Responses to “As We Heard It”
Greely Community Design Plan

Greely citizens should be part of the planning process.

The purpose of the Greely workshop on March 30, 2011 was to involve residents in a workshop format where they could identify their concerns and issues to staff. A whole range of issues was identified and this will assist staff in developing recommendations for next steps forward.

Greely has changed, vision for Village Plan has changed, village is not quiet like it used to be.

Comment noted. The vision in the Greely Community Design Plan (CDP) referred to maintaining the village setting, rural feel, links between different areas, developing recreational facilities, open spaces and groundwater sources through sustainable development. Many of these points were identified by residents at the March 30^th workshop and are still relevant today.

The public library is in the wrong location and should have been located next to the post office and not in the middle of a field. This was a lost opportunity. The City itself needs to comply with Community Design Plan itself...e.g. not put the library outside the core as they have done.

Although the library may not be located next to the post office on Parkway Road, it is located next to the Greely Community Centre located in the Andy Shields Park area where resources can be shared and serve as a meeting place for residents.

Residential land use

Maintain emphasis on low density residential.

The majority of the village is designated for residential development, which preserves the low-density character of the village. The Greely CDP directs higher density residential buildings such as ground oriented multi-units and apartment dwellings to the Village Core.

Some do not want residential uses impacted by commercial development.

Commercial uses are to be located in specific areas including the Village Core, industrial area abutting Parkway, west side of Bank Street and east side of Bank Street (Shopping Centre Commercial).

Intensification

Some residents believe that intensification does not belong in villages, but in the urban area. This is due in part to its impact on roads, services and effect on property values. Still others question its benefit to villagers and potential profit made by developers.

The Official Plan, which guides the overall growth of the City, encourages that the larger villages, such as Greely, provide a variety of housing that are not only geared for families, but also for seniors and young adults. In addition to this these villages will also provide residents and the surrounding rural areas with needed community and commercial services.

There is enough residential development in Greely.

The City cannot arbitrarily halt development where lands have already been designated for development.

There is a need for affordable seniors’ housing. The old Ministry of Transportation (MTO) building could be used for not-for-profit seniors’ housing.

Staff have followed-up with the Committee for Rent Geared to Income Seniors’ Apartments in Greely letting them know that the MTO lands are located outside the Village boundary. They were provided with a contact in the Affordable Housing Services Unit in the Community and Social Services Department.

Village Core

How is the Village Core area defined?

The geographic location of the Village Core is shown on Schedule A of the Greely CDP. The Village Core extends along the west side of Bank Street from Remington Way south to Meadow Drive, spanning approximately 20 village lots facing Bank Street. The Core further extends over four blocks east ward into the village along Parkway Road.

Lack of Village Core

Residents want to have a mainstreet focus in Greely, however, there was general agreement that there is no village core, like other villages (Metcalfe and Osgoode). Greely is seen more as a large residential subdivision. There was also a feeling that the existing lot fabric in the area designated as Village Core is too small and already developed with housing.

Although Greely does not have a physical core that can serve as a focal point for residents, the Greely Community Design Plan designates a location for it to develop over time, which includes the existing grocery store and businesses around it.

Location of Village Core Designation

There were a variety of opinions on the appropriateness of the current location of the Village Core. Some felt its location was appropriate and should be the focus of new development. Others felt that the mainstreet should be focussed on Parkway Drive. Yet others felt it was in the wrong spot and should be more centrally located in Greely rather on the eastern edge. This would mean moving it further west closer to the fire station and near the industrial lands. Parkway Drive should have Village Core character and expand west to be in closer proximity to houses on west side of Greely.

It is unusual for the designated Core of a community to be located at the edge of a village, however, there is an existing small cluster of commercial uses on Meadow Drive e.g. grocery store, pizzeria and sports store that provides the nucleus of a Core. This area will serve as one of the building blocks for the Core rather than trying to relocate the Core to a different area.

Is the corner of Prescott and Parkway, part of the Quinn Farms development, in the Village Core designation part of the Quinn Farms development?

The Village Core designation applies to the northeastern corner of the Quinn Farm property located at Parkway and Old Prescott Road. These lands, on the north side of Shields Creek abutting Parkway Road, are intended for commercial and mixed-uses and represent the western most limit of the Village Core designation. It should be noted that the draft approved plan of subdivision for the Quinn Farm residential development to the south does not include these Village Core lands.

Extent of Core

The Core is too small and should be expanded to create more opportunities for commercial redevelopment. It should not however, extend east of Bank Street.

