The City of Ottawa has received a request to amend the zoning by-law to allow a commercial development at the south west corner of Fernbank and Shea. The land is currently Rural Countryside Zone (RU), and the proposal seeks to change that to General Mixed Use Zone (GM)
The proposed development would include a grocery store, restaurant and retail stores at 5960 Fernbank Road. All of those uses fall within “General Mixed Use”, and since the land is part of the general urban area the rezoning will likely be approved.
The land is former farmland, and has been owned by William “Bill” Davidson since 1975. Davidson now lives in Pakenham but grew up on the farm. Planning documents refer to the land as “Clydesdale Meadows”.
According to a document prepared by planning consultants Fotenn: “Mr. Davidson intends to develop the overall site with 5,511m2 of retail (consisting of a grocery store measuring 3,720m2 , a retail store measuring 1,278m2 , and retail store measuring 513m2 ) and a 550m2 restaurant. The commercial uses will be supported by 331 parking spaces. There is also a central pedestrian corridor which links Fernbank Road with a proposed subdivision south of the subject site, more specifically with a park proposed as part of the subdivision. Due to the way that the site is bisected by a hydro corridor, the proposed buildings were placed within the limited developable space. The proposed concept seeks to maximize the limited development potential and offer maximum flexibility for future construction.”
(This proposal is in the very early stages of the planning process and it’s far to early to say what grocery store or restaurant would fill the space.)
You can read more about the plan here on ottwatch.ca. Comments can be made to planner Mike Schmidt at the City of Ottawa, 613-580-2424 x13431.