Official plan's vagueness could spur unchecked development, residents argue
City councillors heard passionate concerns from nearly 100 delegations over 2 days
Ottawa's new official plan came under persistent criticism Thursday and Friday from a long list of public delegations, many concerned its lack of precise language could open the door to rapid intensification of neighbourhoods and loss of trees.
City staff have a vision to make Ottawa the "most liveable mid-sized city in North America," with denser areas near transit and along "minor corridors" they say would grow up slowly and gradually.
"It very much is a 21st-century plan that addresses 21st-century challenges with 21st-century approaches," policy planning manager Alain Miguelez said Thursday.
Many of the 96 people who spoke over the past two days, however, had dissected the lengthy document's sections and clauses and decided it's still not ready to become the formal blueprint for Ottawa's future.
Several community groups who've followed the plan's creation for the past couple of years maintain that, despite city staff's best efforts, it should be delayed until after next year's municipal election.
Language leaves loopholes
Some delegates warned the plan's wording would benefit developers to the detriment of communities.
Jack Waghorn, a retired developer of shopping malls and mixed-use buildings, said he used to look for ambiguous wording in city plans that could let his company build more densely and make more money.
"If I were to put my development hat back on, the current draft of the official plan contains a great deal of inconsistent language and loopholes that could be exploited to push the levels of neighbourhood intensification beyond what is intended," he said, speaking for a group called Engaged Alta Vista.
Mihailo Mihailovic, who has worked on federal building codes, agreed that non-enforceable words like "should" and "may" could see the city lose its control of development.
"Once it gets going, you're not going to be able to stop it," he cautioned.
Intensification consequences
Many of the groups said they don't oppose intensification, but rather want it done in a sensitive way that takes into account what makes individual neighbourhoods special.
An overarching concern is that neighbourhoods could lose trees, especially if buildings are allowed near or at the sidewalk. That could make urban areas even hotter as the climate changes.
Residents in older neighbourhoods like Carleton Heights and City View said their infrastructure dates to the 1950s and they don't see how it will keep up with the rapid change they're already seeing.
Ecology Ottawa's Robb Barnes suggested Ottawa might be better off emulating European cities like Paris or Barcelona, which manage to house families in denser buildings while still preserving trees. Architect Rosaline Hill, meanwhile, suggested simulation technology might help the city test how its policy changes could look on the ground.
For Neil Malhotra of Claridge Homes, the only way to resolve the conflicts between communities, developers and the City of Ottawa over intensification would be to have neighbourhood-level discussions.
"Establish how much a community is supposed to take in population, and then let them figure out where they want it," Malhotra said. "But they're going to have to understand they're getting it."
Tewin and urban expansion
Malhotra appeared with the Greater Ottawa Home Builders' Association to argue the City of Ottawa could exacerbate already-high housing prices by not planning enough units to meet population projections, and more homes on the city's outskirts might be needed.
Some delegates expressed concern about the 1,281-hectare expansion city council already agreed to, which includes creating a suburb called Tewin in order to allow economic development for the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO).
The AOO gave the very first presentation Thursday morning and faced questions about its partnership with developer Taggart Group.
Speakers further down the list shared their own concerns about that project. Some worried about the Leda clay soils it would be constructed upon, while others urged council to follow through on a promise to consult with First Nations communities beyond the AOO.
Kelly McInnis, whose home would be in the middle of Tewin, told council they'd "brought criticism upon themselves" for not following staff's original advice, which included studying the new suburb for five more years.
He said there were enough concerns about Tewin that council should "press pause" on that expansion, just as many have called for delay of the official plan as a whole.
The meeting is to resume Monday with councillors debating the official plan and its many expected amendments, before sending it to council on Oct. 27 and then to Ontario's minister of municipal affairs and housing for final approval.