The Village Core is actually quite extensive and covers about 90 separate properties with the majority of the land currently occupied by residences. The primary issue is that there has not been any development interest in building commercial buildings, with the exception of the proposed shopping centre on the east side of Bank Street. It should be noted that staff have recommended that parking requirements be reduced for uses in the Village Core areas to facilitate creation of a core.

Commercial Uses Needed

Residents indicated that commercial uses should be focussed in the Core and also identified a variety of uses that should be permitted including: seniors’ residence, bank and restaurant. Only those uses compatible with residential uses should be located in the Core.

A wide range of non-residential uses are permitted in the Village Core designation. These lands are generally zoned VM3, which permit uses such as retail store, retail food store, restaurant, bank, convenience store, office, and home based business. Residential uses are also permitted including dwelling units (apartments), a detached dwelling, and three-unit dwelling.

Highway commercial uses should be located on main roads. Is there any reason not to have commercial uses along Stagecoach Road and Parkway Drive? Greely will continue to grow in the coming years and there is still no commercial focal point for the community and few commercial services for new residents.

It is agreed that there seems to be a shortage if commercial uses in the Greely area. Streets that have been zoned for commercial uses include: west side of Bank Street, majority of Meadow Drive, majority of Parkway Road between Bank Street and Old Prescott Road. However, it is up to the private sector to implement these uses. It would not be prudent to expand commercial zoning along Stagecoach Road and Parkway Road when there are already many existing underutilized areas zoned to accommodate commercial uses.

Could a Wal-Mart open up in the core area?

The Village Mixed-Use Zone (VM) generally applies to the Village Core area allowing a range of commercial, residential and institutional uses. One of the permitted uses is a retail store. A maximum gross floor area is not stipulated, which would therefore permit a large format retail store. This is not considered likely, however, since there would be a large number of land acquisitions required to create a large enough site for a business such as a Walmart.

Residential uses occupy the Village Core and there is no room for new commercial uses. How is it possible for those properties to be developed for commercial uses?

The Greely CDP’s land use plan provides a framework for future growth. Although the majority of the Village Core may currently consist of residential uses, it is anticipated that in the future this area will serve as an appropriate location for a mix of uses over time. The existing zoning for the Village Core lands currently permit commercial uses, however it is up to the private sector to implement this direction.

There is a dead end area in the Core where lands have remained undeveloped (street behind Post Office, Ellsworth Lane). This area needs to be cleaned up.

This is a property standards matter and it should be reported to the City of Ottawa’s 3-1-1 line.

Relocation of Existing Businesses

Is there a way to encourage relocation of businesses from further up Bank Street to the Village Core?

Zoning in the Village Core is already in place to accommodate a wide range of uses. Some of the current uses on Bank Street would not be appropriate in the Village Core (e.g. landscaping business, auto salvage and storage). Ultimately it would be up to individual business owners to initiate this effort.

Rapid growth

Manotick has grown very quickly in the last 10 to 15 years. Is this possible for Greely?

Between 2001 and 2009, there were 709 building permits issued for new dwelling units in Greely, an average of about 78 building permits per year, which makes it the fastest growing village in Ottawa. Another 1,685 homes can be built within Greely’s village boundaries.

Parking

Where can you park in the Core area?

Several of the existing businesses provide on-site parking for their patrons. On-street parking is permitted for a maximum of 3 hours in the Village Core.

Drive-Through Facilities

Not in favour of drive-through facilities in Greely core

Comment noted and input has been forwarded to staff responsible for preparing policy re: drive-through facilities.

Municipal Involvement

Could the City turn existing City property over to commercial uses?

The City has not identified any surplus properties in Greely. City-owned properties such as Andy Shields Park, with the associated community centre and library, are currently being used to provide services and amenities to residents.

Could incentives be put in place to bring in commercial uses and what is being done to encourage properties to convert to commercial?

Staff have provided the appropriate land use designation and zoning to permit commercial development, and have recommended reduced parking requirements within the Village Core to make it easier to establish a commercial use. The City can only create the planning framework to encourage development, however, it is up to the private sector to implement the CDP.

Shopping Centre Area

Some residents believe that the proposed shopping centre is located too far east, not well-linked to the rest of the Village and is difficult to get to. Comments were made that safe links need to be made to the rest of the village located to the east so that students, who may work there can safely cycle to work. While others feel that it will bring in small businesses and professionals to their community.

