8. SIGN BY-LAW MINOR VARIANCE - 515 Legget Drive

RÈGLEMENT FINANCIER DES EXIGENCES DE STATIONNEMENT - 515, PROMENADE Legget

Committee recommendation

That Council approve a minor variance to Section 128(e) of By-law 2005-439, to permit an increase in the maximum allowable sign face area for a logo sign in a District 3 use zone from 10 to 15 per cent of the top floor area and to permit illumination, for the Deloitte logo sign at 515 Legget Drive.

Recommandation DU Comité

Que le Conseil approuve une dérogation mineure à l’article 128(e) du Règlement municipal 2005-439 en vue de permettre l’augmentation de la surface maximale d’une enseigne portant un logo dans une zone d’utilisation du district 3, et ce, afin de faire passer l’enseigne portant le logo de Deloitte, au 515, promenade Legget, de 10 à 15 pour cent de la surface de l’étage supérieur.

Documentation

1. Committee Coordinator’s report, Planning and Environment Committee dated 29 May 2009 (ACS2009-CCS-PEC-0013).

2. Extract of Draft Minute, 26 May 2009.

Report to/Rapport au :

Council / Conseil

29 May 2009 / le 29 mai 2009

Submitted by/Soumis par : Robert Tremblay, Coordinator of the Planning and Environment Committee / Coordonnateur du Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Sandra Garnett, Manager/Gestionnaire, Business Integration Services/Services d'intégration des activités, Building Code Services /Services du code du bâtiment, Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance

(613) 580-2424 x 41544, sandra.garnett@ottawa.ca

Kanata North/nord (4)

Ref N°: ACS2009-CCS-PEC-0013

SUBJECT:	SIGN BY-LAW MINOR VARIANCE - 515 Legget Drive

OBJET :	RÈGLEMENT FINANCIER DES EXIGENCES DE STATIONNEMENT - 515, PROMENADE Legget

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

BACKGROUND

Councillor Feltmate, on behalf of Councillor Wilkinson, moved the addition of this item at the Planning and Environment Committee of 26 May 2009. The motion was added and approved.

WHEREAS Signs.ca has requested approval to install an oversized illuminated logo sign to identify, “Deloitte”, on the top storey of the building located at 515 Legget Drive, former Kanata;

AND WHEREAS based on the new zoning of the property, the area of the sign under the Sign By-law is restricted to 10 per cent of the top storey wall area and illumination is not permitted;

AND WHEREAS the proposed sign with a slight reduction in area would have satisfied the sign by-law area and illumination restrictions permitted under the previous zoning;

AND WHEREAS the current more restrictive sign provisions are for the protection of area residential land use;

AND WHEREAS there is no residential land use in the area that would be affected;

AND WHEREAS the Department has recognized the need within the next technical amendment to modify this provision to permit larger illuminated logo signs for light industrial uses where there is no residential development in close proximity;

AND WHEREAS the next general technical amendment will only be tabled for City Council consideration when there are a number of issues and, Deloitte, requires the sign for identification purposes in the immediate future;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT a minor variance to Section 128(e) of By-law 2005-439, to permit an increase in the maximum allowable sign face area for a logo sign in a District 3 use zone from 10 to 15 per cent of the top floor area and to permit illumination, for the Deloitte logo sign at 515 Legget Drive be approved.

DISCUSSION

Approval of this motion would permit the proposed oversized illumination logo sign to be located on the top storey of the subject commercial office building for the occupant “Deloitte” (Reference Document 1). Impact to nearby uses would be minimal as the illuminated logo sign would face towards mainly commercial uses thus would not impose any negative visual impact on residential land use. The additional size of the sign is acceptable as it is not disproportionate to the scale of the building façade and would be consistent with the comparative scale of logo signs permitted on other similar commercial properties within District 4 commercial zones.

Zoning of the property was light industrial under the old Kanata zoning by-law, which represented a District 4 category in the Sign By-law. Logo signs under this district are allowed illumination. In the new zoning by-law, business-park industrial uses now fall under the more restrictive District 3 category making the variance necessary. The zoning of this property is currently under appeal.

The inconsistency of sign regulations for this type of land use, resulting from the change in zoning, has been recognized. Within the next general technical amendment to the by-law, a recommendation will be included to permit illuminated logo signs with a sign area equal to 15% of the applicable wall area for business park commercial land uses in District 3 zones, where the setback from residential land use is sufficient to providing the desired protection for area residential land use.

Technical amendments are only submitted for Council consideration annually to resolve identified issues of concern. While the next technical amendment, if approved, would accommodate the Deloitte sign, the delay to the fourth quarter of 2009 would not provide the remedy in sufficient time given the urgency for this company to provide identification to the public, in this case the alternative sign minor variance process would significantly delay sign installation.

Therefore, the Department is satisfied that the requested minor variance submitted within this motion is in keeping with the intent and design requirements of the Sign By-law and approval is recommended.

CONSULTATION

As the illumination and size limitations for District 3 zones are for the protection of area residential land use and with no residential land uses in the area, consultation was not considered necessary. The Ward Councillor is aware of the issue and has requested the subject motion.

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

N/A

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 - Location Plan (aerial view)

Document 2 - Proposed Logo Sign Elevation

DISPOSITION

City Clerk and Legal Services Branch to notify the applicant, Signs.ca, 1565 Chatelaine Avenue, Ottawa, ON H1Z 8B5; the owner, Kanata Research Park Corp., 555 Legget Drive, K2K 2X3 and the local Ward Councillor of Council's decision. Building Code Services will process the sign permit resulting from the Council direction in accordance with Sign By-law 2005-439.
LOCATION PLAN (aerial view) DOCUMENT 1

PROPOSED SIGN ELEVATION DOCUMENT 2

SIGN BY-LAW MINOR VARIANCE - 515 Legget Drive

RÈGLEMENT FINANCIER DES EXIGENCES DE STATIONNEMENT – 515, PROMENADE Legget

ACS2009-CCS-PEC-0013 Kanata north/nord (4)

Moved by P. Feltmate:

That the Planning and Environment Committee approve the addition of this item for consideration by the Committee at today’s meeting, pursuant to Section 84(3) of the Procedure By-law, at the request of Councillor Wilkinson.

CARRIED

Moved by P. Feltmate, on behalf of Councillor Wilkinson:

WHEREAS Signs.ca has requested approval to install an oversized illuminated logo sign to identify, “Deloitte”, on the top storey of the building located at 515 Legget Drive, former Kanata;

AND WHEREAS based on the new zoning of the property, the area of the sign under the Sign By-law is restricted to 10 per cent of the top storey wall area and illumination is not permitted;

AND WHEREAS the proposed sign with a slight reduction in area would have satisfied the sign by-law area and illumination restrictions permitted under the previous zoning;

AND WHEREAS the current more restrictive sign provisions are for the protection of area residential land use;

AND WHEREAS there is no residential land use in the area that would be affected;