What we heard at our Official Plan workshop in Stittsville

by | Nov 18, 2019 | Development

What we heard at our Official Plan workshop in Stittsville

La version française suit

Thanks to everyone who joined us on October 24 to take part in our Official Plan workshop.  Over 60 residents attended and heard a presentation from City staff followed by a hands-on session to share feedback and ideas about how Ottawa should grow over the next few decades.  Here’s a summary of what we heard and what you shared over the course of the evening.

Executive summary

On October 24, 2019 residents from a variety of communities in Stittsville  gathered to receive an introductory presentation on the 5 Big Moves of the New Official Plan and to engage in discussions to provide their feedback on these concepts.

Residents took the time to provide responses to the 5 Big Moves of Growth, Mobility, Urban Design, Resilience and Economy. They also shared additional ideas they felt should be considered in the New Official Plan.

Key ideas around growth were focussed on ensuring growth was supported with infrastructure development, for both roads as well as recreation and services as well as being respectful to the neighbourhood character. There was a desire that growth would lead to increased supply of housing, increasing diversity and affordability of units. In mobility there was a very strong theme in the discussions around the need to improve public transit. Improving the walkability and cycling infrastructure was a second prominent theme.

The major theme in the urban design discussions was sustainability, both in green design and protecting green spaces. In the resiliency section that was added to with a desire to see an increased green canopy of trees. Also, in resiliency there was a regular idea of organizing community hubs for recreation and services. Finally, in the economy discussions the idea of more creative workspaces, such as working from home or local work sharing spaces, was the most common feedback.

The full list of ideas were shared with the Planning team responsible for drafting the New Official Plan. You can review these responses/ideas from the group by each Big Move below.

Atelier sur le Plan officiel à Stittsville – Ce qu’on nous a dit

Merci à tous ceux et celles qui se sont joints à nous le 24 octobre dernier à l’occasion de notre atelier sur le Plan officiel. Plus de 60 résidents ont assisté à la présentation du personnel de la Ville et ont ensuite donné leurs commentaires et exprimé leurs idées sur la croissance d’Ottawa dans les prochaines décennies. Voici un résumé de ce qu’on nous a dit et des commentaires recueillis lors de cette soirée.

Résumé

Le 24 octobre 2019, des résidents de divers secteurs de Stittsville se sont rassemblés pour assister à une présentation introductive sur les cinq grands changements du nouveau Plan officiel ainsi que pour discuter et donner leurs commentaires à ce sujet.

Les résidents ont eu l’occasion de donner leur avis sur les cinq grands changements (croissance, mobilité, conception urbaine, résilience et économie) et ont aussi donné leurs suggestions quant aux autres éléments qui devraient selon eux être pris en compte dans le nouveau Plan officiel.

Concernant la croissance, les résidents étaient d’avis qu’il faut surtout qu’elle s’accompagne d’un développement des infrastructures, tant pour le réseau routier que pour les loisirs et les services, et qu’elle soit respectueuse du caractère des quartiers. Ils souhaitent que la croissance se traduise par une augmentation de l’offre de logements et par une plus grande diversité et une meilleure abordabilité. En matière de mobilité, les discussions ont principalement porté sur la nécessité d’améliorer le transport en commun. L’amélioration du potentiel piétonnier et des infrastructures cyclables suivait de près.

Pour ce qui est de la conception urbaine, les discussions ont été essentiellement axées sur le développement durable, tant en matière de conception écologique que de protection des espaces verts. Concernant la résilience, les résidents étaient d’avis qu’il faut accroître le nombre d’arbres formant le couvert forestier; l’idée de créer des carrefours communautaires pour les loisirs et les services est aussi souvent ressortie des discussions. Enfin, sur le plan de l’économie, les commentaires portaient principalement sur la nécessité de rendre les espaces de travail plus créatifs, pensons notamment aux espaces partagés et au télétravail.

La liste complète des idées a été transmise à l’équipe d’urbanisme chargée de rédiger le nouveau Plan officiel. Ces idées et commentaires sont classés ci-dessous selon les cinq grands changements.

