The Policy Context

1
The Policy Context
Planning and Growth Management Department
Presentation to Planning Committee February 7th,
2011
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Agenda

• The Official Plan (30 minutes)
• Community Design Plans and Urban Design
  Guidelines (30 minutes)
• The Zoning By-law (30 minutes)
• Housing (30 minutes)

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The City of Ottawa

• Population - 900,000
• Area 2,796 square kilometres (half the size of
  Prince Edward Island)
• 5th largest City in Canada both in Population
  and Land Area
• 90 kilometres east to west
• Ottawa's area is almost 80 rural

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Planning Hierarchy
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Ottawa 20/20
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The Official Plan Overview

• The Official Plan (OP) guides the physical growth
  and development of the municipality
• Where land uses will go
• Where services will be needed
• What lands will be preserved from development
• What authority is delegated
• How consultation will occur

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The Official Plan Overview Contd.

• An Official Plan is a legal document
• Authority comes from the Planning Act
• An Official Plan cannot control
• The closure of schools
• The cutting of trees
• The provision of social services
• The drainage of fields
• 5-Year Review completed in 2009 (OPA 76) and next
  one to commence in 2012

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The Official Plan Review OPA 76

• Approved by Council June 2009
• Approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs
  January 2010
• Under appeal to OMB
• Nine hearings scheduled over 27 weeks
• Hearings to run December, 2010 November 2011.

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Key Strategic Directions

• The Official Plan meets the challenges of growth
  through to 2031 by pursuing strategic directions
  in four key areas
• Managing Growth
• Maintaining Environmental Integrity
• Providing Infrastructure
• Creating Liveable Communities

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1. Managing Growth

• Direct the majority of growth to the urban area
  where services already exist.
• Support growth in the Villages.
• Urban area growth will be directed to areas where
  density can be accommodated and served with
  quality transit, walking and cycling facilities.
• Downtown Ottawa will be a vibrant mix of thriving
  economic and cultural activities.

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Population Projections
Projected Growth in Population City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Population City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Population City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Population City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Population City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031
2006 2011 2021 2031
Inside Greenbelt 533,000 540,000 562,000 591,000
Outside Greenbelt, urban 252,000 291,000 367,000 432,000
Rural 86,000 91,000 102,000 113,000
Total 871,000 923,000 1,031,000 1,136,000
Projected Growth in Households City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Households City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Households City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Households City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031 Projected Growth in Households City of Ottawa, 2006 to 2031
2006 2011 2021 2031
Inside Greenbelt 228,000 237,000 258,000 278,000
Outside Greenbelt, urban 88,000 106,000 140,000 168,000
Rural 30,000 32,000 38,000 43,000
Total 346,000 376,000 436,000 489,000
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Development Priority Areas and LRT Stations
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Density Targets
people and jobs per gross hectare
Minimum Target Density Minimum Target Density
Designation 2006 Density At 2031 Post-2031
Central Area 395 500
Mixed-Use Centres
Tunneys-Quad 207 250
Lees 167 250
Bayview-Preston 142 200
Blair-174 106 200
Baseline-Woodroffe 96 200
Hurdman 54 200
Confederation Heights 73 200
Billings Bridge 130 160
Cyrville 45 120
Industrial 42 120
Town Centres
Orléans 48 120
Kanata 33 120
Barrhaven 11 120
Arterial Mainstreets
Richmond (north of Carling) 217 200
Carling 183 200
St. Laurent 92 120
Bank 79 120
Merivale-Clyde-Baseline 50 120
Montreal East 41 120
Community Core
Riverside South 0 80
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2. Maintaining Environmental Integrity

• Emphasizes transit, walking and cycling, and by
  policies that protect forests, wetlands and other
  natural environment areas to support Air quality.
• Provincially and locally significant wetlands and
  forests will be conserved.
• The City will direct land use and development in
  a way and to locations that maintain ecosystem
  functions over time.
• Greenspaces will be valued and protected.

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Greenspace Master Plan

• Councils objectives for urban greenspace is to
  provide
• an adequate supply of greenspace, readily
  accessible to residents as a connected network of
  high-quality spaces planned and maintained on a
  sustainable basis
• Urban Greenspace Networks
• Increase accessibility to greenspace
• Identify priorities for extending the network
• Connect neighbourhoods to the network
• Supports sustainability of natural lands.

