The Lépine Corporation have submitted to the City a Zoning By-law Amendment Application for 1000 Robert Grant Avenue for a proposed new development in the Fernbank Lands neighbourhood.
The 2009 Fernbank Community Design Plan allows for commercial use and apartments up to nine storeys in the existing zoning along Robert Grant. The neighbouring Livery Street allows buildings up to six storeys under the design plan.
This new development proposes three residential apartment buildings in height from 5 storeys to 15 storeys, with a two-level parking garage providing 615 parking spaces and a surface parking lot with six parking spaces. Also included in the underground parking are spaces for 283 bicycles. There would be a total of 566 one-bedroom and two-bedroom rental units. A one storey community clubhouse with a pool, gym, meeting rooms and social areas is proposed for the centre of the site.
The applicant is requesting high-rise apartments be permitted with a maximum height of 15 storeys (54 metres) for the portion of the site fronting on Robert Grant Avenue. For the portion of the site abutting the R4Z Zone on Livery Street, an increase in height from 15 and 20 metres to 21 metres is requested. For the remainder of the Livery Street frontage, the height limit is currently 30 metres and is not proposed to change.
The applicant is also requesting an increase in the minimum interior side yard setback from 0 metres to 7.5 metres on the south side of the property to provide a larger buffer between the development and the abutting property. The proposed amendment includes a request to reduce the minimum required resident parking rate from 1.2 spaces per dwelling unit to 1.0 space per dwelling unit and to reduce the minimum required visitor parking rate from 0.2 spaces per dwelling unit to 0.1 spaces per dwelling unit.
You can see additional documents related to this proposal here.
Councillor Gower has commented and is troubled by this proposal — “Lépine is asking for a considerable increase to the allowable height. I am concerned that the overloaded infrastructure in the area – roads and transit – cannot currently support this development. We’re seeing massive growth in the Fernbank area and adjacent communities, but transportation projects like Robert Grant Avenue are still lagging years behind”.
The Stittsville Village Association (SVA) “opposes the proposed amendment, which seeks a significant adjustment of allowable height along with reduced parking. The extension of Robert Grant to Hazeldean and eventually to Palladium is many years away under current council priorities, as is rapid transit. The infrastructure is simply not in place to support the kind of density this development will bring, as well as others if we allow this to become the new benchmark for building height in that neighbourhood”.
Councillor Gower strongly encourages residents to make their comments and concerns known by sending feedback to Kathy.Rygus@ottawa.ca, the Development Review Planner on this proposal, and he would like you to copy him – glen.gower@ottawa.ca.
Comments must be submitted by November 5th. From the feedback received, the developer will be asked by the City to make changes to address community concerns.
A public meeting will be held in November with the date and details to be confirmed.
We cannot allow this project to be built in our community. I purchased in this neighbourhood because I didn’t want to stare at giant buildings when I look out my front window. The proposal with cause massive traffic obstructions, the infrastructure is not adequate to handle this increase.
This is what i don’t get people are upset becuase its a taller building but if they changed it to 2400 houses people would say nothing.
I am very unhappy to be reading about this proposed plan for Robert Grant. We purchased our home in Fernbank Crossing 5 years ago because it was portrayed as a quiet family community, not to stare at multiple 15 story buildings and have the entire area be overcrowded with people and cars. As stated in this article, not only is this less than ideal from a family friendly community perspective but the infrastructure to support it is not there and won’t be for years.
Wow, unbelievable that they would add this crazy amount of housing before adding to the infrastructure in the area. Schools are grossly overpopulated to the point, that I question the safety. Could they evacuate that many kids through exits built for a much smaller populated school, are there enough bathrooms?
I don’t think this complex would make much of a difference.
The land was already zoned for a high rise building. Those who were thinking of purchasing a house in the area around there should have checked the zoning of the vacant land. This area is in desperate need of rental units. Guess the current residents are “NIMBY” mentality unfortunately.
I’d like to know WHEN you were informed that area was zoned for high rise?? We bought here 3 years ago and Phoenix Homes showed me the proposed use as a Farm Boy, other box stores, possibly an LCBO. NEVER have we been told till now that there are high rises proposed and high density housing!!
