A block north of 1081 Carling
on sunny mornings in December:
this is about the brightest it will get
on sunny mornings in December:
this is about the brightest it will get
Artist’s conception — view from Hamilton Ave. South at Inglewood
What's New
Taggart submits revised proposal for 1081 Carling, ignores criticism from City’s Urban Design Review Panel
Oct. 28, 2022—Taggart Realty submitted its revised application to redevelop 1081 Carling Ave. Oct. 25, despite significant concerns raised by the City’s Urban Design Review Panel (UDRP) about the size of the development and transition to the bordering neighbourhood. The UDRP said the site is suitable for only a single tower. The revised proposal still lacks height transition from surrounding homes and is too large for the site. CHNA will respond by Nov. 10, and residents are encouraged to respond as well.
The proposed changes cut 3 storeys from the east tower and 6 storeys from the west one. The street-level “podium” is 4 storeys, cut down from 6 storeys, and has a brick cladding (see the full proposal). But the height still exceeds the 45-degree angular plane required by the City’s high-rise guidelines.
To respond to the resubmission, send a brief response through the website or a longer response to the City planner, Kimberley Baldwin (Kimberley.Baldwin@ottawa.ca). Please copy CHNA’s 1081 Carling subcommittee (info@chnaottawa.ca) and Councillor Jeff Leiper (Jeff.Leiper@ottawa.ca).
The proposed changes cut 3 storeys from the east tower and 6 storeys from the west one. The street-level “podium” is 4 storeys, cut down from 6 storeys, and has a brick cladding (see the full proposal). But the height still exceeds the 45-degree angular plane required by the City’s high-rise guidelines.
To respond to the resubmission, send a brief response through the website or a longer response to the City planner, Kimberley Baldwin (Kimberley.Baldwin@ottawa.ca). Please copy CHNA’s 1081 Carling subcommittee (info@chnaottawa.ca) and Councillor Jeff Leiper (Jeff.Leiper@ottawa.ca).
What's Happening at 1081 Carling Avenue?
Taggart Realty Management has applied to the City to build two residential towers at 1081 Carling Avenue at Parkdale. The proposed rezoning is a concern for nearby residents as well as for the broader Civic Hospital neighbourhood. The developer’s proposal for towers of 22 and 28 storeys would set a precedent for height and density of future developments along the Carling boundary of the neighbourhood from Island Park to the O-Train, including Old Irving Place, Bayswater, Fairmont, and Holland.
CHNA supports development in our community that respects the Official Plan and applicable guidelines. But this proposal for 1081 Carling is not consistent with the Official Plan in effect at the time of the proposal, or with the Urban High-rise Guidelines and Guidelines for Arterial Mainstreets. CHNA is asking for changes to Taggart’s proposal to allow intensification while respecting the community.
CHNA supports development in our community that respects the Official Plan and applicable guidelines. But this proposal for 1081 Carling is not consistent with the Official Plan in effect at the time of the proposal, or with the Urban High-rise Guidelines and Guidelines for Arterial Mainstreets. CHNA is asking for changes to Taggart’s proposal to allow intensification while respecting the community.
What are the issues?
Select from the issues below to learn more about specific problems with Taggart’s proposal.
height, transition and density — incompatible with the character of the neighbourhood (read more)
The proposed towers far exceed the current zoning height restriction of 30 metres (9 storeys) for buildings fronting Carling Ave. and the maximum height of 11 metres (3 storeys) for the property within 20 metres abutting the next residentially zoned property.
The City’s Official Plan requires a gradual transition in the scale and density of planned buildings located next to lower-density neighbourhoods. The proposal is inconsistent with this policy. It is also inconsistent with a specific guideline for a 45-degree “angular plane” — a slant of increasing height — measured from relevant property lines. Rather, the proposal is for an abrupt change in height of 72 degrees, which is out of context for the neighbourhood.
The new buildings would have 462 units, a level of density that is incompatible with the neighbourhood.
The City’s Official Plan requires a gradual transition in the scale and density of planned buildings located next to lower-density neighbourhoods. The proposal is inconsistent with this policy. It is also inconsistent with a specific guideline for a 45-degree “angular plane” — a slant of increasing height — measured from relevant property lines. Rather, the proposal is for an abrupt change in height of 72 degrees, which is out of context for the neighbourhood.
The new buildings would have 462 units, a level of density that is incompatible with the neighbourhood.
Traffic — Worsening an existing problem (read more)
Residents are aware of the longstanding problems resulting from poor traffic management on Parkdale Ave. This diagram shows how vehicles currently use side streets to travel from Carling and Holland to Parkdale at the Queensway.
Taggart has stated that traffic will be comparable to that currently being generated from the medical building/lots currently situated on the site, a statement that is not supported by evidence. In fact, adding 340 resident and visitor vehicles will further exacerbate the traffic problems in the neighbourhood.
