Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
3 October 2006 / le 3 octobre 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par : John L. Moser, Acting Deputy City Manager/
Directeur municipal adjoint par intérim
Planning and Growth Management / Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
Contact Person/Personne
ressource : Richard Kilstrom, Manager
Planning, Environment and Infrastructure
Policy/Politiques d’urbanisme, d’environnement et d’infrastructure
(613) 580-2424 x22653,
Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Planning and Environment Committee approve the Terms of Reference for the Rockcliffe Redevelopment Community Design Plan, as shown in Document 1.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement
approuve le cadre de référence pour le Plan de conception communautaire du site
de Rockcliffe, qui fait l’objet du document 1.
BACKGROUND
The
Canada Lands Company Limited (CLC) has received government approval to acquire
the former CFB Rockcliffe site, a 125 ha parcel of land located in Ward 13. The
subject property is designated as a Developing Community in the Official Plan ,
and is the only Developing Community located inside the Greenbelt. The Official
Plan requires that a Community Design Plan be completed prior to any
development being approved in a Developing Community.
CLC
will prepare a CDP for the property in accordance with the Official Plan
policies. The CDP will establish a vision for the redevelopment of the site and
a policy framework and strategies for implementation. CLC has retained a
consultant team to undertake the CDP study.
The attached Terms of Reference, proposed by CLC, outlines the objectives and work program for the CDP. Staff from the Planning and Growth Management Department have reviewed the Terms of Reference and are supportive. The purpose of this report is to present the Terms of Reference to the Planning and Environment Committee for approval.
DISCUSSION
The
study area for the CDP includes the entire 125 ha site, including a 10.1 ha
parcel located in its northwest corner which will be owned by the National
Capital Commission for a future federal institution. In response to community
concerns on the possible impacts of the redevelopment, CLC has indicated that
the CDP is intended to not only provide a detailed redevelopment plan for the
subject lands but also to ensure the means by which it will be successfully
integrated with the surrounding communities. Therefore, the Terms of Reference
proposes that the CDP study will consider adjoining lands and communities as
necessary to ensure an understanding of the various planning influences and
implications.
Planning
Objectives
In
consultation with the communities and various stakeholders, CLC has identified
six objectives for the CDP: a model of urban sustainability, exemplary design,
an inclusive community, economic viability, an implementation strategy, and
colloborative community planning. These specific objectiitves are compatible
with, and will implement Official Plan policies, particularly with regard to
the policies of Section 3.6.4 on Developing Communities and Section 2.5.6 on
Community Design Plans, as amended by Official Plan Amendment 28.
Proposed
Work Program and Timing
CLC
has proposed a 21-month work program as outlined in the Terms of Reference,
expecting that the final CDP would be presented to Council for approval in
December 2007. Given the magnitude and
complexity of the project, the proposed timelines may be considered aggressive.
Unforeseen issues may emerge as the process goes along, that may require more
time for research, discussion, and consultation. However, CLC has advised that
it will endeavour to meet these timelines.
Planning
and Enviromental Approvals
The
CDP will be approved by City Council. It will also be subject to the National
Capital Commission's approval as a condition of the land transfer to CLC.
Following the approval of the CDP, CLC will pursue approvals of a Plan of
Subdivision and Zoning By-Law Amendment. Since the subject property is already
designated as a Developing Community, no Official Plan Amendment will be
required. The infrastructure to support
the redevelopment will need to meet the applicable provincial and federal
environmental assessment requirements. However, at the commencement of the CDP
process, the range of infrastructure projects required to support the CDP is
not fully defined. Those requirements will be determined once an understanding
of the proposed land use plan emerges, and appropriate EA processes will then
be defined. Following the completion of the possible EA processes, detailed designs
will be completed and applications for Certificates of Approval for
infrastructure will be submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment as
required.
