(The proposed Hazeldean Heights development looking North on Savage Drive. Images – Fotenn Planning + Design, Figurr Architects Collective)
Long-time Stittsville business owner, Phil Sweetnam, shared comments he submitted to Colette Gorni, City of Ottawa Development Review Planner for the Hazeldean Road/Savage Drive proposed development project, as well as to Councillor Glen Gower. He shared his submitted comments with Stittsville Central for the attention of residents.
Mr. Sweetnam’s submitted remarks:
Re: File Number D02-02-25-0070 – Application for a Zoning By-law Amendment
Comments on the proposed development at the intersection of Savage Drive and Hazeldean Road
I appreciate the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed development at the intersection of Savage Drive and Hazeldean Road. While I understand the need for increased density along major arterials such as Hazeldean Road, I object to this development unless the following conditions are addressed in the development agreement. I have set out below several concerns that I believe merit careful consideration.
First, parking availability raises significant concerns. The proposal includes a total of 456 residential units across three buildings, yet only 234 parking spaces are provided, including visitor parking. This equates to approximately 0.51 parking spaces per residential unit. In addition, no parking is proposed for the 438 m² ground-floor commercial space. As a result, it appears that commercial tenants and customers would be forced to rely on visitor parking, which is unlikely to be sufficient. (Note 1) This shortfall may result in overflow parking spilling into surrounding neighbourhoods or require residents and visitors to seek parking in adjacent communities.
When the city provided early approval for the apartments on Robert Grant before infrastructure was in place, a local developer contributed $10M (the cost of developing Robert Grant) which recently opened. The development of these 456 units with such limited parking requires the expansion of OC Transpo services along Hazeldean Road. Based on the current infrastructure, a mid rise density development to achieve the higher densities particularly given existing delays in increased infrastructure would fit in more appropriately with the existing infrastructure. I do recognize that Hazeldean Road is an appropriate location for taller buildings. That said, current transit service does not appear robust enough to support this level of density, especially when paired with limited on-site parking. (Note 2) Even with incremental improvements, such as additional bus routes along Hazeldean and other arterial roads, the overall network may still fall short if local connectivity remains constrained.
An appropriate alternative to delaying the development would be for the developer to provide a substantial appropriate contribution as determined by OC Transpo’s staff, of something like $500,000 to enhance priority on services for Hazeldean Road to assist in bus deposits. These funds would be recovered as they would be prepaid development fees. We understand that there is a delay in bus deliveries however, the funds could be used to pre-order new buses. Presently buses are operating well beyond their expected service life which has led to many bus cancellations. It does not seem to be inappropriate to expect the builder to up front (at the time of approval) some of the recoverable purchase cost of the buses needed especially when the building reaches partial completion of construction and will definitely be required at the time 250 units are rented.
Second, this area appears to be under-serviced with respect to recreational amenities for children and families. In particular, there is a lack of accessible playground space with basic equipment such as swings and slides. The City should commit to directing all recreational fees toward upgrading the park on Savage Drive (currently owned by the City,) into a functional park that offers a safe and welcoming place for children to play. This park is within 28m of the south end of the development property. It would be a benefit not only to the residents of the apartment building but also to the residents of the nearby area. Having the park easily accessible on foot or by bike would mitigate the congestion caused by additional people causing extra traffic and street parking along Denham Way and Savage Drive.
In summary, I object to the process unless the following conditions are satisfied. Overall, I would feel more comfortable supporting this development if the following conditions were better addressed:
- A) Transit service operating at a truly functional and reliable level that does not waste hours of riders’ time.
- B) Interim parking solutions provided onsite or nearby until transit service becomes more viable. When the occupancy reaches 250 units, the developer should be required to demonstrate that additional modest cost parking is available in the nearby communities. Surface parking is relatively easy to convert into other uses when no longer needed.
- C) Appropriate setbacks, privacy measures, and neighbourhood transition considerations are respected
Thank you for considering these comments. I hope they are helpful as part of the review process.
Best Regards,
Phil Sweetnam
Note 1: I have some concerns regarding the long-term viability of the proposed commercial space. If the businesses are intended to primarily serve residents within the development and are priced accordingly, they may succeed. However, if off-site customers are required to sustain these businesses, the lack of parking and limited transit accessibility could pose significant challenges.
Note 2: To illustrate, consider a practical, everyday scenario: a parent attempting to drop off children at two different schools with start times an hour apart, and then having to commute to work on a fixed schedule. If such a routine requires two to three hours due to limited transit options or indirect routes, it becomes highly impractical for many households.
(Editor’s note: While projects such as this can be part of Ottawa’s housing solution, they are not the answer when proposed for an older Stittsville neighbourhood such as the Savage Drive area.
Short history: Some of the existing homes were constructed more than 60 years ago as you see by the black squares on the 1961 map below that shows Savage Drive (south side of Hazeldean), John Street (now Johnwoods on the north side of Hazeldean), the Fringewood Trailer Park, along with homes and farms along Hazeldean Road before reaching the Carp River. Poole Creek also flows nearby, with many trees and forested areas in the neighbourhood at that time. It has been a close-knit neighbourhood for many years. (The photo for the creation of this map was taken by Survair Limited for the Survey and Mapping Branch of the Department of Energy, Mines and Research in 1961.)
VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE. I HOPE THAT IT RECEIVES ATTENTION AND ACTION BY ALL INVOLVED
There are so many large developments slated for this area, but they are failing to address how the current power grid intends to handle this load. There are no upgrades being done and Stittsville loses power way more often than other areas of the city. One would think after the derecho that things would’ve been fortified, but it’s not the case. The wind blows and the power goes out. We all pay for the same service, but the level we get here in Stittsville is not equal and that must be addressed before adding to the already stressed and well-aged grid.