'A great central park': Tower debate turns to future of experimental farm

City councillors are puzzled about how to handle highrise development around the Central Experimental Farm as they balance housing against science in the face of what some see as conflicting federal priorities.

The confusion prompted one councillor to wonder whether crops could be replaced with cattle and another to muse that the site could become Ottawa's Central Park. Several more called for a clear policy that, once and for all, would settle what can be built around the farm.

"The ground rules should be established," said River ward Coun. Riley Brockington. "If there are building height maximums or other ways to mitigate the detrimental damage to agricultural lands, that needs to be ironed out.

"It's not fair to the developers. It's not fair to the community that we have this discussion over and over again."

The debate was triggered by an application at planning committee Wednesday over three towers proposed for the corner of Baseline Road and Fisher Avenue. City staff recommended approval of just one 24-storey tower for now, amid concerns the others would cast large shadows over research fields and interfere with crop studies.

Developer Joey Theberge said pausing the two remaining towers could "jeopardize" the entire plan. Councillors endorsed the first tower and gave staff a January timeline to come back with a recommendation for the entire site.

Theberge later told CBC there is currently no option to move forward with the 320 housing units in tower one without an assurance the other two can go ahead.

Councillor perplexed by delaying towers

The prospect of delaying the three towers seemed to baffle and distress Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney.

"This one kind of perplexes me," said Tierney. "We keep talking about building more homes and we don't seem to want to truly support it. So I'm a little confused."

We keep talking about building more homes and we don't seem to want to truly support it.- Coun. Tim Tierney

He confronted several bureaucrats from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada who showed up at committee, asking how a federal department could obstruct plans for residential towers when housing is supposed to be at the top of the government's priority list.

Tierney said the experimental farm would make "a great central park." He asked for legal advice on the shadowing impacts.

A city lawyer confirmed "there's no statutory right to sunlight," even for the farm, though he said it can be a relevant planning concern.

Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill asked whether some of the research at the farm could be moved to other facilities within the agriculture department, such as in Carp or Portage la Prairie, Man.

He noted the federal housing minister wants the city to be bold in approving more housing density, especially along transit corridors like Baseline. In Hill's view, the shadowing concerns put councillors in a tight spot by asking them to "suck and blow at the same time."

Feds seek 'compromise' with city

Marie-Claude Guérard, an assistant deputy minister, said the department acknowledges the housing challenge in Ottawa. She said they want to be part of the solution and have joined a working group with city staff "to find a compromise." 

The group is slated to meet in December with the Baseline development among the first orders of business.

Another department official, Pascal Michel — director general for the Ontario-Québec Region for the science and technology branch — outlined what's at stake.

He said the farm has flat, well-drained fields, and the lands along Baseline are a "jewel" for agricultural research.

Brockington said he has no appetite to see the farm turned into a park nor does he want to see research driven away. He wants a high-level strategy with clear standards to protect it, instead of interminable debates over every project, whether on Carling Avenue or Baseline Road.

"You have this nationally significant piece of land in the heart of the city," he said. "I do believe it deserves protection. There's no federal protection, like a national park."

He agreed it's unclear precisely what the federal government wants or expects, and hopes the working group can pin down exactly what the department is willing to live with in terms of tower height around the farm.

Planning committee chair Jeff Leiper said council will continue to struggle with one-off debates over towers until there's a clear understanding on development around the park.

He expects a contentious discussion.

"That is something that we still have to explore in much greater depth ... what the long-term future of the farm is as a research institution," said Leiper.