Proposal
for Public and Agency Consultation
The Terms of Reference proposes an open and collaborative CDP process. A Public Advisory Committee and Technical Advisory Committee will be established. These advisory committees are intended to ensure orderly and frequent structured input on the plan from a wide range of interests. Government review agencies not represented on the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will have the opportunity to be involved in the study process as well. Public open houses will be held at key junctures, and will provide important consultation opportunities for the public at-large. In addition, CLC has indicated that it will host a wide range of meetings, issue days, workshops, etc. on an issues basis as the study progresses. Furthermore, a project website will be maintained by CLC. The website will provide information in both official languages. The public and agency consultation process of this CDP, while still needing to be detailed as the project moves along, is intended to fulfill and exceed the requirements of the range of municipal planning and provincial and/or federal EA processes that may apply.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
Section
3.6.4, Developing Community, of the Official Plan states that the CDP will
complete a subwatershed plan in accordance with Section 2.4.3, Watershed and
Subwatershed Plans, should no plan exist for the area. Section 2.4.3 states
that Council may waive this requirement if the proposed development is deemed
to be of limited extent and impact in consultation with the appropriate
conservation authority and other relevant bodies.
The subject property is located within the Green's Creek subwatershed area, and forms a very small component of the subwatershed area. Currently there is no existing subwatershed plan for the area. Based on the representative size and natural attributes of the CDP area within the larger subwatershed area, in consultation with Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) and City staff, the Terms of Reference proposes an approach that will incorporate natural environment work that would have been necessary for a subwatershed plan into the Serviciability Study of this CDP. It was indicated by staff and the RVCA, however, that a sufficient level of investigation and analysis needs to undertaken on the natural environment (surface water, groundwater/hydrogeology, geomorphology, terrestrial, aquatic) in order to guide and direct the servicing and land use planning for the CDP area.
CONSULTATION
The
Terms of Reference were prepared in consultation with Ward Councillors, various
affected community and business groups, and the TAC, which includes City staff
and representatives from provincial and federal agencies.
An initial draft Terms of Reference was posted on the CLC web site and circulated to neighbouring community associations through CARAD (Community Action for Rockcliffe Air Base Development-an umbrella organization of community associations) prior to the Public Open House held on June 27, 2006. This initial draft Terms of Reference was later discussed with CARAD representatives at a meeting with CLC on July 20, 2006. A subsequent revised draft Terms of Reference was prepared by CLC, including revisions in response to CARAD comments received on July 28, 2006. The revised draft Terms of Reference was then circulated to the TAC and CARAD on August 21, 2006. It was also posted on the CLC website. Based on the comments and discussion with TAC members, the Terms of Reference was finalized and submitted to the City on September 19, 2006. This report was also listed in the newspaper notices published for the October 24 Planning and Environment Committee meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
This report has no financial implications. CLC will be responsible for the cost of the Community Design Plan and relevant environmental assessments.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document
1 Rockcliffe Redevelopment Community
Design Plan - Terms of Reference
Document 2 Rockcliffe Redevelopment Community Design Plan - Study Area Map
DISPOSITION
Planning and Growth Management Department will facilitate the Rockcliffe Redevelopment Community Design Plan, in keeping with its Terms of Reference.
Canada Lands Company (CLC) Limited
COMMUNITY DESIGN PLAN (CDP)
TERMS OF REFERENCE
September 20, 2006
Rockcliffe Redevelopment
Ottawa, Ontario
A.
INTRODUCTION
The Canada Lands Company (CLC) Limited (“CLC”) has received government approval to acquire the former CFB Rockcliffe (“the Rockcliffe site”), a 125 ha (310 acre) parcel of land centrally located in Ward 13 (Rideau/Rockcliffe) in the City of Ottawa (See Schedule A). This property is the largest vacant infill/redevelopment property left inside the Greenbelt and represents a tremendous community building opportunity. The property features dramatic views over the Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills and thousands of mature trees, all situated within sight of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. The site represents a unique opportunity to help shape Ottawa’s urban landscape for the 21st century.
CLC will prepare a Community Design Plan (CDP) for the property in accordance with the City of Ottawa Official Plan (OP). This CDP will establish the planning basis for the implementation of the project, including the subsequent design and approvals of associated Plan(s) of Subdivision and Zoning By-law Amendment(s) for the redevelopment of the lands. The purpose of this document is to set out the Terms of Reference that will guide the completion of the CDP.
