1 Document 1 Earl Armstrong Road Extension (Albion Road

1 Document 1 Earl Armstrong Road Extension (Albion Road to Hawthorne Road) Environmental Assessment Study – Statement of Work 1.0 Introduction The City of Ottawa is the proponent of a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Schedule C study to examine the extension of Earl Armstrong Road from Albion Road to Hawthorne Road. This Statement of Work (SOW) describes the City’s intentions with respect to the scope, methodology and deliverables of the EA Study. 2.0 Planning Context The 2013 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) identifies the extension of Earl Armstrong Road from Albion Road to Hawthorne Road in the Network Concept Plan. Although the timing for the road extension is planned for beyond year 2031, development in the area is encroaching on the City’s ultimate plan and a study is required to identify the right-of- way requirements and protect the corridor. This study will be conducted as a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Schedule C in accordance with the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. Earl Armstrong is an east-west arterial road that starts from the Strandherd Drive/River Road intersection and extends easterly through the neighbourhoods of Riverside South and Leitrim, terminating at High Road. High Road continues in the south-east direction to Albion Road, providing linkage between Earl Armstrong Road and Albion Road near the Rideau Carleton Raceway and Casino site. The future two-lane extension of Earl Armstrong Road between Albion Road and Hawthorne Road will provide capacity for growth in Riverside South and Leitrim communities and complete the linkage to Hawthorne Road. The future extension would also complement the planned widening of Earl Armstrong Road from two to four lanes between Limebank Road and Bowesville Road. Although the EA’s study area is primarily within the rural area, it includes the southern edge of the Leitrim Development Area between Albion Road and Bank Street, where the Remer and Idone Lands are located. The Remer Lands (4800 Bank Street) Draft Plan of Subdivision received approval in 2005 for a residential subdivision development, for which approval was extended to 2017. In 2012, as per Official Plan Amendment 76, the Leitrim Development Area was increased by 87.2 ha and divided into Urban Expansion Areas 8a, 9a and 9b. The Leitrim Development Area 8a, known as Idone 2 Lands (4840 Bank Street) forms the southern urban boundary. In 2014, the owners of Idone Lands were informed by the then General Manager, Planning and Growth Management Department, that the draft plan approval process for their lands would not have to consider an alignment for Earl Armstrong Road. This signaled that the Earl Armstrong extension between Albion Road and Bank Street would for the most part be located south of the urban area boundary. The EA study area also includes the Rideau Carleton Raceway (4837 Albion Road) site, which has plans for future redevelopment and expansion. On May 15, 2017 the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation announced that Hard Rock International will be the new operator of the gambling facility. The new joint venture between the Raceway and Hard Rock would lead to the redevelopment and expansion of the current Albion Road facility into Hard Rock Casino Ottawa. At the August 28, 2013 City of Ottawa Council meeting, motion 59/3 was passed, specifying that the proponent for any new or expanded gaming facility at the Rideau Carleton Raceway will be required to undertake a comprehensive Community Transportation Study (CTS). This study is to help in the assessment of impacts to adjacent communities and propose mitigation measures as necessary as part of any development application. The proponent will also be required to develop a transit service plan as part of the development application. Furthermore, the proponent would have to fund any costs to accelerate any projects proposed in the Transportation Master Plan or any other projects that may be identified and deemed appropriate as a result of the CTS. Given this Council direction, the Hard Rock International and Rideau Carleton Raceway are expected to prepare the CTS as part of their development application, which is a separate process from the Earl Armstrong Extension EA Study. The only connection with the EA study would be related to corridor protection should the roadway extension be located on Rideau Carleton Raceway lands. A segment of the study area between Albion Road and Bank Street includes a number of identified wetland areas, including the Casino Wetland and Leitrim Wetland that are Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSW). These PSWs require certain buffers (No Touch Zone and Limited Use Zone) in relation to the Remer Lands, Idone Lands, Rideau Carleton Raceway (RCR) and any other potential developments and site alterations. The Earl Armstrong Road extension may impact the RCR site in order to avoid sensitive lands. However, the EA study will strive to have minimum impact on the RCR redevelopment while also enhancing access to and drainage of the site. 3 The lands between Bank Street and Hawthorne Road will likely require a comprehensive inventory of the natural environment and an ecological land classification, given there is limited information available at this time. The EA study will identify and protect a corridor for the future Earl Armstrong Road extension, allowing the City to respond effectively to development applications in this area. A protected corridor provides the opportunity to request the land be transferred to the City at no cost as a condition of development approval. The study limits will extend from Albion Road to Hawthorne Road, north to Blais Road and south to Rideau Road to allow for a sufficient range of alternatives to be examined. The study area is primarily within the general rural area and rural natural features area. It also includes wetlands, limestone resource area and sand and gravel resource area. The study area is not within the NCC Greenbelt. The study area is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Earl Armstrong Road Study Area 4 3.0 Project Scope and Major Tasks 3.1 Study Area The study area (Figure 1) includes Blais Road to the north, Rideau Road to the south, Albion Road to the west and Hawthorne Road to the east. This ensures a reasonable range of alternatives can be developed and assessed. However, some tasks will require examination of a broader area beyond these limits to address environmental impacts, operational issues and to coordinate with relevant on-going studies and projects. 3.2 Coordination with Existing and Concurrent Studies The EA study will take into consideration relevant completed studies as well as analysis and preliminary findings of ongoing transportation, development and infrastructure projects that could influence the direction and/or conclusions of the Study. These include: Leitrim Road Realignment and Widening (River Road to Bank Street) EA Study (in progress); Trillium Line Extension Planning and EA Study (2016); Bank Street Widening (Leitrim Road to Rideau Road) EA Study (2014); Limebank Road EA Study (2003); Leitrim Community Design Plan (2005); Riverside South Community Design Plan (2016 update); Environmental Management Plan for Leitrim Remer and Idone Lands (2016); Leitrim Development Area Updated Serviceability Report (OPA 76 Lands 8a, 9a and 9b) (2016); Ottawa International Airport planning documents, including the Airport Master Plan (2008) and Urban Design Plan (2013); Current development applications and associated studies, including the approved Remer Lands Draft Plan of Subdivision, as well as the Idone Lands Draft Plan of Subdivision and Zoning By-Law Amendment application; 5 Future development application and associated studies for the Rideau Carleton Raceway expansion; Leitrim Community Master Transportation Study (2017) prepared for the Leitrim Owners Group; and, Official Plan Amendment #180 regarding growth projections, employment lands and agricultural lands review. 3.3 Major Tasks Key tasks for this EA study include the following: Confirmation of the future east-west transportation demand in the southern part of the City; Development of corridor options to address travel demand; Application of the complete streets framework and multi-modal level of service analysis within the context of the land use; Assessment of walking and cycling infrastructure requirements and connections; Operational assessment of key intersections within the study area; Assessment and evaluation of environmental implications: o Wetlands, natural environment areas and features; o Geotechnical conditions; o Stormwater management and hydrology; o The rural character of the area; and, o Adjacent land use and effects on existing and future communities. Development of mitigation measures; Development of a Recommended Plan for the roadway extension (including functional design); Identification of capital and operating costs for implementation; 6 Consultation with community groups and stakeholders; Documentation; and, Follow-up during the 30-day public review of the Environmental Study Report with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) as required. 4.0 Planning and Environmental Assessment The EA study comprises of the following tasks: 4.1 Need and Justification Although the Earl Armstrong Road extension has been identified in the TMP, a review of assumptions and confirmation of the need for additional east-west arterial capacity is required. This exercise will be carried out by forecasting travel demand for the south end of the City and determining

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