Section 7.0 – Implementation

7.1 - Administration and Interpretation

This CDP is a statement of land use planning policy that is intended to guide the development of the South Nepean Town Centre. Some flexibility in interpretation is permitted, provided the general intent of the goals and policies of this Plan are maintained to the City’s satisfaction.

Policies

  1. The entire CDP will be the guiding document used by the City during the development review process, given it includes such elements as urban design guidelines.
  2. This Secondary Plan will be implemented by the powers conferred upon the City of Ottawa by the Planning Act, the Municipal Act, and any other applicable statutes, and will be implemented in accordance with the applicable policies of the Official Plan (2003) of the City of Ottawa.
  3. Where lists or examples of permitted uses are provided in Section 3.0 of this Secondary Plan, they are intended to illustrate a general range and type of uses. Specific uses that are not listed but are considered by the City to be similar to the listed uses and to conform to the general intent of the applicable land use policy area are permitted.

7.2 Development Approvals

While implementation of the Secondary Plan will be multi-faceted in approach, traditional land use planning processes, including zoning, plan of subdivision, and site plan processes, will be the primary method of implementing the policies of this Secondary Plan.

Policies

  1. Development applications must meet the policies identified in Section 4 of the Official Plan, as they may apply.
  2. The goals, objectives and policies of this Secondary Plan will direct all development applications within the Town Centre. The urban design guidelines will be used by the City to inform the development review process and provide specific guidance, but are not considered policy.
  3. All development in the Town Centre is subject to site plan control in accordance with the City’s Site Plan Control By-law.
  4. Council must enact a by-law providing zoning categories and standards for lands within the Town Centre to permit new development within the Town Centre. The City may, when enacting implementing zoning by-laws, use a holding zone to specify the future uses of these lands that, at the present time, are considered premature or inappropriate for development for any one or more of the following reasons:
    1. The Area Concept Plan as per Section 7.3(2) of this Secondary Plan has not been finalized to the City’s satisfaction;
    2. Community facilities or servicing infrastructure are insufficient to serve the proposed development;
    3. The number and location of access points to the site are inadequate to function safely and efficiently;
    4. An agreement for the funding or equitable cost-share among benefiting landowners for infrastructure or parks has not been reached;
    5. A site plan agreement is required; or
    6. Supporting studies are required.
  5. All new development, with the exception of the Strandherd Retail District as per Section 7.2(6), must as part of its initial development application process proceed by way of plan of subdivision for the full extent of the property, in order to secure any public streets identified on Schedule 2 or any parkland identified on Schedule 5. Any identified public streets and parkland must be dedicated to the City through the initial plan of subdivision for lands as a condition of approval.
  6. For the Strandherd Retail District, plans of subdivision would only be required upon redevelopment of sites and are not required for future infilling as per approved master site plans and existing zoning permissions. Any identified public streets or parkland must be dedicated at the time of redevelopment as part of the initial plan of subdivision.
  7. Development agreements may be required by the City as a condition of the approval of development applications, to ensure that the necessary approvals and the required contributions of funds, lands and commitments for services will be in place. Development agreements may address:
    1. Parks, open space and environmental features.
    2. Streetscape features as identified through a comprehensive Streetscape Master Plan.
    3. Water, wastewater collection and storm water management.
    4. Transit and street infrastructure and widenings.
    5. Other utilities.

7.3 Phasing

The Town Centre will not develop in its ultimate form from the outset, but instead will evolve from its initial phases to a mature state reflecting the form envisioned by the Secondary Plan. Once the Town Centre has reached its “initial build out”, overtime the larger sites with large format retail stores may redevelop to provide the more fine-grained street pattern and built form that the Secondary Plan identifies.