The study area for the
CDP includes the entire 125 ha site, including a 10.1 ha (25 acre) parcel
located in its northwest corner which will be owned by the National Capital
Commission (NCC) for a future federal institution. In addition, the area of
study will consider adjoining lands and communities as necessary to ensure an
understanding of the various planning influences and implications. At the
broadest scale, the area of study will include communities bounded by the
Rideau and Ottawa Rivers, Greens Greek, Hwy 417 and Ottawa Road 174.
B.
BACKGROUND
CLC is an award winning non–agent Crown Corporation that has successfully redeveloped other former military base lands in Calgary, Edmonton and Chilliwack, adopting innovative best practices in new urban design. CLC has also devoted significant time and resources in commemorating the military legacy on these properties. While the Rockcliffe site presents another opportunity to repeat such successful developments, there has already been significant public debate to suggest that this site should be something more than a new urban residential development.
Planning Context - General
Canada’s success on the world stage is dependent on the ability of its cities to compete worldwide in attracting and retaining talent. While indicators of human development look at issues of level of education, health and life expectancy, the solutions to investing in human capital are not simply to build better educational and health facilities, but to create communities that are diverse, dynamic and environmentally healthy, thereby attracting the best and the brightest, or encouraging those that we have to stay here.
It is also evident that
sustainable urban development is becoming an increasingly important topic in
the development of our cities. CLC has
a wide experience in this area in terms of best practices in urban design, as
witnessed by our redevelopment of other military bases and by such excellent
examples as its Benny Farm project in Montreal and the former CN Shops in
Moncton, N.B. We believe that
Rockcliffe provides an opportunity to showcase best practices in sustainable
development.
Planning Context –
Municipal
The
City of Ottawa approved its new OP in April 2003. The Plan designates the
Rockcliffe site as a “Developing Community”. This new designation is applied to sites “that are either mainly
undeveloped or substantially undeveloped and that will undergo comprehensive
redevelopment in the future.” The
Rockcliffe site is the only “Developing Community” located inside the
Greenbelt. The municipal objective for
these lands is to develop a sustainable community that offers “a full range of
choice in housing, commercial, institutional and leisure activities within a
development pattern that prioritizes walking, cycling and transit over the
automobile.” Development is to proceed
by way of a CDP, which is, essentially, a secondary planning exercise. CDPs are planning documents to be adopted by
City Council and are intended to be prepared with substantial opportunities for
stakeholder involvement.
Planning Context –
Federal
The Rockcliffe site is bounded by National Capital Commission (NCC) lands on the North and East. As such, and as a condition of transfer of the site to CLC by the Federal government, CLC must obtain federal land use and design approval from the NCC, in compliance with the National Capital Act and the Plan for Canada’s Capital. While this is a separate process, CLC will seek full coordination between the CDP and NCC processes in order to ensure that a proposal acceptable to both approval authorities can be developed.
C. PLANNING OBJECTIVES
While the vision has yet
to be confirmed for the Rockcliffe Redevelopment, the CDP exercise and
resulting plan is anticipated to fulfill six (6) fundamental planning
objectives. These are set out below.
1. Model of Urban
Sustainability
CLC believes that
Rockcliffe can be a showcase for the application and research of sustainable
development practices to community building. The concept of sustainability will
embrace all aspects of the environment, including natural, social, and economic
components. In order to create a world-class sustainable community, CLC will
work with the City of Ottawa, federal departments and other agencies with a
stake in sustainable development, the most innovative minds in the field of
sustainable development that CLC can bring to the project, as well as
representatives of the local community and area builders.
2. Exemplary Design
CLC is committed to
utilizing the most modern and provocative approaches to urban design to
establish the physical structure of the new Rockcliffe community. This may
build on elements of new urbanist and transit oriented design themes, for
example. The use of creative development standards for public infrastructure
will be pursued to help create a unique community identity.
