Sarsfield

Introduction

The Village Plan Review project will evaluate and update the existing Official Plan policies, which guide development for all villages including the Village of Sarsfield. A Village Plan analysis and Village Profile has been completed for Sarsfield to evaluate the existing policy and development situation in the village.

Village Plan Analysis

The City of Ottawa Village Secondary Plan policies for Sarsfield were extracted from the former City of Cumberland Official Plan that existed prior to amalgamation. These policies were originally approved in the 1990s and need to be updated. It is recommended that the policies which apply to Sarsfield be consolidated with the other six sets of village Township policies to create a consistent set of City of Ottawa policies which would apply equally to all villages without an independent plan. This recommended approach will eliminate the need for six separate Township policies and create a policy structure which is similar to what currently exists in Volume 1 of the Official Plan. This approach will alleviate overlap between the existing Township policy documents and create a consistent and easy to read set of Secondary Plan policies to guide future growth in the villages.

Link to the Existing Plan

Former City of Cumberland Official Plan

Village Profile

Sarsfield has a population of 453. The village has approximately 5.5 ha of vacant land which could accommodate 23 new dwelling units. There has been an average of one home built in Sarsfeild per year over the last 10 years. The village is surrounded by good agricultural land which is designated Agricultural Resource Area in the Official Plan, which is a major constraint for village expansion.

In 2009 staff met with the Sarsfield Community Association to discuss planning issues within the village. The community has lost their school which is at the edge of, but outside, the mixed-use designation on their mainstreet. Now that the former school building is being used as a Mulitservice Centre, the community would like the property to be within the mixed-use designation so a variety of new uses could be conducted there.

Population and Dwelling Units (2010)

Population 453

Dwelling Units 155

* Source: Planning and Growth Management Department

Employment (2006)

* Source: Employment Survey 2006

New Units Built

* Source: Building Permits

Development Potential (2010)

Vacant land = 5.26 ha

Potential for 22 dwelling units

*Source: Rural Residential Land Survey 2007-2008 updated with 2009/2010 building permit data and average lot size

Servicing

The village of Sarsfield is serviced via individual well and septic system. The City’s Infrastructure Policy Unit has completed a Village Ground Water Characterization study to assess the groundwater in the village which found no pressing concerns in the village.

Land Use (2010)

Map

*Source: Land Use Survey 2010

The information on Official Plan Rural Review project maps forms only a part of an overall 2010 City of Ottawa land use map. Updated information for both rural and urban areas will be released in the summer of 2011.

Community Characterization

Proposed Changes

Consolidate the existing six sets of Township Official Plan policy – which applies to 20 villages – into one consistent set of City of Ottawa, Secondary Plan policy to apply equally to all villages without an independent plan.

The spring 2011 public consultation session will help to inform the new consolidated Secondary Plan for villages. This session will:

• Develop a vision statement for the village
• Identify any specific needs for the village that need to be addressed in specific policy
• Comment on an updated Land Use Schedule for the village, which includes the proposed redesignation of the village school to Village Core to allow for a variety of uses on this vacant site.

Next Steps

Staff anticipate going back to the public in the fall of 2011 with the results of the spring public consultation sessions and to present the recommended Official Plan amendment to adopt new consolidated and improved village Secondary Plan policies and schedules.

Following the fall public consultation, Staff anticipate taking a report to Committee and Council in late 2011 to report public consultation concerns and present recommend updates to the Official Plan – Volume 2C (Village Plans).

Need More Information?

Frequently Asked Questions

• How did the Village Review planning initiative get started?
• Where are the City’s Village Plans found?
• What is the Village Review planning initiative?
• What Villages are part of the Villages Review?
• What processes have already occurred as part of the Village Review?
• How is the project connected to the Drive Thru project?
• How can the community get involved in the Village Review?