Policies

  1. Development within the Town Centre will be dependent on the available infrastructure to support development, including sanitary, water supply and stormwater management infrastructure, in addition to the capacities of the arterial street network.
  2. An “Area Concept Plan” that is approved by the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Approvals is required prior to or concurrent with the initial plan of subdivision required in Sections 7.2(5) or 7.2(6). The purpose of the Area Concept Plan is to illustrate that all development is coordinated and meets the Secondary Plan’s objectives and policies. Area Concept Plans must illustrate and discuss:
    1. The street and block patterns for the subject lands in addition to street and block patterns for surrounding lands, showing either actual street and blocks from approved development applications where they exist or conceptual streets and blocks from this CDP where an approved development application does not exist;
    2. Land use and density distribution;
    3. The proposed built form or a concept of the built form on the blocks;
    4. Any public parkland, public facilities, or social housing sites; and
    5. How the precinct can be phased from its initial construction to its envisioned mature state, where existing development is present.
  3. Development on a block may be phased from an initial phase, which may not meet all of the Secondary Plan’s policies, to the ultimate form envisioned by this Secondary Plan. Initial phases must:
    1. Still meet the policies regarding minimum building height in Section 4.0;
    2. Not preclude the achievement of future higher intensity development on the block as envisioned in this CDP; and
    3. Be supported by the Area Concept Plan, as per Section 7.3(2), that clearly identifies how future phases will meet the policies of the Secondary Plan on each block.

7.4 Greenspace Acquisition and Development

The greenspace system is comprised of a series of five components, each with different functions, characteristics and policies. The majority of the greenspace system will ultimately be under public ownership.

Policies

  1. Schedule 5 identifies the general location and size of all proposed public parkland within the Town Centre. The City will acquire this proposed parkland through a combination of measures, including parkland dedication during the subdivision approval process, land exchanges, and land purchases.
  2. For parkland dedication, the City will employ the “standard measures” through Section 51.1(1) of the Planning Act for all properties within the Town Centre, and not the “alternative measures” through Section 51.1(2).
  3. Neighbourhood Park 5 identified on Schedule 5 will be acquired during the plan of subdivision required by Section 7.2(6).
  4. Lands utilized for stormwater management facilities or lands within the floodplain will not be taken as part of the parkland dedication requirement as per the Planning Act.
  5. Where a plan of subdivision is proposed for a property that does not contain public parkland as per Schedule 5, the City will require payment-in-lieu of parkland as per Sections 51.1(3) and (4) of the Planning Act. These payments will be directed to the purchase of the parkland identified on Schedule 5, or once that parkland has been fully acquired will be directed to the purchase of parkland in communities surrounding the Town Centre. The latter is intended to purchase parkland for active sports fields that would service residents of the Town Centre.
  6. The City will pursue the acquisition of the properties within the area identified as District Park on Schedule 5 whenever a property is available for purchase, subject to budget and in consultation with the landowners.
  7. Proceeds from the sale of any City owned property within the Town Centre may be directed to the purchase of parkland, as per Section 7.4(5). This approach will be further detailed in the land disposition strategy that is required by Section 7.6.
  8. The City, in cooperation with any directly affected landowner, will secure the lands identified as Civic Complex on Schedule 1 in a timely manner.

7.5 Housing Affordability

The Secondary Plan follows the targets of the Official Plan for housing affordability, which establishes that at least 25% of all housing should be affordable housing. Affordable housing is defined as housing in which a low or moderate-income household pays no more than 30% of its gross annual income. The policies for housing affordability in this Secondary Plan deal with two types of affordable housing: “market” affordable housing that is provided by the private market and “non-market” affordable housing that is provided by social housing providers.

Policies

  1. At least 18% of residential units in the Town Centre, or approximately 1,950 units of the ultimate build-out total, is targeted as “market” affordable housing, defined as housing that is affordable to households at the 30th income percentile for Ottawa for rental and at the 40th income percentile for ownership.
  2. At least 7% of all residential units in the Town Centre, or approximately 750 units of the ultimate build-out total, is targeted as “non-market” affordable housing, defined as housing that is affordable to households at or below the 20th income percentile for Ottawa. Achieving this target will be subject to the availability of funding from the Federal and Provincial governments.
  3. The required housing type and appropriate location for social housing in the Town Centre will be decided at the time of subdivision and site plan approval, subject to Council allocation of funds. The preferred location for social housing is sites that have convenient access to public transit, shopping and community services.
  4. The City will support the development of all affordable housing through municipal incentives and direct supports, which may include capital grants, deferral or exemption of fees and charges, density incentives or transfer, flexible zoning or alternative development standards. Where municipal incentives are provided, the City will enter into agreements with developers to maintain affordability, with mechanisms that will specify the mix of units to be provided, and will typically be registered on title or become a municipal housing facilities by-law.