Taggart has stated that traffic will be comparable to that currently being generated from the medical building/lots currently situated on the site, a statement that is not supported by evidence. In fact, adding 340 resident and visitor vehicles will further exacerbate the traffic problems in the neighbourhood.
Of the 340 parking spaces described in the proposal, 47 would be visitor parking, which is inadequate and would add to heavy demand for street parking.
The proposal mentions light-rail transit, planned for Carling Avenue after 2031, as a way to handle the increased volume due to many developments along Carling. Even if the light rail system eases traffic congestion, it is at least a decade away.
The following are some of the ways that the increased traffic will affect the neighbourhood.
U-turns at Parkdale/Carling Ave. – The traffic consultant acknowledged that “a lot of U-turns” will occur at this intersection. This reality should not go unchallenged as any development that would encourage this unsafe practice would be irresponsible.
40% of the vehicles will be travelling eastbound when departing the proposed development. In order to travel eastbound, vehicles will need to follow 1 of 2 circuitous routes:
Vehicles will be required to use Inglewood Place in order to turn onto Hamilton Ave. Inglewood Place and Hamilton Ave. are both single-lane residential streets.
Traffic impact of other nearby developments
The Traffic Impact Assessment does not take into account the traffic impact of major developments adjacent and nearby the site:
The proposal mentions light-rail transit, planned for Carling Avenue after 2031, as a way to handle the increased volume due to many developments along Carling. Even if the light rail system eases traffic congestion, it is at least a decade away.
The following are some of the ways that the increased traffic will affect the neighbourhood.
U-turns at Parkdale/Carling Ave. – The traffic consultant acknowledged that “a lot of U-turns” will occur at this intersection. This reality should not go unchallenged as any development that would encourage this unsafe practice would be irresponsible.
- 15% of the vehicles accessing the proposed underground parking will be travelling to/from the south. This arriving traffic will be travelling northbound on Fisher Ave./Holland Ave., turning right onto Carling Ave., and will be required to make a U-turn at the Carling/Parkdale intersection, finally turning right onto Hamilton Ave. and into the proposed site. U-turns at the Carling/Parkdale intersection are confusing and hazardous, given the number of ambulances that travel through the intersection and the high pedestrian traffic crossing to the Experimental Farm.
- 20% of the vehicles will be accessing the underground parking to or from the west. Arriving traffic travelling eastbound on Carling Ave. will be required to make a U-turn at the Carling/Parkdale intersection and finally turn right onto Hamilton Ave. and into the parking garage.
40% of the vehicles will be travelling eastbound when departing the proposed development. In order to travel eastbound, vehicles will need to follow 1 of 2 circuitous routes:
- Circuitous route 1 requires vehicles to turn right onto Carling Ave., turn right on Holland Ave., followed by a right turn onto Inglewood Place and a right turn onto Parkdale Ave., to turn left onto Carling Ave. to travel eastbound.
- Circuitous route 2 requires vehicles to turn right on Carling Ave., left onto Holland Ave, followed by a right turn onto Island Park Drive to turn right onto Carling Ave. to travel eastbound.
Vehicles will be required to use Inglewood Place in order to turn onto Hamilton Ave. Inglewood Place and Hamilton Ave. are both single-lane residential streets.
Traffic impact of other nearby developments
The Traffic Impact Assessment does not take into account the traffic impact of major developments adjacent and nearby the site:
- New Civic Hospital
- Development of existing Civic Hospital site
- Westgate
- Wellington/Parkdale, etc.
Heritage area — Incompatible with the area’s character (read more)
The proposed development site is on a segment of Carling Ave. across from the Central Experimental Farm, a National Historic Site of Canada, which is also identified as a green space in the Official Plan.
The City’s Heritage Register shows that the adjacent neighbourhood (Civic Hospital Neighbourhood) is dotted with heritage buildings from the 1930s and 1940s, most built by architect David Younghusband (1883–1965). The Urban High-rise Guidelines (section 1.19) state that the development of a high-rise building, including its placement and design, must respect and complement the scale, character, form and setting of on-site and adjacent heritage properties. The interface between a development project and this distinctive neighbourhood must be treated with respect and care, guided by the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. Standard 11 states “Conserve the heritage value and character-defining elements when creating any new additions to an historic place or any new related construction.”
An objective of the Urban Design Guidelines for development along arterial mainstreets is to “foster compatible development that will contribute to the recognized or planned character of the streets.” The proposed 22-storey and 28-storey high-rise towers are therefore out of scale with the developments across from the Central Experimental Farm.
The City’s Heritage Register shows that the adjacent neighbourhood (Civic Hospital Neighbourhood) is dotted with heritage buildings from the 1930s and 1940s, most built by architect David Younghusband (1883–1965). The Urban High-rise Guidelines (section 1.19) state that the development of a high-rise building, including its placement and design, must respect and complement the scale, character, form and setting of on-site and adjacent heritage properties. The interface between a development project and this distinctive neighbourhood must be treated with respect and care, guided by the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. Standard 11 states “Conserve the heritage value and character-defining elements when creating any new additions to an historic place or any new related construction.”
