Plan.

Policy 4.1 also includes a target for overall employment in Area 8 of 350 jobs, primarily to be located within the industrial and commercial areas shown on Schedule A5. The City’s employment study paper from April 2015 discusses a widely accepted four category land- used based forecast approach for employment uses. Retail is recognised as an employment use under the category of population related jobs. The proposed commercial uses will provide employment in the area. If the Official Plan Amendment to remove the Employment Area designation is recommended, then this policy would also need to be amended to reflect a revised target for employment.

33 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

The organization and structure of the development is generally consistent with the land use schedule A5 set out in the Secondary Plan. As recommended in Section 4.2, streets are laid out based on a modified grid pattern, with the Chapman Mills Drive Extension serving as the Main Street connecting Strandherd Drive to the Town Centre Lands. As planned through the EA process, Chapman Mills Drive will be the focus for transit within Area 8. The Draft Plan follows the boundary of the Jock River floodplain, with all proposed development on lands outside of the floodplain.

As set out in Section 4.3.1, the residential lands are intended to accommodate a mixture and diversity of housing types including the proposed single detached, row house, stacked townhouses and low rise apartment units.

Section 4.3.1.4 sets out more specific residential Development Requirements:

1. The maximum building height for ground oriented residential development shall not exceed 10.7 metres.

The proposed R3YY zoning proposed for the ground oriented residential dwellings permits a maximum building height of 12 metres. As part of the proposed Official Plan Amendment, it is proposed that this policy of the Secondary Plan be removed to allow the building height to be determined through zoning.

2. Direct access to Strandherd Drive for any residential development is not permitted.

No direct access from Strandherd Drive is proposed for any of the residential development. The local commercial block at the southeast corner of the intersection of Strandherd Drive and Chapman Mills Drive will act as a buffer between Strandherd Drive and the residential development to the south.

3. The neighbourhood park identified on Schedule A5 shall be designed to be a focal point of the residential area and should be surrounded by public streets on all sides.

The neighbourhood park has been centrally located within the residential area of the development. The park location is shifted slightly from where it is shown on the land use Schedule of the Secondary Plan, from the west side of the “Main Street” (Chapman Mills Drive) to the east side. This shift is due to the proposed location of the school block, and the shift in Chapman Mills Drive location from where it is conceptually shown on Schedule A5. This allows the neighbourhood park to be surrounded by public streets on three sides.

4. Setbacks next to Main Street shall be minimized.

Due to the park location and layout of the street grid, no residential dwellings will front directly onto Chapman Mills Drive, with the exception of the low-rise apartments south of the neighbourhood park and adjacent to the BRT corridor.

5. No rear lotting of development shall be permitted along the Main Street Arterial identified on Schedule A5.

34 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

As discussed above, the street grid pattern and park location create no rear lotting along either Chapman Mills Drive or Strandherd Drive.

6. Residential subdivisions next to the Jock River floodplain shall accommodate public and/or private linkages to the Jock River.

Linkages will be provided to the Jock River and flood plain via proposed public sidewalks along Chapman Mills Drive and Street no. 1. and single loaded roads. Chapman Mills Drive south of the Mion lands is proposed as a single loaded window street which will open up the floodplain lands to the community.

7. No single detached or semi-detached uses shall front on to Strandherd Drive or Main Street. Uses fronting on these streets shall be limited to medium or high density uses or non-residential uses in accordance with the provisions of Subsection 4.3.1.3.

No single detached or semi-detached uses will front on Strandherd Drive of Chapman Mills Drive. The local commercial block at the corner of Strandherd Drive and Chapman Mills Drive will create a gateway to the community and buffer the residential uses. The neighbourhood park and a block of medium density low-rise apartments will front on to the Chapman Mills Extension.

Section 4.3.3 of the Secondary Plan addresses policies for Local Commercial uses. The location proposed for local commercial in the Secondary Plan is at the south west corner of Strandherd Drive and Main Street as shown on Schedule A5. The proposed location is the south east corner of Strandherd Drive and Chapman Mills Drive. The plan identifies that the location for the local commercial site may be more centrally situated along the Main Street arterial, between Strandherd Drive and the Storm Water facility, without amendment required to this Secondary Plan. As the proposed location has frontage on both the Main Street and Strandherd drive, an amendment should not be required for the proposed location.

