1 Report to Rapport Au: Planning Committee / Comité De L
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1 Report to Rapport au: Planning Committee / Comité de l'urbanisme August 25, 2015 / 25 août 2015 and Council / et au Conseil September 9, 2015 / 9 septembre 2015 Submitted on July 22, 2015 Soumis le 22 juillet 2015 Submitted by Soumis par: John L. Moser, Acting Deputy City Manager / Directeur municipale adjoint par intérim, Planning and Infrastructure / Urbanisme et Infrastructure Contact Person / Personne ressource: Lee Ann Snedden, Acting Chief / Chef par intérim, Development Review Services / Services d’Examen des projets d'aménagement, Planning and Growth Management / Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance (613) 580-2424, 25779, [email protected] Report Author / Auteur du rapport: Melissa Jort-Conway, Planner II / Urbaniste II, Development Review Urban Services Unit / Unité examen des demandes d’aménagement services urbains (613) 580-2424, 16187, [email protected] Ward: RIDEAU-VANIER (12) File Number: ACS2015-PAI-PGM-0142 SUBJECT: Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment – 11 Colonel By Drive OBJET: Modifications au Plan Officiel et au Réglement de zonage – 11, promenade Colonel By 2 REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS That Planning Committee recommend Council: 1. Approve an amendment to the Angular Plane Height Limits as set out within the Official Plan, as detailed in Document 2; and 2. Approve an amendment to Zoning By-law 2008-250 to replace Schedule 56 which implements the Angular Plane Height Limits as set out in the Official Plan as detailed in Documents 3 and 4. Both of which are to permit a proposed 378 square metre addition to the Westin Hotel. RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT Que le Comité de l’urbanisme recommande au Conseil : 1. D’approuver une modification aux limites de hauteur du plan angulaire prévues au Plan officiel, comme le précise le document 2; 2. D’approuver une modification au Règlement de zonage 2008-250 afin de remplacer l’annexe 56, qui assure la mise en œuvre des limites de hauteur du plan angulaire prévues au Plan officiel, comme le précisent les documents 3 et 4. Les deux modifications visent à permettre la construction d’un rajout projeté de 378 mètres carrés à l’hôtel Westin. BACKGROUND Learn more about link to Development Application process - Zoning Amendment For all the supporting documents related to this application visit the link to Development Application Search Tool. Site location 11 Colonel By Drive. Owner SCG Aquarius Ottawa Hotel Inc. 3 Applicant Kathleen Willis Consulting Ltd. Architect HOK Architects Corporation. Description of site and surroundings The site is located along the east side of Colonel By Drive, between Rideau Street to the north and Daly Avenue to the south, as shown on Document 1. The site is situated within a larger 4.4 hectare property which is bordered by Colonel By Drive to the west, Nicholas Street to the east, Rideau Street to the north and the Mackenzie King Bridge to the south. The property is occupied by the Westin Hotel, the Rideau Centre and an office building known as the Transportation Building, which is located at the southeast corner of Rideau Street and Colonel By Drive. The Westin Hotel comprises 25 storeys and measures 140.8 metres above sea level at its highest point. The hotel contains 501 guestrooms, two restaurants, and a 4,000 square metre convention and meeting space. The hotel is connected to the Ottawa Convention Centre and the Rideau Centre. Access to the hotel is by way of a one-way covered passenger pick up and drop off area accessed from Daly Avenue and exiting onto Colonel By Drive. The hotel is serviced by transit, sidewalk and cycling networks, as well as an underground parking garage, which is shared with the Rideau Centre. Adjacent uses include the former Ottawa Conference Centre to the west, the Federal offices of National Defence to the south and the Arts Court Building and Novotel Hotel to the east. Summary of requested Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments A proposed addition to the 22nd floor at the Westin Hotel incorporating a new banquet facility is planned to coincide with Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017. The facility is proposed to be built on a terrace at the northwest corner of the hotel formed by the roof of the current 21st storey. The highest part of the existing building is 25 storeys as mentioned above. The site falls within the area of height control relative to the Parliament Buildings, as indicated on Annex 8A of the Official Plan. The proposed 378 square metre addition triggers an Official Plan Amendment as the text of the Official Plan states that no part of a building may exceed the angular plane height limits as set out in Annex 8B without an 4 Official Plan Amendment to Annex 8B and a thorough analysis of the impact of any projection or protrusion. An amendment to the Zoning By-law 2008-250 is also required to permit the proposed addition. The Zoning By-law sets out building height regulations which are