7.6 Future Initiatives

The Town Centre Secondary Plan is the land use policy that will guide all future development within the South Nepean Town Centre. While it provides the general direction for development, it requires more detailed direction for certain aspects of development to be completed by the City. Future studies and plans will complement the Secondary Plan regarding such elements as streetscapes, parking and civic facilities.

Policies

  1. The City will complete the following, at a minimum, after the approval of the Town Centre Secondary Plan:
    1. A parking strategy;
    2. A streetscape master plan;
    3. A plan for the “South Nepean Civic Complex”;
    4. A function design study for Kennedy-Burnett Stormwater Management Facility;
    5. A strategy for the disposition of City-owned lands within the Town Centre;
    6. A strategy for funding mechanisms for such additional costs as providing underground utilities;
    7. A conceptual design of the transit “hub”; and
    8. Any other studies that are deemed necessary.

7.7 Revision process

The Town Centre will have a longer timeframe for the achievement of its envisioned ultimate built form than traditional suburban areas. Although the Town Centre Secondary Plan has been developed to be flexible in terms of permitted uses, built forms and block sizes to allow the development industry to adapt to changing market conditions, changes to the CDP may be necessary over the life of the plan. The CDP permits revisions to the schedules provided that the CDP’s general intent is maintained.

Policies

  1. Any proposed change to a schedule must reflect the goals, objectives and policies of the Secondary Plan. Updates to the studies supporting the Secondary Plan may be required in support of any proposed changes.
  2. Any change that requires an amendment to the Official Plan may also require a corresponding amendment to the South Nepean Town Centre Secondary Plan.
  3. Minor modifications to the Secondary Plan that are proposed prior to subdivision plan or site plan approval may be made at the discretion of the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Approvals. An approval of a subdivision plan or site plan by the City reflecting these changes constitutes approval of the change to the Secondary Plan. These changes include:
    1. Minor adjustments to streets, but not the elimination of streets;
    2. Minor adjustments to development block size or shape;
    3. Minor adjustments to an approved “Area Concept Plan”, as per Section 7.3(2); and
    4. Other changes deemed to be minor changes by the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Approvals.
  4. To initiate the process identified in Section 7.7(3) a proponent must submit to the City an Area Concept Plan as per Section 7.3(2). The City will circulate copies of the Area Concept Plan to landowners who are directly affected by the proposed changes for comment. If there are any objections to proposed changes, the Planning and Environment Committee will be the approval authority, otherwise, the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Approvals will be the approval authority. Each successive change to the Secondary Plan must reflect prior approved changes, which the City will keep on file. A corresponding amendment to the South Nepean Town Centre Secondary Plan may also be required.
  5. Major modifications to the Secondary Plan that are proposed prior to subdivision or site plan approval will be subject to approval by Planning and Environment Committee. These changes include:
    1. Major deviations to the street and block pattern;
    2. Any change in a land use policy area, unless an alternative policy area is specified in Section 3.0; or
    3. Other changes deemed to be major changes by the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Approvals.
  6. Staff-initiated changes to the Secondary Plan will follow the process identified in Section 7.7(4).

7.8 Monitoring

Given the longer timeframe for the full development of the Town Centre, it is crucial for the Town Centre Secondary Plan to be monitored to ensure that its vision, objectives and policies are being met. The purpose of monitoring will be to ensure that the assumptions underpinning the Secondary Plan continue to be valid, that the policies and guidelines contained in the Secondary Plan are being carried out, and that the policies and guidelines being carried out are having the desired outcomes.

Policies

  1. The total number and form of dwellings will be tracked by the City on a neighbourhood and community-wide basis at the time of development approval to ensure density targets are being met or can be met with future phases.
  2. City staff will monitor the performance of this Secondary Plan from time to time to assess whether the goals, objectives, policies and guidelines are being achieved. City staff may need to bring forward amendments to the Secondary Plan and the Secondary Plan to City Council for approval that would better implement the Secondary Plan or should any fundamental assumptions of this Secondary Plan change.
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