The Ontario Municipal Board ordered the City to expand the Greely village boundary to include the lands on the east side of Bank Street to accommodate the proposed shopping centre site and residential development. The list of permitted uses include: bank, catering establishment, daycare, medical facility, office, retail food store and retail store.

Staff understand that there are connectivity issues for pedestrians and cyclists and these will be addressed through the subdivision/site plan process.

Scrap Yard and Industrial Area

The City needs a strategy for the future use of the car scrap yard located on Parkway Road, which is being squeezed in by development. Generally residents felt that the site is too polluted and should only be used for commercial and industrial purposes. It was suggested that wells be tested on a five year cycle.

It is anticipated that these lands will become part of the Village through resolution of Ontario Municipal Board appeals re: Official Plan Amendment 76. Once this is finalized, it is recommended that these lands be designated “Industrial” on Schedule A – Village Land Use Plan.

The presence of a watercourse on the scrap yard property was noted and there was a suggestion that an appropriate riparian corridor be secured to extend the pathway network through this area.

At the time of any future proposal for redevelopment of this property, the proponent will be advised of all the pertinent policies relating to presence of a watercourse, riparian plantings etc. Typically staff will request a pathway just outside the setback requirement to the watercourse.

Why is the “donut hole” area not designated industrial? What is the “donut hole” zoned? The RU zone should not permit it to be a junk yard

The Greely CDP does not designate the “donut hole” lands since they are not considered to be part of the Village lands, despite their location. The majority of the lands are zoned Rural Countryside (RU). The portion with the scrap yard is currently zoned Rural General Industrial (RG3), which permits a range of industrial uses. Official Plan Amendment 76 recommends that the “donut hole” be re-designated “Village“ on Schedule A of the Official Plan. A decision is expected soon.

Why was the “donut hole” land not included in the Ontario Municipal Board decision?

The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) has approved a majority of the City’s proposed amendments to the Official Plan. Some of the proposed amendments, including the “donut hole” are tied to an appeal. It is anticipated that this particular appeal will be considered by the OMB in the Fall 2011.

Is there some sort of control, such as property standard for industries?

For environmental concerns, contact the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. If there a property standards concerns, residents should call 3-1-1 to report the concern to City staff so that there is appropriate follow-up.

Environmental Areas

What kind of environmental uses does the City regulate?

The City regulates uses through designations in the Official Plan, including various environmental features which have been identified through provincial and municipal studies. These environmental features have been incorporated in the Greely CDP using three land use designations: i) Provincially Significant Wetland, ii) Ecological Feature and iii) Ecological Function.

What is an Ecological Feature and Ecological Function?

The Ecological Feature identified in the Greely CDP is an interior forest habitat inside a woodland located in the north-west corner of the Village. Associated with this is an area identified as an Ecological Function, which are those areas that help sustain the adjacent significant ecological feature. In this case, the Ecological Function area is a 100 m. wide buffer zone that preserves the interior forest habitat. Without this buffer zone, the Ecological Feature (the interior habitat) will cease to exist. These areas were identified through the Shields Creek Subwatershed study.

The “Ecological Function” overlay should not permit any development and should be entirely protected. We don’t have many natural areas left and there is a need to protect groundwater recharge areas.

Areas that have been identified in the Greely CDP as “Ecological Function” permit a limited range of uses. Any development proposed within the area shown as Ecological Function will be required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. This document would describe the impact of development on these areas, and how the impacts could be reduced or avoided.

Farmland

We should consider protecting significant farmland in the Village for use for gardening and food production for residents. The City should consider making the “hole-in-the-donut” a community garden. Other residents expressed concerns about environmental impacts and the risk of contamination in this car storage area.

The City has designated lands to be used for agricultural purposes, which are located in the rural area, and not within “Village” areas. It is not intended that lands located in a designated “Village”, such as Greely, will be protected for food production. Residents are able to use their own property for gardening if they wish, of course.

In order to support the use of the “donut” lands, now partially used to store old cars, for any new purpose in the future, a record of site conditions and numerous studies will be required to demonstrate that the proposed use of the land is suitable.

Regulations

Development should be in keeping with the Greely Community Design Plan. Why was Foodland not developed in accordance with CDP policies regarding front yard setback?

The Foodland grocery store was built before approval of the Greely CDP and therefore does not reflect the setbacks established for the Village Core area. Any future development within the Village Core must comply with zoning regulations existing at the time.

Other

One planner should be assigned to Greely to ensure implementation of the Greely Community Design Plan

Development applications review teams are organized geographically and there is one team of planners responsible for the rural area east of the Rideau River, including Greely. The review team members sit and work closely together to ensure that information/knowledge can be easily shared.