Growth:

  • 50% not high enough intensification
  • Old malls should not sit vacant, high rise or other housing
  • Airbnb regulate better so we don’t have functionally vacant housing
  • Develop roads before (with) communities
  • Possibly bring improvements to existing infrastructure
  • Infrastructure is not built before housing
  • Expansion is destroying green space
  • Stop rezoning things
  • Consider that the approval process for new policy in inadequate
  • My house built in the 60’s next to a townhouse built in 2017
  • Lacking public services to support the growth: more schools, clinics, hospitals, libraries
  • Lacking infrastructure to support growth: larger streets, fire stations, parking, walkable streets, no sidewalks
  • Growth builds more diverse communities
  • Recreation spaces, transit access, reliable transit, access to parks and outdoor spaces, improve and increase public services to support increased growth
  • Require housing for lower and middle income i.e. apartments for lower incomes, young employers
  • Require cooperative housing
  • Secondary plans need to relook at zoning for lower- and middle-income families
  • Purpose built rental housing needs to be introduced
  • Make sure there is enough affordability and accessibility
  • On Stitsville main, most of the ‘intense’ buildings have only stairs or elevators so small, they only accommodate one-wheel chair
  • Don’t overdo high rises, especially downtown, don’t want to kill the vitality of the inner City of Ottawa
  • We don’t like Bill 108; our Official Plan should be the final arbiter – no over rules or over rides
  • How are we going to accomplish the shift in attitudes and values related to our homes, i.e. Shifting away from single family units or doubling density?
  • Will our established neighbourhoods be preserved?
  • Low skyline level multi-unit buildings as opposed to Highrise
  • Width of street to height of building ratio/guidelines
  • Encourage multi-generational park usage, chess in the park
  • Multi-use buildings, shops on ground floor, apartments above
  • Preserve the greenbelt
  • Intensification in existing neighbourhoods great, but must ensure infrastructure can accommodate
  • Intensification should prioritize walkable and cycle friendly neighbourhoods
  • Ensure communities have surrounding farms to enable people to purchase/grow local food
  • More rental housing, affordable and near transit
  • Save the red barn on Hazeldean
  • Infill more in line with the existing community and graduated approach
  • Intensification and expand, infrastructure need to be in place before
  • Large space of Ottawa vs cities in Europe over a smaller landmass
  • Need to have a strong official plan that does not change with a new council
  • Intensification with respect, not having everyone on top of each other
  • Housing in current neighbourhood
    • Pros: existing infrastructure
    • Available housing
    • Cons: over-intensification
    • Transportation/parking issues
  • Expanding into new land
    • Pros: Density
    • Opportunity for affordable housing
    • Cons: Urban sprawl (strain city services0
    • Deforestation and wildlife displacement
  • Priority for City growth
    • Walkability
    • Greenspaces with trails within neighbourhoods
    • Adequate parking space for dwellings
    • Road infrastructure to support populations
    • Developer accountability including stronger development plan policies
    • Yes, keeping a balance is key to success
  • Con – come from a smaller community and there can be higher level of stress with people being more closely housed; does that contribute to more crime? More mental illness?
  • Also, with expanding outwards and losing land;
  • Need climate change mitigation in with keeping green space green – need to keep 50% green space
  • Need to properly design intensification so that there is easy access to green space for everyone
  • Need to ensure there is affordable housing and ensure there are plane for mixed housing, requiring % of new development to be affordable
  • Need to ensure that city services are planned to be able to be delivered into rural areas (consultations are one, but so are recreation facilities, public health, TRANSIT)
  • Pros: Increase population to sustain local business
  • Cons: Losing greenspace
  • Cons: Heavy traffic flow
  • Priority:
    • Must keep some greenspace
    • The need for more parks in new developments
    • Must include the additional traffic concerns that will come with all the new developments
    • Would prefer to not expand into new lands
  • Diversity of housing good but no high density before more road infrastructure and parks and spaces
  • Complete planned roads on time IAW the existing city street plan. Add additional road infrastructure as appropriate – to reduce congestion
  • Reverse Abbott Street to a 50-60km speed zone (as designed and was previously)

