175 Richmond Rd - Zoning By-Law Amendment, Site Plan + Open House Webinar

A Zoning By-Law Amendment application (with Site Plan to follow) has been submitted for the proposed development at 175 Richmond Rd. Prior to this application, a Zoning By-law Amendment application (D02-02-11-0102) was submitted in 2011 and approved for this property in order to amend the zoning from ‘General Industrial, Subzone 1 – IG1’ to ‘Traditional Mainstreet – TM’ with site-specific zoning provisions. In 2012 Council approved the application which permits: A nine-storey mixed-use building along Richmond Road with a stepback above the second floor along Richmond Road and Kirkwood Avenue, and a stepback above the sixth floor for the area closest to the western lot line; and, a six-storey residential building along Kirkwood Avenue with a stepback above the second floor for the portion of the building fronting on Kirkwood Avenue and townhouses along the northern portion of the site. The decision from Council was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) by the Canadian Bank Note Company Limited, the owner of the land located directly across Kirkwood Avenue to the east at 145 Richmond Road. The Canadian Bank Note Company has operated as an industrial printing and manufacturing site at this location since the 1950s and the site is considered as an industrial stationary noise source by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The basis for the appeal was that by changing the zoning from ‘General Industrial – IG’ to ‘Traditional Mainstreet -TM’, noise-sensitive residential dwelling units would be permitted in close proximity to an industrial noise source, contrary to Environmental Noise Guidelines. 

At the time of the appeal, there was no mechanism available for the City of Ottawa to approve an increase in permissible noise levels for a residential development in proximity to a stationary noise source. Following the 2012 application and subsequent appeal, the MOECP updated its Environmental Noise Guidelines, which were subsequently adopted by the City of Ottawa via Official Plan Amendment #167 in 2016. The new guidelines allowed for Council to consider new Class 4 Stationary Noise Guidelines in redevelopment scenarios where noise sensitive uses are proposed in close proximity to existing stationary noise sources. The guidelines acknowledge that an area may have historically higher noise levels, but that new residential units can coexist with industrial and manufacturing uses with stationary noise sources. The Official Plan was amended to give Council, at its discretion, the ability to identify appropriate sites for Class 4 designations, on a case-by-case basis. The CBN appeal is ongoing and Claridge has considered means to move forward with a residential development that is compliant with the MOECP guidelines based on the application to a Class 4 designation.

The CBN has shared noise data with Claridge for the purposes of preparing an additional noise study to determine impacts and mitigation. Through this study, noise contours have been mapped on the property. Based on these contours, the six-storey building location is proposed to be shifted toward the western interior lot line, outside of the noise contour areas, resulting in a development that complies with the Class 4 designation. No change is required to the proposed nine-storey building.

This application is made to add the subject property to Ottawa’s Environmental Noise Guidelines as a Class 4 designated area and to rezone the site to a Traditional Mainstreet zone with a revised schedule to set back the six-storey building further from Kirkwood in accordance with the Class 4 designation.

Therefore the following changes to the application require a Zoning By-Law Amendment:

• The location and footprint of the 6 story building has changed, triggering changes to the interior, corner side yard and landscaping.
• The location of the 6 storey building has shifted to respond to noise criteria

We are hosting a community open house webinar to discuss these changes further with the community. 

Wednesday, September 23 at 7:00pm

Please click the link below to join the webinar: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86159401197

Password: 781133

During the open house webinar, the applicant and their team will run through the proposed development in more detail, and we will take questions from those watching. In order to join, you just need to download Zoom and click the link provided. You will then be prompted to use the password, and sign in with your name and e-mail address.

We will be recording the webinar and posted it online afterwards for anyone who is unable to attend on September 23. 

Please consider sending us feedback on the proposed development via Jeff.Leiper@ottawa.ca and / or Fiona.Mitchell@ottawa.ca as well as to the lead planner on the file Simon, via Simon.Deiaco@Ottawa.ca.