The land use map needs to be updated since it does not represent the current lot fabric.

The Greely CDP is one of the planning documents that planners must refer to in their review of an application. It was approved in 2005 and reflects the development pattern at that point in time. Ultimately, the land use plan provides direction for future development and is not affected by lotting patterns.

Staff have recommended some changes to the land use plan so the current lotting pattern can be updated as part of this review.

Country Lot Subdivisions Located Outside the Village

The City is obviously pushing for country lot clustering and the “discussion paper” does not contain firm enough language – too many “may”, “might” and “could” statements.

City Council directed staff to study issues around country lot subdivisions, in particular “clustering” of these developments. This effort is part of the Rural Review initiative that is now underway. Among issues to be considered: whether “clustering” has the potential to cause groundwater concerns where studies required for one subdivision do not identify concerns; implications of this type of development on the need for communal services and their feasibility; how the presence of clusters on the edge of the urban boundary will affect any urban expansion particularly efforts to building over prime agricultural land and rural natural features. The purpose of the discussion paper is to form the basis for further discussion before staff reports to Council as to whether any changes are required to the Official Plan.

• At some point, would the village boundary be expanded to include country lot subdivisions located outside Greely? These lots are already there and use the same community services as the residents of the Village.
• Country lot subdivisions are great.
• Like the bigger lot sizes in country lot subdivisions.
• Support country lot subdivisions.
• Love country lot subdivisions!
• Two acres lots are a good thing.
• Country lot subdivisions insulate Greely.
• Country estate development - completely appropriate, enhances the community.
• These uses should be permitted adjacent to the Village.
• Subdivisions are OK, as long as there is an adequately functioning Core area, and there are connections/pathways between subdivisions.
• Ensure that these subdivisions are connected to the Village through roads, sidewalks and pathways.

These comments have been forwarded to staff for consideration in their review of country lot subdivisions.

Other

The area by the post office has remained vacant and looks abandoned.

If there are property standards concerns about the property, residents can call 3-1-1.

Will development occur at the corner of Stagecoach Road and Mitch Owens Road?

The corner of Stagecoach Road and Mitch Owens Road is located outside the village boundary and is not dealt with in the Greely CDP. The south-west corner is zoned Rural Countryside (RU), which can accommodate agricultural, forestry, country residential lots created by severance and other land uses characteristic of Ottawa’s countryside. It is likely that rural commercial development will take place at this location.

A letter was received from Greely Sand and Gravel in support of the proposed application to expand the Village boundary to accommodate the Cedar Lakes development. It was noted that approval of this application will support the local homebuilding industry and provide a well-designed new community for the growing Village of Greely.

Comment noted.

There is concern about the applicability of Section 5.3 Built Form Guidelines for the Village Core (main street area) since there are primarily homes located there now.

These guidelines provide guidance on how development should proceed in the future with respect to height, location of parking or garages, and minimum front yard setback from the sidewalk.

However, it is anticipated that change will be incremental. For example, someone wishing to convert a detached one and a half storey house to a retail store would be able to do so without being required to demolish the building in order to conform to these guidelines. However, in the case of a redevelopment where an existing house is demolished and replaced, the guidelines would apply.

Road Improvements, Traffic, Connectivity

• Residents identified the lack of connectivity in the Village by car, bicycle and foot. This makes it difficult to travel from one part of Greely to another. People want to be able to travel throughout the Village without feeling that they or their children are at risk.
• There is also a desire to improve connectivity between existing and new communities without creating negative impacts.
• Parkway Drive was most frequently mentioned as being unsafe. Due to narrow road widths, soft shoulders and deep ditches, residents report that trucks leaving the Parkway fire station cannot drive past cars travelling in the opposite direction. Drivers must speed ahead and make their turn before encountering the fire truck or must turn into private driveways to avoid an encounter with the fire truck.

Staff heard a wide range of transportation comments from residents at the spring 2011 workshop in Greely. When the Greely CDP was initiated in 2003, there was limited transportation work undertaken. Almost a decade later, Greely has become the fastest growing village in Ottawa and also the most populated. Within Greely there is only one main east-west road connection (Parkway Road) that residents depend on.