An objective of the Urban Design Guidelines for development along arterial mainstreets is to “foster compatible development that will contribute to the recognized or planned character of the streets.” The proposed 22-storey and 28-storey high-rise towers are therefore out of scale with the developments across from the Central Experimental Farm.
Shadow impact — Puts homes in the dark (read more)
The proposal’s Sun & Shadow Study for the 22-storey and 28-storey high-rise towers show that the towers will cast significant shade over many of the low-rise residential properties abutting and north of the proposed development. The Sun & Shadow Study concludes that:
See Shadow study and Why so gloomy in the section on Images.
- June 21 – shadow from the high-rise towers will affect neighbourhood low-rise homes from 7 am to noon.
- September / March 21 – shadow on neighbouring low-rise residential homes from 7 am to 1 pm.
- December 21 – continuous shadow cast from the high-rise towers on neighbouring residential homes.
See Shadow study and Why so gloomy in the section on Images.
Green space — Inadequate to be meaningful (read more)
Taggart is proposing two outdoor spaces as part of the development: a public park in the northeast corner of the site along Parkdale Ave., next to an existing house, and a space at the southeast corner of the site adjacent to a possible future transit station. The proposed green space, being provided as a public parkland dedication, is an area equivalent to 10% of the proposed development site, resulting in a park area of 429 square metres.
While the proposed 429 square metre green space meets the minimum requirement for a 10% green space dedication, this space is too small to accommodate the 750 to 1000 new residents who will occupy the 462 units in the proposed two high-rise towers. Furthermore, this park does nothing to facilitate an attractive, safe, and usable pedestrian connection with the community (3.6.3[4] of the Official Plan).
It is unclear how the open space at the southeast corner of the site will provide a “comfortable transition” and help provide an entry point to a transit station that will not be planned or built until after 2031. Since no studies have been conducted as to where stations will be placed or how the future transit station on Carling Ave. will operate, it is impossible to definitively know how the proposed public areas will fit with any future transit station.
What CHNA is doing
1081 Carling Sub-Committee
The purpose of 1081 Carling Avenue Sub Committee, established by Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association, is to review, comment and develop a position on Taggart Realty Management's proposal for the 1081 Carling Avenue site development.
The purpose of 1081 Carling Avenue Sub Committee, established by Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association, is to review, comment and develop a position on Taggart Realty Management's proposal for the 1081 Carling Avenue site development.
Subcommittee Terms of Reference
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CHNA and residents respond to the proposal
CHNA hired a lawyer to help prepare an official response to the proposal, which was submitted to the City of Ottawa’s planner on November 1. Legal representation will also be needed in the future, as we represent CHNA’s views at various steps in the planning process. More than 50 residents also submitted responses — a high number of responses for our neighbourhood. Top issues for residents were the height of the towers, traffic, planning issues, scale and density of the project, and shading/privacy.
CHNA hired a lawyer to help prepare an official response to the proposal, which was submitted to the City of Ottawa’s planner on November 1. Legal representation will also be needed in the future, as we represent CHNA’s views at various steps in the planning process. More than 50 residents also submitted responses — a high number of responses for our neighbourhood. Top issues for residents were the height of the towers, traffic, planning issues, scale and density of the project, and shading/privacy.
Meeting with Taggart
On October 20, 2021, CHNA representatives met with the developer, who gave no indication that they would modify the proposed plan for 1081 Carling Ave., despite broad community opposition to the development.
Your continued support is much appreciated, as this challenge will be a lengthy process.
On October 20, 2021, CHNA representatives met with the developer, who gave no indication that they would modify the proposed plan for 1081 Carling Ave., despite broad community opposition to the development.
Your continued support is much appreciated, as this challenge will be a lengthy process.
Get involved
Here are just a few ways you can help
Join the CHNA
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via PayPal
Or send an email transfer.
Your donation will go to the 1081 Carling Subcommittee Fund to cover the fees of our lawyer and other experts (such as a traffic planner and architect). |
Respond to the proposal
Responses are still being accepted by the City.
Submit yours ASAP to City Planner Kimberley Baldwin. Please send a copy of your comments to Jeff Lieper and the CHNA |
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To unsubscribe, please re-send this request with the correct email address and with the word “unsubscribe” in place of your first or last name.
Images of the effects of the proposed towers
News articles and links
- City of Ottawa development application
- City’s summary of the proposal
- Recording of October 12, 2021 public hearing
- Jeff Leiper's post on this development
- News article in which Jeff Leiper opposes the development
- City of Ottawa's official plan
- City of Ottawa's urban high-rise guidelines
- City of Ottawa's guidelines for arterial mainstreet
Documents
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