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3. Providing Infrastructure Transportation
Master Plan

• The Official Plan directs the Transportation
  Master Plan to implement the following policies
• Transportation Demand Management
• Transportation System Management
• Walking
• Cycling
• Transit
• Roads and Rights-of-Way Protection
• Other Rights-of-Way Protection
• Parking
• Movement of Goods
• Transportation Terminals

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Providing Infrastructure Infrastructure Master
Plan

• The Official Plan directs the Infrastructure
  Master Plan to implement the following policies
• Water supply and treatment
• Wastewater collection and treatment
• Stormwater collection and release
• The IMP sets policy to support intensification
  through Capacity Management Strategies for piped
  infrastructure

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4. Create Liveable Communities

• Growth will be managed in ways that create
  complete communities
• Provide rural and urban economic activities in
  suitable locations
• Maintain high quality of life
• Familiar landscapes and heritage buildings will
  be maintained
• Rural communities will continue to be valued for
  their distinct economies and lifestyles
• Increase the supply of affordable housing
• Create attractive communities
• Community building will be open and inclusive
• Agricultural lands, natural areas will be
  protected and mineral resources will be protected
  for extraction.

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How We Make the Official Plan Real

• Through the Development Review Process
• If there is a request for height or density is it
  near rapid transit?
• Are we achieving our density targets?
• Are we achieving a mixed use to encourage live,
  work, play?
• Will the proposal respect the neighbourhoods
  character?
• Is there adequate servicing capacity in the area?
• Are the environmental tenets of the Official Plan
  being respected how can we make the project
  more sustainable?
• Are we providing an array of housing supply -
  affordability
• How can we best incorporate good urban design?

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How We Make the Official Plan Real

• Through undertaking transportation planning
  studies
• Based on the prioritization of the Transportation
  Master Plan
• Through examining other servicing alternatives
  and public works implications
• Through protecting or acquiring environmentally
  sensitive lands
• Environmental Impact Statement
• Urban Natural Features Strategy
• Considering municipal budget implications

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How We Make the Official Plan Real

• Through plans and strategies
• Community Design Plans and
• Secondary Plans
• Urban Design guidelines
• Zoning By-law
• Specific development applications

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Community Design Plans

• Community Design Plans (CDPs) are developed to
  translate the principles and policies of the
  Official Plan (OP) to the community scale. They
  are developed where significant change might
  occur
• Town Centres
• Mixed-use Centres
• Traditional and Arterial Mainstreets
• Developing Communities (Greenfield Areas)
• Villages (if expansion is planned)

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Community Design Plans completed

• Barrhaven South
• Beechwood
• Carp Road Corridor
• Village of Carp
• Village of Constance Bay
• Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy
• East Urban Community (Phase 1)
• Fernbank
• Greely
• Leitrim
• Richmond Road/Westboro
• Riverside South
• South Nepean Town Centre
• St. Joseph Boulevard
• The Escarpment Area District Plan
• Uptown Rideau
• Village of Richmond

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Proposed CDPs

• The following CDPs are proposed to be completed
  in this term of council
• Carling-Bayview, West Wellington, Old Ottawa
  East,
• Mid-Centretown, Scott Street/Tunneys Pasture,
  East Urban Community (Phase 2), Bank Street
  (Rideau River to Ledbury) and Stittsville
  Mainstreet.
• Also, the following Transit-oriented development
  plans will be completed over this term of
  council
• Via Station, Hurdman, Lees, Blair, Cyrville.
• In addition, the zoning on several Mainstreets
  will be examined.

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Secondary Plans

• Secondary Plans provide specific policies for
  areas identified within an Official Plan as
  requiring more detailed direction on topics such
  as land use, urban design and transportation. 
• A Secondary Plan is typically adopted as an
  amendment to the Citys Official Plan and
  outlines the goals, objectives and policies
  governing the development and redevelopment of
  land for the area to which it applies. 
• There are currently 27 Secondary Plans and
  equivalents in the Official Plan. (Volumes
  2a,2b,2c of the Official Plan)

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A CDP versus a Secondary Plan

• Community Design Plans
• The Community Design Plan is a framework within
  which decisions are made
• Provides all policies or strategies in one
  comprehensive plan
• Adopted as a Council Policy
• Listed, but not part of the OP
• Cannot be appealed to OMB
• Implemented through the Zoning By-law
• Changes to an CDP require Council approval and
  may require changes to the Zoning By-law
• Lower cost to amend.