Policy 4.3.3.3 sets out the types of uses contemplated for the Local Commercial designation:

1. Local Commercial is intended to service the immediate residential area and permits uses such as retail, personal service, restaurant and office type uses Local commercial shall not permit fast food or drive-thru type uses, or any automotive uses such as a gas station or gas bar.

An amendment is proposed to permit automotive uses in this location in addition to the other contemplated uses.

4.3.1 Urban Design Guidelines for Greenfield Development

The proposed subdivision has been designed with regard to the City’s Urban Design Guidelines for Greenfield Development. These guidelines illustrate the City’s expectations during the development review process for greenfield neighbourhoods within the Urban Area

35 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto of the City of Ottawa. They provide guidance regarding the relationship between adjacent sites and between a site and the public street, rather than addressing details of individual properties, such as commercial plazas or parks. The proposed development follows guidelines for structuring layout, and achieves many of the guidelines for Residential Building and Site Design.

5.0 PROPOSED OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT

Should the City’s comprehensive review recommend that the Employment Area designation be removed from the Clarke Lands and support the conversion of the Employment Lands to General Urban Area, the following Official Plan Amendment is proposed:

On Schedule A5 of the Secondary Plan for Area 8 in South Nepean:

 Amend the Prestige Business Park Designation to a Commercial designation to permit the proposed commercial development.

 Amend the Residential Designation to Commercial between the School Block and the Prestige Business Park designation.

In Section 4 of the Secondary Plan for Area 8 in South Nepean:

 Amend the employment target for Area 8 set out in Section 4.1 of the South Nepean Urban Area Secondary Plan;

 Amend section 4.3.1.4 to remove the maximum building height restrictions for ground oriented residential development;

 Amend policy 4.3.1.4 (3) to permit the neighbourhood park to be constructed with public streets “on three sides” rather than “on all sides” as directed in the Secondary Plan; and

 Amend policy 4.3.3.3 of the secondary plan to fast food, drive-thru type uses, and gas station or gas bar within the Local Commercial designation, consistent with the proposed zoning.

6.0 PROPOSED ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT

As previously noted, the majority of the subject site is zoned DR except for a small remnant adjacent to the Mattamy Subdivision which is zoned R3Z [1319] and subject to Schedule S233.

In order to permit the proposed development as described, the following zoning is proposed. A proposed zoning schedule is provided as Appendix C.

Proposed Zoning: Proposed Land Use Block/Lot on Draft Plan Proposed New Zoning

36 Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: Clarke Lands Minto

Single Detached, Lots 1-97, Blocks 100-109, R3YY[2145] Townhouse and Back-to- 111 Back Dwellings Low-Rise Apartment Block 115 R4Z Condominiums Local Commercial Block 110 LC, with additional permitted uses to include car wash and gas bar. Neighbourhood Park Block 114 O1 Large Format Commercial Blocks 118-120 GM Floodplain and BRT Blocks 116-117 O1 corridor School Block 121 I1A

7.0 CONCLUSION

The proposed development is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, conforms to the City of Ottawa Official Plan, City of Ottawa Urban Design Guidelines for Greenfield Neighbourhoods.

This planning rationale supports the development of the proposed residential development, school, local commercial, neighbourhood park, and open space land uses and demonstrates that the design of the proposed subdivision is compatible with existing and planned surrounding uses and functions well within the surrounding context.

Subject to the conclusion of the City’s Employment Lands Study and the successful conversion of the Employment Area designation within the proposed subdivision, we believe this rationale supports the proposed commercial development along Strandherd Drive as an appropriate land use.

The proposed OPA and zoning will implement the development as described in this rationale and ensure the development is compatible with surrounding development. The proposed development is an appropriate and desirable addition to the community and represents good planning.

NOVATECH

Prepared By: Reviewed by:

Anna Froehlich, M.Pl Greg Winters, MCIP, RPP Planner Project Manager

37

Mark D’Arcy, P. Eng. Paterson Group Inc. Phase 1 ESA

Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: 950 SPB Developments

Appendix A:

Concept Plan

Scale 1:2500 April 6, 2016 Local Singles Multiples School Block Commercial Land Use Block CLARKE Townhomes Park Commercial Block Plan Employment Area Back to Backs Open Space (Gross: 6.5 Ha/ 16.25 Ac) Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: 950 Terry Fox Drive SPB Developments

Appendix B:

Draft Plan

Planning Rationale & Integrated Environmental Review Statement: 950 Terry Fox Drive SPB Developments

Appendix C:

ZBLA Schedule

LC

R3YY[1245]

I1A 01 GM

R4Z 01