applicable to the site. Specifically, the addition does not comply with the height limits required as set out in Schedule 56. DISCUSSION Public consultation Notification and public consultation was undertaken in accordance with the Public Notification and Consultation Policy approved by City Council for Development Applications. Two respondents were in favour of the proposal and one was opposed. Comments were received from the National Capital Commission (NCC) during the circulation period. NCC Staff supported the proposed addition, however stated that the final and formal authority to approve the addition through a Federal Design Approval process was with the NCC Board of Directors. On June 25/26, 2015, the NCC Board of Directors gave their unanimous approval of the proposed addition. For this proposal’s consultation details, see Document 5 of this report. Official Plan designation The property is located within the Central Area designation as shown on Schedule B of the City’s Official Plan. Other applicable policies and guidelines The Westin Hotel is located within the Rideau / Congress Centre area of the Central Area Secondary Plan. This area is described as offering visitors and residents of Ottawa opportunities for tourism, conventions, arts and culture, shopping and entertainment with a range of building profiles. This area also contains a significant cluster of low profile heritage buildings east of the Rideau Canal, in the vicinity of Daly Avenue and Nicholas Street. Public views of Parliament Hill, the Canal, the heritage buildings, as well as the Arts Court block are to be maintained as seen from the Rideau Centre rooftop terrace and/or the Mackenzie King Bridge. 5 Transit-Oriented Development Guidelines The Westin Hotel is situated in close proximity to a proposed light rail station that can be accessed from within the Rideau Centre. The guidelines for transit oriented development speak to new development that offers amenities to well used sites, such as the Westin Hotel. The addition also enhances an established landmark feature, and respects the guidelines regarding step backs. The terraced profile of the hotel will be maintained with the new addition. Urban Design Review Panel Although the site is located within a Design Priority area, this proposal was not subject to consultation with the Urban Design Review Panel (UDRP) due to the small size of the addition. Planning Rationale Planning Act and Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) Section 2 of the Planning Act outlines those land use matters that are of Provincial interest, to which all City planning decisions shall have regard. The Provincial interests that apply to this site include accommodating an appropriate mix of uses, including employment and other uses to meet long term needs and promoting intensification and redevelopment where this can be accommodated given the existing building stock, and existing and planned infrastructure and public facilities. The Planning Act requires that all city planning decisions be consistent with the PPS as issued under the Act. The recommended Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments are consistent with the Provincial interests outlined in the Planning Act. Although being on a smaller scale, the hotel addition represents a form of intensification, which is appropriate given the context of the area of the Westin Hotel, and its prominence within the city both for contributing to the economic development of the city, but also for making efficient use of land and taking advantage of planned transportation infrastructure as a key land use consideration in the land use planning process. Official Plan Policies The City’s Official Plan designates the property as Central Area. The Central Area permits a diverse range of land uses with a focus on tourism, business, retail, entertainment and culture. The Central Area represents the heart of the city and is the 6 symbolic heart of the nation. As such, the Official Plan policies for this area are intended to protect its distinct identity and heritage character, enhance diversity and attractiveness, promote multi-modal transportation systems and protect residential neighbourhoods in and near to downtown. The Westin Hotel site is situated within the height protected area relative to the Parliament Buildings, shown on Annex 8A. The majority of the hotel is within the area of Background Height Control, which protects the views of Parliament when viewed from afar. Height limits are also established on Annex 8B as an angular plane rising from the ridgeline of the Centre Block of Parliament. The proposed Official Plan Amendment will add a site specific policy that would permit an increase in height above the current angular plane height limits. Colonel By Drive is designated as an Arterial Road from Rideau Street to Daly Avenue. South of Daly Avenue, Colonel By Drive becomes a Federally owned road. The section of Colonel By Drive in front of the Westin Hotel is designated an on-road cycling route which is connected to the pedestrian and cycling route along the east side of the Rideau Canal.