• Secondary Plans
• It is a set of detailed land-use policies and
  designations within the jurisdiction of the
  Planning Act
• Provides only land use policies i.e. very
  defined in scope
• Adopted as part of OP
• Part of the OP
• Can be appealed to OMB
• Implemented as a separate legal document
• Changes to a Secondary Plan require an OP
  Amendment and may require a Zoning By-law
  amendment
• Higher cost to amend.

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Wellington CDP Example
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Urban Design Guidelines

• Urban Design Guidelines are used for reoccurring
  development types to assist in providing upfront
  expectations to developers and to provide
  consistent direction to similar development
  applications
• Large-Format Retail
• Drive-Through Facilities
• Gas Stations
• Greenfield Neighbourhoods
• Rural Villages
• Traditional Mainstreets
• Infill Housing
• High-Rise Housing
• Arterial Mainstreets

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Guidelines Example Large Format Retail

• Objectives of Design Guidelines
• To achieve interesting, high-quality
  architectural design for large-format retail
  buildings
• To enhance landscaping, public open space, and
  environmental performance of such developments
• To create comfortable and attractive pedestrian
  environments
• To enhance the streetscape along public streets
  and contribute to a high quality public space
• To protect and enhance the character and quality
  of the districts and neighbourhoods where
  large-format retail developments are located
• To promote development patterns that allow for
  future intensification.

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Zoning By-Law

• Zoning By-laws assist in carrying out the
  planning objectives of Council, expressed
  through the Official Plan.
• The Zoning By-law is a set of regulations that
  controls development in a specific geographic
  area
• Zoning By-laws are enabled by the Ontario
  Planning Act

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Zoning By-Law in Effect

• June 25, 2008 - City Council enacted a new
  Comprehensive Zoning By-law for the City
• October 23, 2008 - the Ontario Municipal Board
  approved the initial provisions of the
  Comprehensive By-law. As of October 2010, 95 of
  the new By-law is now in effect.
• Ontario Municipal Board will render decisions on
  remaining appeals in 2011

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Zoning By-law

• Your source for
• Definitions of different residential, commercial,
  and industrial zones and heights and densities in
  those zones
• Performance standards, e.g. setbacks from the lot
  lines and distances between buildings
• Parking requirements

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Zoning By-law and the Official Plan

• The following are some of the changes to zoning
  permissions in order to support implementation of
  policies of the Official Plan.
• Central Area
• Elimination of Floor Space Index restrictions
  that existed under former Ottawa on almost all
  areas designated Central Area.
• Mixed Use Centres
• Minimum height requirement of 6.7 m near rapid
  transit stations introduced.
• Traditional Mainstreets
• Maximum front yard setback introduced to bring
  buildings near front lot line.
• Arterial Mainstreets
• Substantial increase in height to 20 and 25
  metres in many arterial mainstreet areas .

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Zoning By-law and the Official Plan

• Policies Related to Intensification in the
  designated General Urban Area (outside
  Development Priority Areas)
• Addition of land use permissions for mid-high
  rise residential uses on existing shopping
  centres such as St. Laurent SC, Carlingwood SC,
  Billings Bridge SC).
• Policies Related to Employment Areas
• All stand-alone retail uses previously permitted
  under former zoning by-laws were eliminated.
• Protection of Heritage Resources
• Application of heritage overlay zoning provisions
  to all 120 individually designated properties
  (excluding Rockcliffe Park) outside old Ottawa.
• Policies Related to Promoting Alternative Modes
  of Transportation
• Shared parking reductions applied City wide, for
  all sites where mixed uses are developed

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Zoning By-law and the Official Plan

• Policies Related to More Efficient Use of Land
• Driveways to parking lots in traditional and
  arterial mainstreet developments need not be
  located on site, can be shared with other
  adjoining properties
• Policies to Maintain Environmental Integrity and
  Protection from Hazards
• Eliminate non- agricultural uses on lands
  designated Agriculture
• Policies related to Sustainable Land Use Planning
  and Community Greening
• Permit community gardens as a land use in most
  zones

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Requests for Zoning By-law amendment

• When the City receives a request for a Zoning
  By-law amendment, we review the request based on
  its impact on
• Change of use and externalities of the proposed
  use
• Will a change in density impact the character of
  the neighbourhood?
• Will there be adequate buffering between
  environmentally protected lands and neighbouring
  properties?
• Will there be adequate parking provided?