So we did research what was planned before we bought!! How can things change in 3 years and residents are not advised (till it’s almost too late?) like closing the barn door after the horse got out.
We bought 4 MONTHS ago – and were told the exact same thing! This was not clear whatsoever! I’m so glad we have the community’s support – this is insane 🙁 I’m ready for battle haha
We need to more shopping areas vice houses and tall condo buildings all packed in down Fernbank. We should be focussing on areas for people to be able access shopping easily price having to drive all the way through Stittsville making even further congestion. Construction of neighborhoods is going up far too quickly without even any thinking going on.
This area is oversaturated with people for the current infrastructure. Traffic is backed up daily for long periods of time. People are speeding through our quiet neighbourhoods to avoid the delays. Transit has much to be desired for anyone commuting within Kanata or anywhere else in the city. The schools have more students in portables than in the actual building with capacities doubled. I don’t understand how this could be even suggested. It is completely irresponsible.
We are quite concerned about this overdevelopment in our quant community. We recently moved out here from Westboro to find a community again. Over building is not the answer. This is not attractive and the schools are already overcrowded. I can’t see this as one of the grand plans for this wonderful community. If the city lets this happen, it is a big fail.
Shelley and Dan Artuso.
Then what should we just keep expanding out build new subrurbs like there doing in Toronto.
This is crazy. City planners and developers MUST take infrastructure into account when making these decisions. Adding this much new housing before building any new school (not to mention transportation considerations) is completely irresponsible.
As a parent of three children currently attending the extremely overcrowded John Young Elementary School – which is in its current state due to the significant new building of trailwest, blackstone and Fernbank neighbourhoods – I’m incensed that any further building could be approved before a new school is completely built and ready for use.
Be honest a taller building or houses its the same amouunt of people.
I have written and I will be attending the community meeting. There is a great deal wrong with this development but we are so grateful that the community is coming together and standing up. We’re a young couple who just moved in 4 months ago, we’re not informed of this by anyone, and now are extremely concerned that this will ruin our perfect little home and neighbourhood 🙁 We love Stittsville! This will be devastating to us
I am somewhat in favour of this proposal as long as the City negotiates with the builder to reduce the number of storeys. I bought my home in Fernbank community and I feel that we lack diversity in the infrastructure of our community.
I believe that by accepting this project, the City will have no choice but to improve the public transportation that significantly lacks in our community and complete the road infrastructure such as the Robert Grant expansion sooner. This type of a dwelling will hopefully reduce the number of large scale development housing i.e. singles, townhomes projects in our area.
Stittsville in general is changing as it is becoming a City of its own. I believe that we should embrace this!
Keep Downtown Ottawa in Downtown Ottawa. We don’t want it here. We have already lost our farmsteads, and now you want to add insult to injury. Get out.
I thought the City declared a Climate Change Emergency. Oh, I get it. Declare it to get the money from the Province and then do nothing about it. Buildings like these add a lot of carbon to the environment, 2 steps backward. You either believe in Climate Change or you don’t; not just when its convenient, or financially beneficial. Somebody call Greta, quick!
when we bought our house 3 years ago, richcraft’s sales center pointed that this vacant land is going to be used for commercial plaza and community center. No mention of these buildings whatsoever. Is it not builder’s obligation to mention about such a large scale project earlier before selling houses?
This is a dumb idea. Why would you put high rise apartments in this zone around the towns and singles? Why do you want to ruin dreams of young families with kids? Initially, Fernbank developers told that the area was zoned for business or village towns. Then, we hear it is zoned for 9-storey buildings. Who made this zoning change decision and why? Now, the corporate greed is seeking a zone change for 15-storey buildings. As a new resident of Westwood neighborhood, I strongly oppose this proposal. This unacceptable and outrageous. It is quite unfortunate that the City of Ottawa has lost its sight and vision for the city development. We need shops and plaza in the area not a high rise. I chose this neighborhood because I needed quite and family friendly environment despite the fact that I have to commute for an hour to my work. Unfortunately, I feel betrayed by the City.