 

Mobility:

  • Carp Road to be widened
  • Main st character and more walkable, reduce traffic
  • More transportation (public) – LRT to west end
  • Biking safety within communities and connecting to others
  • Use prince of wales bridge, pedestrian and bikes at least
  • Improved sidewalks and public transit
  • Walkable communities safe roads for children
  • More reasonable goal would be 50/50
  • No sidewalks, lots of traffic speeding, no room for parking on streets or buses going by
  • Can the trans Canada trail be converted to a public transit route – train?
  • Provide larger park and rides
  • More dedicated bus lanes
  • Provide larger buses and more buses in peak areas
  • Traffic calming studies need to be on many streets
  • Like the idea of affordability being building for some disadvantaged groups
  • What about an electrical transport infrastructure?
  • What mechanisms will be put in place to monitor adherence to the OP
  • We need more buses if you don’t want us driving
  • Idea: use the investments to make transit system free, you’ll meet your GHG emission targets
  • Metrolinx in Toronto: excellent service levels and then builds highways
  • Operate at a loss for a few years
  • Many improved services/opportunities/facilities over the years but traffic getting worse
  • Public transportation not frequent enough
  • Transpo options to quickly get outside of Stittsville without the ‘milk run’
  • Peak Transpo service good but too crowded
  • Transition points between LRT and Bus not working, especially getting off LRT and on bus
  • More crosswalks, make it more pedestrian friendly to cross street
  • Walking on sidewalks and roads in winter is treacherous
  • More walking/cycling friendly
  • Designated bike lanes especially on Stittsville main st
  • Fewer parking spots to discourage driving
  • Make parking expensive to encourage transport
  • As city expands, outlying areas need better bus/train
  • Transit service must be walkable distance and more frequent (every 30 mins or less)
  • Transit system should offer service within community as well as to city core
  • Better cycling trails to promote safe cycling
  • No connectivity within or between communities
  • Better lighting on streets for safety when cycling/walking
  • Ongoing development into agricultural land requiring extended services ie. Bus
  • Maintenance of roads
  • Connection between parks and rec centres
  • Trans Canada trail and rail history
  • Streets need to be wide enough for 2 cars
  • Public transit from Stittsville to downtown problematic
  • Alternate routes – bypass/ring road (toll?)
  • More LRT lines – too many people
  • Rideshare incentive /connections – too many single drivers – special commuter busses to dwntwn
  • Land use that promotes less driving – home, work and shopping closer together
  • Timing of infrastructure – revisit concurrently – don’t need to be sequential (transportation first?)
  • Weather is a major barrier – bikes, cars.
  • Plowing – App to see where plow is so I don’t have to shovel twice
  • Ideally yes; however, the bulk of employment is in the city core, and most growth is in the suburbs (due to affordability)
  • City layout is not transit friendly compared to cities like Toronto that have a grid of major roads East-West and North-South
  • Create partnerships with employers to look at the alternative work arrangements away from the city core (Gov of Canada piloting satellite offices away from City core)
  • Issue of insuring there is accessible and affordable transit – yes, we support majority trips by walking, cycling, public transit
  • Need reliable transit (and we aren’t there yet). Park N Rid is always full so not reliable; few options if you are not direct on the LRT line; LRT not reliable
  • Ensure that Active Transport is designed even for rural roads – design for biking/walking in less urban settings
  • Recognize there are financial implications, we need those bike lanes in all our communities
  • Solution – should we tax vehicles going into the city core
  • Larger bike parking lots at transit stops (ours is minimal)
  • Accessibility by design
  • I agree with the goal of having the majority of trips by walking etc.
  • The barriers I see are the lack of enough public transit to West end. The transit we do have is unreliable.
  • We need a more developed transit system to Kanata and Stittsville
  • Extend the LRT Phase 3 ASAP to Stittsville
  • Need to accommodate all modes of transportation including automobile (electric/hybrid autos)
  • Energy production embedded in future planning (ex: SMR, (Nuclear) solar, wind, biogas)
  • Garbage collection/waste management integration in plan/energy
  • Affordable housing priority near LRT
  • Sustainable mobility dev to not focus on downtown. Rather connect to “outside” nodes