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Zoning By-Law Amendment Example
R3A
R3A
R1O
R2C
R3A
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Affordable Housing
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Context

• Over 350,000 Households
• 60 Own, 40 Rent
• The vacancy rate has been traditionally low,
  currently at 1.5.
• Only 7 of all housing built since 1996 has been
  rental accommodation
• Over 1/3rd of renters in Ottawa pay more than 30
  of their income on rent and this is expected to
  grow

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Basic Allowance Shelter Allowance Maximum Total Average market rent 1 bedroom Average market rent 2 bedroom
Ontario Works (OW)      
Single 216 356 572 817
Parent with two children 0-12 years 336 607 943 995
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)      
Single 566 454 1020 817
Parent with two children 0-12 years 709 775 1484 995

• The City provides shelter to over 1,100 homeless
  men, women and children every night
• Over 10,000 households on the centralized waiting
  list for rent-geared-income housing, 2,000
  households placed from the centralized waiting
  list each year

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Housing and Support Services
Housing

• Branch has 64.5 FTEs
• Partners with over 150 agencies

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Existing Subsidized Housing

• 22,000 units with 56 local housing providers
  (includes non-profits, co-ops and private
  landlords)
• Significant public and community asset (2.8
  billion replacement cost)
• Limited supply versus demand
• On average up to 2,000 households are housed off
  the Centralized Registry List

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Affordable Housing

1. Funding Sources
2. City Incentives and Tools
3. Action Ottawa
4. Specific Projects
5. Affordable Homeownership

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1. Funding

• Approximately 1217 units funded since 2003
• With 466 built and 751 under construction
• 2003-2008 - 25M City / 18 M Federal / 16 M
  Provincial
• 2009/10 39M combined Federal/Provincial
• City Funding Capital Grants, land and
  waiving/deferral of fees.

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1.2 Funding

• Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP)

• Currently in year 3 of a 5 year extension to AHP
  (2009 2013)
• Funding and program guidelines for years 3 to 5
  NOT available (2011 to 2013)
• Funding is significant and required to plan and
  leverage City resources.

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2.1 City Incentives and Tools

• Range of Tools and incentives
• Capital Funding
• Exemption and deferral of development charges
• Access to Surplus City Property
• Exemption of Planning Fees
• Grants in Lieu of Building Permit Fees
• New Multi Residential Tax Rate
• Municipal Capital Facilities By-law

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3. Action Ottawa

• Citys Affordable Housing Program
• Started in 2003 to provide/bundle incentives and
  capital to develop affordable rental and
  supportive housing
• Planning Committee and Council to approve
  priorities and Requirements to target funding
• Combines incentives such as capital grants,
  accessible grants, fee relief and development
  exemptions

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4. Recent Projects

• Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC)
  Beaver Barracks

• Phase I (160 units) occupied
• Mixed income community
• City Land provided 1
• Partnerships with support services agencies
• Subject to Downtown Urban Design Review and NCC
  Design Review
• Green Building Design

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4.1 Recent Projects

• Shepherds of Good Hope - The Oaks

• Conversion of apartment hotel to 55 units of
  supportive housing
• Unique partnership between Shepherds of Good
  Hope, Ottawa Inner City Health and Canadian
  Mental Health Association
• Affordable Housing worked with Sheperds of Good
  Hope for 2 years to help develop proposal
• Funded and converted in 2009/10

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4.2 Recent Projects

• Cornerstone Housing for Women

• Land Purchased under the Federal Homelessness
  Program Initiative
• Capital Funding provided from Action Ottawa and
  the AHP and the Anglican Diocese
• Energy Efficient Building Design
• Will Provide 42 supportive apartments for women

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5. Affordable Homeownership Programs

• City deferral of development charges at Somerset
  Gardens (2007/8)
• AHP Homeownership Component 138 households
  received federal/provincial down payment
  assistance since 2008
• Non-profit housing providers such as Habitat for
  Humanity, CADCO and Options for Homes develop
  affordable homeownership developments and
  increase affordability
• All loans and deferrals are secured by agreement
  and second mortgage with repayment provisions and
  exemptions following a 20 year period
• Subject to market fluctuations and changes to
  mortgage requirements

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Housing Services Branch
Moving Forward