3. Create an
Inclusive Community
The plan will seek to
optimize benefits for the community by creating well designed and pleasant
streetscapes, public spaces and parks, provide opportunities to locate public
and cultural institutions, attract existing employees of adjacent workplaces to
become new residents, provide opportunities for employment on the site and
provide a wide range of residences and commercial facilities to allow people of
all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds to live, work and play.
4. Economic Viability
The plan will of
necessity be economically viable to implement, not just initially but over the
long term. This means that a variety of development opportunities will need to
be brought to the market place at a range of levels of affordability.
Supporting infrastructure will need to be cost-effective to build, manage, and
replace over the complete life cycle.
The cost of new infrastructure as well as the intended high quality of
the public realm can only be financed through the successful development of the
private realm.
5. Implementation
Strategy
As the redevelopment of
the property will be incremental, it is important that an implementation
strategy be created to ensure that all development adheres to the vision.
Strong planning tools will be developed to create an assurance of plan
implementation, including detailed and exacting design and building controls.
6. Collaborative
Community Planning
The planning process
will embrace community and agency involvement. CLC will take extraordinary
efforts to ensure that community views are understood and to conduct planning
in an open and consultative process. Opportunities for information sharing,
mutual learning and consensus-building will be sought. Advisory committees,
public open houses, workshops, individual meetings, and the use of a project
web site will be among the tools used to garner this involvement.
D. WORK PROGRAM AND TIMING
The proposed work
program will lead to City Council approval of a CDP that meets the requirements
of Section 2.5.6 of the OP, as amended by Official Plan Amendment 28 (OPA
28). The work is divided into 4 major
phases, summarized as follows:
|
TASK |
SCHEDULE |
Ø Project Initiation meeting and site tour Ø Review of background information Ø Plan and implementation of a public consultation program Ø Development of Work Programs, schedule and budgets for involved disciplines Ø Initial Open House – June 27, 28 2006 – Review of Existing Information, Site Tours, Opportunity to Voice Goals, Objectives, Issues, Concerns and Values Ø Circulation of Terms of Reference and updating as required Deliverable – Work programs, schedule and
budget, contract confirmations,
familiarization with the site, initial input from public |
April to June 2006 |
Ø Planning context analysis, policy review Ø Transportation Overview, including existing road network opportunities and constraints; pedestrian, cycling and transit mobility requirements and opportunities, transportation system integration with adjacent communities, and status of potentially impacting studies including the Montreal Road Corridor Light Rapid Transit (LRT) and the Interprovincial Bridge Study Environmental Assessments (EA) Studies Ø Review of existing employment and demographic information for the larger study area Ø Review of potential development and redevelopment opportunities within the larger study area Ø Municipal infrastructure review, including water, wastewater, storm water, and utility serviceability and implications Ø Natural and cultural resources studies (including landscape and linkages analysis) Ø Market overview – including affordable housing review with agencies and interest groups Ø Buildings and structures inventory Ø Preliminary geotechnical and environmental site assessment studies (including hydro-geological matters) Ø Review of precedents (e.g. CLC projects, SD communities) Ø Sustainable development review – scope, ways and means, opportunities to pursue, potential targets Ø Design analysis Ø Confirmation/integration of planning and EA approval requirements that may apply Ø Client/Team Design Workshops Ø Draft Vision, Guiding Principles (including (goals) targets, objectives, sustainable development criteria, and EA criteria) Ø Public review and consultation on Draft Vision, Goals and Objectives (TAC, PAC, Open House, Web Site) Deliverable – Existing conditions, opportunities and constraints
analysis, initial public input on Draft Vision, Guiding Principles, Goals and
Objectives |
May to October 2006 |
Ø Develop site themes and concepts: o General location of land uses, vehicle access points and on-site road/transit system integration and circulation o Land use mix and yields o Pedestrian, cycling, transit, and vehicular connectivity o Traffic generation comparisons and related road capacity requirements and impacts o Compatibility with other ongoing City/NCC transportation infrastructure studies o Compatibility with other City capital projects including rehabilitation of existing infrastructure or new Development Charge type projects o Preliminary analysis of impacts for all modes of transportation and site servicing requirements and impacts of site themes and concepts o General densities and interrelationships o