 

Urban Design:

  • Restrict ability to pave over green space on private parking, storm water management
  • Keep Trans Canada trail
  • Natural spaces, larger buffers around small towns
  • Fewer strip malls, more corner stores accessible by walking
  • Mixed use needs to be varied in sizes to encourage doctors and clinics and other services to come to Stittsville
  • Details in the document were a bit vague
  • Really like the idea of a city of communities, important to mental health to have a place you belong
  • Like the intergenerational aspect
  • Don’t forget the pets, is the active transportation and public transit pet friendly
  • Recycling bins with lids
  • Maintain historical features
  • Design new developments w/more efficiency – eg garage not big enough for van – driveway too short
  • Look to other countries – Sweden – no cars allowed into certain section of community – community parking – living area = lots of green space – garden – more social
  • More co-op housing – people can share – social support
  • More greenhouses / solar panels on roofs ex: Montreal. Fresh yields daily. Lufa farms – hydroponic rooftops – “only need to convert 19 average size malls to feed all of Montreal”
  • No more 1 story malls – build up – put apartments on top
  • Repurpose Cdn Tire Centre if team moves – rec facility for public – more roundabouts
  • Neighbourhood is very” cookie cutter”
  • City ought to require diversity in development plan proposals
  • Need that buffer around unique “village” feel
  • Keep mature canopy and planting more
  • Shea Woods – city purchasing 5 acres from the developer
  • Maintain green space in communities
  • Keep those farmer stone features as example
  • Stittsville Main Street is a mess. It’s far too busy with construction trucks and more vehicle traffic than it was built to handle.
  • We would love to see Stittsville Main cleaned up with benches along the road to encourage more walkability
  • All new developments should be required to add these features to the project.
  • Build streetscape friendly parking areas
  • Walkability
  • Planners should review previous plans to ensure lessons are learned
  • Connections between “Live”,”Work”,”Play”. These divides must be considered
  • Small communities vs one large City
  • Points of services should be dispersed = help to reduce transportation needs
  • Timing matters svcs/tpt/comms must be driving development priorities, not the other way
  • Investment in infra (comms, amenities)
  • Help home businesses develop
  • Special characters/designation of Ottawa as a National Capital
  • Enhance alignment of Federal/muni plans (ie NCC/Ottawa, etc.)
  • Develop transportation nodes in suburban/villages to connect to ‘Ring’ into downtown
  • Autonomous vehicle corridors
  • Policy in supply chain to manage congestion

 

Resiliency:

  • Respect some of the trees already in areas
  • Carbon neutral building, must include technology to generate power
  • Waste management, improve/mandate recycling and green bin
  • Fund/support solar panels
  • Plant more natives species plants
  • Don’t cut medians/on ramps of highways
  • Car charging hubs
  • More trees
  • Sustainable building green
  • I don’t want another moose on the highway
  • LEEd will policy ever require green building to become the norm? Make all buildings, old and new to be built sustainably
  • Why not use the green belt as urban canopy, plant some trees?
  • Zero emission houses – good!
  • Don’t build in flood plains
  • Activities in the park to encourage more community events, gathering to get to know each other
  • Public washrooms in parks and along Hazeldean road
  • More tree planting in new developments, ensure trees are taken care of afterwards
  • Green space in new developments/infills
  • Mature trees, nice size, lots of parks
  • Bury more wires due to environmental challenges, ice storm, tornadoes
  • More charging stations, electrical cars are the way of the future
  • Trails, trees, parks
  • Noise is a challenge – intensification brings more noise
    • Road design with traffic calming features
    • Design community spaces as hubs where non-city programs can be co-located (Stittsville Library/Fire Station/Foodbank
    • Commitment to social infrastructure like funding for SDOH
  • Strengthen partnerships with health and community
    • Public health>well baby, STI Clinics
    • CHCs and CRCs> counselling, seniors drop-ins
    • Need small community hubs and meetings spaces
  • Active Transport make for more environmentally resilient
    • Add more water faucets along the trails and repair stations along the way
    • Build more bike racks (significantly) (mandated req’d # of bike spots like car spots)
  • Packaging – single use plastics
  • Integrate agricultural area into residential
  • Incentives for businesses to use more enviro-friendly products
  • More walkable – paths w/ trees – parks w/ trees
  • Pick the right trees – ones that provide shade and grow quickly – fruit trees in parks
  • More community garden space
  • Mosquito issue – ways to attack problem – bat houses? Attraction – Battawa!!
  • Incentivize community associations – can accomplish many things together
  • More clinics – family doctors – in Stittsville
  • Stittsville/Kanata health Hub – Satellite hospital?
  • More walk-in clinics, physios
  • Lack of citizen participation in green bin initiative
  • Inadequate access to medical facilities including advanced medical centres (ie hospitals)
  • Insufficient number of waling/cycling trails
  • Innovative promotional/educational campaigns to up green bin usage and recycling
  • Require developers to include practical walking/cycling paths in their development plan proposals; integrated neighbourhoods
  • Almost impossible to ride a bike down Stittsville Main
  • Walking not much better
  • This encourages more cars being used
  • Banning heavy construction vehicles, beautifying the street, check out the businesses available to them.
  • Give them time to look without someone beeping their horn.
  • Mandatory berms like in Winnipeg to prevent flooding on private
  • Manage your intensity of housing (more policing and protection) property
  • Integrate cultural change in ‘sustainable’ living with development plan
  • Snow management/cleaning priorities
  • Integration of “community resources centres” as key hubs w/in communities
  • Will help in community resiliency (by the people for the people)
  • Ecosystem based resiliency building
  • Integrate high intensity residential w commercial (Commerce on Main/Apt above)
  • Mgmt of capital funding for social housing iot balance needs/offer
  • Regulate demand

Economy:

  • Mainstreet needs to be increased with more development
  • Should serve the communities and not the businesses
  • Like the relaxation of constraints around knowledge-work employers
  • Economic development should consider ‘good jobs’ not just number of jobs
  • Look for employers with a social conscience
  • Minimum wage trap
  • Encourage work near where you live
  • More interesting shops/eateries on Stittsville main, encourage walkability, less strip malls
  • Supporting entrepreneurs that do not impact the neighbourhood, ie. Contractors parking their large trucks, trailers on the roads
  • Do more things locally (ie more food locally)?
  • Policy that drives ie/100km to get our supplies
  • Support local agriculture, lower barriers to people having small food stands to sell food
  • Like the barn on Abbott on Main St as a small hub to have them sell there
  • Support more community gardens > promote this more
  • Would like to see if building that has “X” # of people it must be on a transit line > need to make it connected to transit (example the problems with the new DND bldg. And parking and lousy transit)
  • Change policy from # of parking spots to planning for active transit (more LRT/Bus/Bike/Walkability)
  • Work – integrate working from home/others
  • Work sharing spaces – reinvent libraries? – better hours
  • Community spaces
  • Integrate work spaces w/residential.
  • Eg Adobe in Little Italy
  • Less fancy condos w/ shared space = lower affordable condo fees
  • Less density, particularly in the suburbs
  • Green space that is properly maintained by City of Ottawa / Ville d’Ottawa
  • Keep the greenery that Ottawa is famous for.
  • Reasonable commute, ideally within walking or cycling range
  • Businesses need help to do City wide recycling (similar to residence)
  • We all need to move to green not just private citizens
  • Economic development to be dispersed/distribute development, help in tpt issues
  • Family health svcs decentralized
  • TPT choke point, vs centralized
  • Design roads to future needs
  • Integrate Gatineau Plan
  • Policy allowing for current and future to be adapted to realities