1.10 Upper Town

Conceptual Image: Upper Town

1.10.1 Vision

Residential Predominance

In the future, Upper Town will contribute significantly to the vitality of the Central Area and especially the Core, as an attractive, livable urban residential neighbourhood which focuses on a unique heritage district and enjoyable pedestrian environment.

Housing will be the predominant use, while a limited number of pedestrian-oriented uses will co-exist at-grade, such as confectioneries, restaurants or outdoor cafés which cater mainly to local residents. In the northern part of the area a few quiet bed and breakfast establishments, mainly in heritage buildings, and a limited number of small hotels will contribute to the pedestrian ambience of the area and provide a transition to nearby hotels in the western part of the Core and Sparks Street.

Heritage Conservation

The predominantly low-to-medium profile Cathedral Hill Heritage Conservation District, near the Garden of the Provinces on the northwestern edge of the area, will create a unique transitional entry to Upper Town and the Core. The architectural integrity and cultural identity of this significant historic grouping of buildings will be protected and enhanced. The imposing Roper House, for example, an Ottawa landmark, will be visible above the prominent historic limestone cliff from gateways in LeBreton Flats, and from Confederation Boulevard. Pedestrians walking along the western part of Sparks Street will be drawn to the special heritage character of this area, as well as to the panoramic views of LeBreton Flats, the Ottawa River, and Hull from an aesthetically landscaped pedestrian amenity area which interprets Ottawa's early geologic history from atop the limestone cliff and leads down to the lower levels of an escarpment area park. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Profile

Predominantly medium and high profile development which creates a human scale and respects occasional heritage buildings will be featured in the remainder of Upper Town, south of the Cathedral Hill Heritage Conservation District. New residential buildings will be sensitively designed to contribute to an enjoyable pedestrian streetscape and a livable environment, through design features which avoid overpowering effects, minimize shadowing and wind, enhance the urban forest and provide usable indoor and outdoor amenity areas.

Pedestrian Movement

An identifiable pedestrian pathway system in the area will link the Garden of the Provinces, the Cathedral Hill district, Sparks Street, LeBreton Flats, the Core, and open spaces in Upper Town. Attractive streetscape elements with abundant landscaping will be sensitive to the architectural character of the area, and will create opportunities for socializing. The block containing the Ottawa Technical High School will contain public and significant infill residential uses, as well as enhanced open space which will serve as the focus of the southern part of Upper Town, and will be used for a variety of shared-use leisure activities. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Transportation

Transitway improvements and the introduction of rapid transit will contribute to improved residential livability in Upper Town, providing an enhanced street environment, reduced noise and improved air quality, while continuing to provide a high level of transit service. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Through a combination of public and private measures, the Upper Town of the future will be an attractive livable urban neighbourhood whose convenient location next to the Core will attract not only residents, but visitors who will enjoy its special historic ambience and its enjoyable pedestrian environment.

1.10.2 Objectives

Predominantly Residential Uses

    1. To strengthen and protect Upper Town as designated on Schedule B - Character Areas and Theme Streets as a predominantly residential neighbourhood which contributes to the vitality of the Central Area.

Enhance Livability Protect Heritage

    1. To improve the residential livability of Upper Town, and preserve and enhance its heritage resources.

1.10.3 Policies

Predominantly Residential Neighbourhood [O.M.B. Decision, March 24, 1998]

    1. City Council shall permit predominantly residential uses, including bed and breakfast establishments, within Upper Town in order to contribute to the vitality of the Central Area, and especially the adjacent Core. City Council may also permit:
      1. limited commercial uses at grade within the area, such as confectioneries, restaurants, personal services, provided that such uses primarily serve the needs of local residents and that they do not:
      • attract large volumes of automobile traffic,
      • generate excessive noise and/or fumes,
      • require large areas for on-site outdoor storage of goods or vehicles;
      1. a limited number of other uses within the area which are complementary to, and compatible with the residential character of the area consistent with the criteria in I) above, such as leisure and public uses, and limited offices, provided that residential uses remain dominant in the area.

Cathedral Hill Conservation

    1. City Council shall ensure the protection, conservation and enhancement of the heritage resources and features of Upper Town, and shall designate the Cathedral Hill heritage area as a heritage conservation district, including the historic limestone cliff adjacent to LeBreton Flats. In realizing this aim, City Council shall adopt design criteria in accordance with Ottawa Official Plan Sections 2.5.1 and 3.6.6 to ensure that new infill development, alterations to existing heritage buildings, and/or public improvements within this area are sensitive to, and complement its special heritage character.