Different place reinforcing ideas and design principles - combination
of natural and man-made elements o
Public facilities/realm including street cross-sections o Natural and open space systems o Public spaces, parks and mature trees plan o Infrastructure services and facilities, energy sources and distribution o Costs of hard and soft services, gross financial returns analysis o Design implementation/control options Ø Evaluation of alternatives Ø Public review and consultation on demonstration plans (TAC, PAC, Open House, Web Site) Deliverable – Demonstration plans, public review and input |
July 2006 to January 2007 (Note: This Phase overlaps with Phase 2 – initial thinking on land use concepts will be elaborated and presented concurrent with Phase 2 background work |
Ø Preparation of draft CDP, including: o Land use plan, population, employment and space targets o Housing typologies, mix, affordable housing targets and strategies o Open space/public realm plan o Urban design guidelines o Architectural and Site Plan Control guidelines o Transportation Study, including a) Transportation Impact Study (TIS) which addresses all travel modes, with assessment of the on-site, off-site, and area-wide traffic implications and recommended mitigating measures, and b) Transportation Demand and Transit Strategy that addresses the goal of encouraging pedestrian, cycling, and transit travel in preference to auto use and that addresses integration with the City’s transit network including the Montreal Road LRT EA study o Servicability Study that addresses storm water management in accordance with OP Policy 4.7.6.2 and the MOE Stormwater Management Planning and Design Manual (2003), and that addresses water and wastewater serviceability including opportunities to minimize impacts on existing urban services o Integrated environmental review and impact assessments, including mitigating measures o Rationale for alternative design standards for public infrastructure, including preliminary road cross-sections o Costs of hard and soft services o Economic viability analysis o Implementation and Phasing strategy Ø Public review and consultation on Draft CDP (TAC, PAC, Open House, Web Site) Ø Final Community Design Plan Ø Environmental Assessment documentation Ø Federal land use and design approval by the NCC Ø Review and Approval by City Council Deliverable – Draft and Final Community Design Plan |
January to December 2007 (Note: Final CDP to be submitted to City in October/November 2007 to enable staff report preparation in advance of City Council review) |
E. PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS
Following the approval
of the CDP by City of Ottawa Council, the project will proceed to project
implementation including pursuit of approvals of a Plan of Subdivision and
Zoning By-Law Amendment. As the lands are already designated as “Developing
Community”, an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) is not required to facilitate
development.
The infrastructure
required to support the CDP will need to meet the requirements of the
applicable provincial and federal environmental assessment (EA) requirements
that may apply. These include the requirements of the Ontario Environmental
Assessment Act, as well as the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA)
process that may be triggered. As there is no need for an OPA, and as there
will be no other Planning Act applications submitted during the preparation of
the CDP, there is no opportunity or requirement to “integrate” EA approvals
with planning approvals.
The plan will also
require approval by the NCC under the terms of the National Capital Act, and
reflecting policies in the 1999 Plan for Canada’s Capital. Submissions will be
required to the NCC Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Realty
(ACPDR). Those submissions and other
meetings between the Project Team and the NCC will be held at key junctures.
At the commencement of
the CDP exercise, the range of infrastructure projects required to support the
CDP is not fully defined. Those requirements will be determined once an
understanding of the proposed land use plan emerges, at which time the range,
type and location of supporting infrastructure projects will also emerge.
Notwithstanding, it is anticipated that a new collector road network through
the site will be required which would likely be a Schedule C project under the
Municipal Class EA. On-site or off-site storm water management ponds, if
required, would likely be Schedule B projects. It is recognized that the
site/area is part of the urban service area with existing water and wastewater
services and that it is possible that off-site extensions may not be required.
Other infrastructure may be Schedule A (pre-approved) projects.
For the water, waste
water, and storm water infrastructure, Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Class EA
process will be completed through the Servicability Study. This includes
identifying infrastructure problems or opportunities, profiling existing
environmental conditions, identifying and evaluating alternative solutions, and
selecting preferred solutions.
For the transportation
infrastructure, the CDP activities will address Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal
Class EA process to identify a preferred transportation solution. In addition,
the Transportation Study will carry the preferred transportation solutions
through to Phases 3 and 4 of the Municipal Class EA process, including
selection of the preferred design and preparation of an Environmental Study
Report (ESR). All mandatory public contacts and notices will be completed.
Given the adjacency to
lands owned by the federal government and the NCC, it is also possible that
some of the project’s supporting infrastructure may trigger the need for an
Environmental Screening pursuant to CEAA requirements. Examples could include
possible modifications to adjacent parkways, or the location of storm water
management facilities on NCC land. The manner in which to address these EA
requirements will be scoped/confirmed with the NCC during the course of the
study, and opportunities to harmonize federal and municipal EA activities will
be sought as appropriate.
Following the completion
of EA processes, detailed designs will be completed and applications for
Certificates of Approval for infrastructure will be submitted to the Ontario
Ministry of Environment as required.
F. PUBLIC AND AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
The Work Program will be
carried out in an open and collaborative process with multiple opportunities
for public and agency involvement. As pillars of this process, a Public
Advisory Committee (PAC) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will be
established. These advisory committees are intended to ensure orderly and
frequent structured input on the plan from a wide range of interests. The role and structure of these committees
is provided in Schedule B.
In addition to the
advisory committees, public open houses will be held at key junctures. These
will form important consultation opportunities for the public at-large. While
the PAC will be comprised of a diverse cross-section of community interests, it
is recognized that other residents, businesses and individual landowners may
wish to provide input to the CDP process and these public open houses will
provide opportunities for that input. Open houses are planned at or leading to the conclusion of each of the four
(4) major phases of work.
In addition, CLC will
host a wide range of meetings, issue days, work shops, etc. on an issues basis
as the study progresses. Candidate topics for these discussions include
transportation options, affordable housing, sustainable development
initiatives, alternative municipal infrastructure, etc. Government review
agencies not represented on the TAC will have the opportunity to be involved in
the study process, and will be circulated the draft CDP documentation for
technical review. Furthermore, a project web-site will be maintained by CLC,
found by link from the CLC home page at www.clc.ca.
From study initiation
through to project implementation, the public involvement process is intended
to fulfill and exceed the requirements of the range of municipal planning and
provincial or federal environmental assessment processes that may apply.
G. PROJECT TEAM
The Project Team will
consist of CLC, their prime consultants, and supporting consultants. The CLC
project manager will be:
Rick Hughes
Canada Lands Company CLC Limited
CFB Rockcliffe, Building 164 (Corner of
Codds Road and Via Venus)
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2
Telephone: 613-998-7308 Fax:
(613) 998-8932
Email: rhughes@clc.ca
The prime consultant is a team comprised of Bruce Kuwabara of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects, Ken Greenberg of Greenberg Consultants Inc., Greg Smallenberg of Phillips, Farevaag, Smallenberg Inc., and Barry Padolsky of Barry Padolsky Associates Inc. Architects. Barry will be the day to day contact for the consulting team and his contact information is:
Barry Padolsky
Barry Padolsky Associates Inc. Architects
377 Dalhousie St.
Ottawa, ON K1N 9N8
Telephone: 613-241-7198
Fax: 613-241-5782
E-mail: email@padolsky-architects.com
In addition, CLC has retained the following supporting consultants: Delcan for transportation planning/engineering and municipal planning; IBI Group for municipal servicing and engineering; Halsall Associates Ltd. for sustainability practices, and Niblett Environmental Associates for ecological services. Other consultants will also be retained as required to augment the Project Team.
H. CONCLUSION
The Rockcliffe Redevelopment project presents a tremendous opportunity for Canada Lands Company, local residents and the City of Ottawa to create an innovative new community which will in time become a showcase for sustainable development in community building and play a significant role in achieving the objectives for city building set out in Ottawa’s official plan. CLC will consult extensively, and will work in partnership with the City, agencies, local residents and interest groups in preparing this Plan. CLC will follow through with project implementation measures to ensure exemplary design and private investment opportunities that will result in a leading edge new community in the Nation’s Capital.