Profile of Development

    1. City Council shall permit predominantly medium and high profile development within Upper Town provided that development:
      1. within the Cathedral Hill heritage area is predominantly low-to medium profile, retains the prominence of the historic limestone cliff as provided below and is sensitive to the heritage character of the district;
      2. achieves a transition from the historic limestone cliff and the predominantly low-to-medium profile forms in the Cathedral Hill heritage area to the predominantly medium and high profile forms in the remainder of Upper Town. This transition shall create a unique transitional entrance to the Central Area which respects the heritage character of the Cathedral Hill area and the prominence of the historic limestone cliff;
      3. regardless of profile, contributes to a sense of human scale;
      4. where appropriate, creates an effective transition between lower and higher profile forms; and
      5. creates a transition to the existing residential neighbourhoods to the south. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Residential Livability

    1. City Council shall undertake to ensure and improve the livability of Upper Town and shall accordingly take into account the design criteria in Ottawa Official Plan, Section 2.5.1 and 3.6.6 when reviewing proposals for residential development within the area, in particular:
      1. treatment of the lower floors of high-to-medium profile buildings to create visual interest;
      2. setting back the upper storeys of high to medium profile buildings, including the use of podiums, to create a human scale and minimize overpowering and overshadowing effects;
      3. where appropriate, providing a transition from lower profile to higher profile buildings, and vice versa;
      4. the creation of an identifiable entrance and a strong transition from the public right-of-way;
      5. minimizing sun shadowing and undesirable wind conditions at-grade;
      6. the provision of usable private and common outdoor landscaped amenity areas;
      7. the provision of adequate privacy and sunlight for residential units; and
      8. the provision of a tree planting corridor/area. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Pedestrian Environment and Open spaces

    1. City Council shall ensure the improvement and enhancement of the pedestrian and open space environment in Upper Town through such measures as:
      1. the designation and enhancement of pedestrian corridors, and in particular, the provision of an identifiable, enjoyable pedestrian network within the area which provides abundant landscape elements and links with local and nearby open spaces, Theme Streets and Character Areas, in particular, the Cathedral Hill heritage area, Sparks Street, the Core, LeBreton Flats, the Parliamentary Precinct and the Ottawa River, and Centretown;
      2. Existing Open Spaces - promotion of the protection of existing open space areas such as the Garden of the Provinces;
      3. Long-Term Open Spaces Needed - the investigation of the long-term open space needs of Upper Town, together with the Ottawa Board of Education and other levels of government, and in the interim, the shared use of the Ottawa Technical High School open space and adjoining City lands;
      4. Open Space Enhancement - the investigation of the potential enhancement of the open space overlooking LeBreton Flats, atop the historic limestone cliff at the western end of Sparks Street, and the creation of a destination park, as per Policy h) below, through such measures as the provision of suitable soft and hard landscape elements which are sensitive to the character of the Cathedral Hill heritage area, the preservation of panoramic views from this site, provision of a staircase or other movement system from the top of the cliff to the base of the escarpment and the lower levels of an escarpment park and the provision of suitable interpretive elements relating to Ottawa's geologic and architectural history, together with other levels of government. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Views

    1. City Council shall ensure the protection and enhancement of significant views from public open spaces and along public rights-of-way in Upper Town. In particular, the panoramic views of LeBreton Flats, the Ottawa River and the Islands from the Sparks Street right-of-way in accordance with Policy e) above, as well as significant views to adjacent Character Areas, such as Sparks Street, the Core, and the Parliamentary Precinct, shall be protected and enhanced. City council shall protect the views of the Parliament Buildings from two locations at Beechwood Cemetery, as identified in Annex 12 in Volume 1 of this plan. [Amendment 69, November 26, 2008]

Transportation Elements

    1. City Council shall promote and cooperate with other levels of government, in the mitigation, and avoidance of undesirable impacts of through traffic movements or transportation improvements within the area. In this regard, City Council shall also recognize the key role of rapid transit corridors within this area and ensure that a comprehensive area plan is undertaken to examine how a future connection to a grade-separated downtown rapid transit facility can be protected while minimizing the impact on the development potential of the Escarpment Park District. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]

Targeted Strategies

    1. City Council shall consider undertaking the following targeted strategies (see Annex 10), as part of a comprehensive area plan in collaboration with the National Capital Commission and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, to implement the Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy:
      1. Escarpment Park - the development of an escarpment park to bridge the upper and lower areas of the escarpment and to provide a direct link to the open space network proposed for LeBreton Flats as well as to Sparks Street;
      2. The Escarpment Park District - a development plan for the residentially-zoned parcels in the Escarpment Park District, and;
      3. Redevelopment of the Former Ottawa Technical High School Site - a development plan for the former Ottawa Technical School site and the adjacent City-owned lands in order to:
      • create a community park and development parcels for high density residential mixed use, including a potential educational or other institutional facility in the restored former high school or a new building;
      • review the options for restoration or removal of the former high school building;
      • create a new public street or mid-block pedestrian connection between Laurier Avenue and Albert Street; and
      • provide streetscape improvements and street tree planting along Laurier Avenue and Slater Street between Bronson Avenue and Bay Street, including the Bronson, Bay and Albert Street edges. [Amendment 24, May 25, 2005]
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