SCHEDULE A – THE
PROPERTY
SCHEDULE B – ADVISORY
COMMITTEES
Technical Advisory Committee
A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will be created to provide an opportunity for staff of government agencies and institutions to be involved in the project and to seek/provide ongoing input on primarily technical matters. The committee will include representation from various City of Ottawa departments, public utilities, major land owners in the area, key provincial government authorities, as well as the National Capital Commission (NCC) and other federal agencies.
The role of the TAC will be: to identify planning and design issues early on in the study process to ensure they are addressed in a timely manner; to provide direction and guidance on all technical matters influencing the project; to assist in the evaluation of plans; to review and comment on all technical reports provided during the course of the study; and to represent the varied interests of their particular agency, organization or government department.
The level of participation may vary depending on the role of the TAC representative. For example, some representatives may not wish to attend meetings at the initial steps but would be more involved in the details of the plans as they became more refined. The level of participation will be at the discretion of the agency/representative. Meeting agendas will be distributed in advance to assist in determining if attendance/participation is required.
The TAC will meet with the project
Team on a regular basis to review work-to-date and provide comment/direction on
study activities, as appropriate. Draft
reports or updates will be made available to the TAC to facilitate
understanding and to enable the Committee to provide meaningful feedback. The TAC will also address the full range of
technical issues and comment on the special studies required to complete the
CDP and Environmental Assessment requirements. Details regarding the roles and
responsibilities of the TAC are outlined below.
The TAC Members will:
·
represent
the interests of their organization/agency/department;
·
attend
TAC meetings;
· participate in the process by providing technical input and advice;
· work towards a consensus for actions and approvals; and
· share information with others in the organization/agency/department they represent.
The TAC will be administered in the
following manner:
·
The
TAC will be chaired by a member of the Project Team;
·
Meetings
will be convened by the Project Team as required;
·
The
Project Team will be responsible for ensuring adequate notification to members
of upcoming meetings, meeting agendas, the dissemination of information, and
provision of a venue;
·
Materials
and draft reports will be provided by the Project Team to all TAC members in
advance of scheduled meetings;
·
Diversity
of views will be encouraged, and where views of the individuals forming the TAC
vary, these divergent views will be reflected in meeting notes;
·
Meeting
Notes will be prepared by the Project Team and circulated for review and
comment following each meeting.
Public Advisory Committee
The
varied interests of the surrounding communities will be represented on the
Public Advisory Committee (PAC). The committee will include
representation from various area community associations and special interest groups.
The PAC will meet with members of the Project
Team on a regular basis to:
- identify
community issues early in the CDP process;
- review
technical analyses;
- provide
direct input to the establishment of the vision and guiding principles of
the CDP;
- work
collaboratively with the Project Team in the review of land use plans;
and,
- provide
meaningful feedback on all study activities and work-in-progress.
The format of the PAC meetings will vary based on the specific
activities associated with each step of the Work Plan. The PAC Members will:
·
represent
the interests of local residents, community associations and business
associations and interest groups;
·
attend
PAC meetings;
·
participate
in the review of plans by offering advice, expressing opinions, and providing
local knowledge;
·
disseminate
information to the association/organization they represent; and,
·
become
informed and involved in the process.
The PAC will be administered in the
following manner:
·
The
PAC will be chaired by a non-partisan individual from the larger community;
·
The
Project Team will be responsible for ensuring adequate notification to members
of upcoming meetings, meeting agendas, and the overall conduct of meetings;
·
The
meeting notes will be prepared by the Project Team and circulated for review
and comment following each meeting; and,
·
Materials
and draft reports will be provided to all PAC members in advance of scheduled
meetings
Meetings of TAC and PAC will not be open to the
public. The general public will have
opportunities for involvement primarily through attending Public Open Houses
and monitoring study progress via the project web-site.