Since the Greely CDP was approved in 2005, the Village population has grown by about 30% and there have been OMB-approved village boundary expansions and others that are tied to appeals to the OMB. Surrounding the Village are over 1,300 lots that have been created – some developed and others developable. In response to this growth and the wide range of transportation issues identified by residents, it is recommended that a village-wide transportation study be undertaken to identify transportation-related needs and improve overall connectivity. All modes of transportation should be considered including car, truck, walking (sidewalks, pathways) and cycling, both in and around Greely.

Sidewalks – Village Core

There were several comments about the need for sidewalks to and within the Village Core, including one to the public library. There was also a desire to have streetlights and street trees in the Village Core.

• See response to Road Improvements, Traffic, Connectivity.
• The Greely CDP recognized the need for sidewalks. Section 5.4 Streetscape Guidelines states:
  “Creating a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere is key to making a successful Village Core for Greely. This Plan will ensure that streets in Greely’s Core are safe and allow ease of movement for pedestrians, are linked to surrounding neighbourhoods by a system of pedestrian and cycling routes, and together with the built form creates an intimate and visually appealing public atmosphere.”
  The CDP further states that Parkway Road and Meadow Drive should be switched to a “village cross-section” during any reconstruction of those streets, which includes provision of sidewalks.

People do not want pathways retroactively imposed on existing subdivision at the expense of private landowners who might prefer their privacy. There is a desire for pedestrian linkages between parks and development.

Noted. Staff try to create linkages through the development review process.

Bicycle Lanes

Dedicated cycle lanes are needed along Stagecoach Road, Old Prescott Road, Mitch Owens Road, Bank Street, Parkway Drive and road network through the Village.

The Ottawa Cycling Plan (OCP) identifies streets designated for future paved shoulders to accommodate cyclists:

• Old Prescott Road (Mitch Owens Road to future multi-use pathway approx. 500 m. south of Breanna Cardill Street)
• Parkway Drive (Stagecoach Road to Old Prescott Road)
• Apple Orchard Road (Manotick Station Road to Stagecoach Road)
• Gough Road (Dozois Road to Manotick Station Road)
• Dozois Road (Mitch Owens Road to Gough Road)
• Stagecoach (Mitch Owens Road to Gold Ash Lane and Lakeshore Drive north to the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry boundary)

Multi-use pathways identified in the OCP, can accommodate cyclists, including one to the south that is intended to link to Metcalfe on a special alignment that includes segments of off-road cycling (e.g. multi-use pathways) and on-road cycling (e.g. quieter local streets) with shared lanes but no special bike facilities. Final alignments are not shown, but the intent is to provide connectivity with the use of arrows.

Residents generally identified streets where cyclists should be accommodated; however, it would be helpful for City staff to understand the exact segment of roadway where cyclists should be accommodated. It should be noted that the development of such facilities represents a significant capital cost to taxpayers and may impact on-street parking.

Road Conditions

The major roads need to be widened - maintaining two lanes, but including bike paths and sidewalks.

See response to Road improvements, Traffic, Connectivity.

All of the main roads have poor grading and are dangerous. Roads were not built to withstand the weight and volume of traffic that now exists in Greely. The roads need to be excavated and paved.

The City is aware of the road conditions in Greely and maintains a list of planned road works based on priorities and needs: i) Apple Orchard from Manotick Station to Stagecoach, ii) Parkway from Stagecoach to Old Prescott, iii) Old Prescott Road from Stagecoach to Donwel. These projects fall outside the 2012-2014 planning horizon due to backlog of needs and projected funding levels – this may change with the current budget.

Note: Road resurfacing/renewal is currently being undertaken on Parkway Drive (east of Bank Street to west of John Quinn).

Note: An environmental assessment will be undertaken for the proposed widening of Bank Street from Leitrim Road to Rideau Road. There has been rapid growth in this area leading to increased traffic on Bank Street resulting in congestion during peak periods. It is noted that traffic demands from rural area residents will be incorporated into the study process.

There is a sloped gravel parking lot on Old Prescott Road into the vicinity of the soccer field at Andy Shields Park. Better access is needed because it is very steep and dangerous. Gravel and rocks often get kicked up and damage other cars. Pedestrians are at risk as well.

This suggestion has been forwarded to the Recreation Planning & Facility Development Unit (City Operations Portfolio) and it will be added to their list of works and will be prioritized every year against all other requests.

Traffic

There is too much traffic on Stagecoach Road. Traffic should be diverted to Manotick Station Road or Stagecoach Road should be widened.

Stagecoach Road is classified in the Transportation Master Plan as an arterial roadway, whereas Manotick Station Road is a collector. Accordingly, no action should be taken to direct traffic to a lesser tier roadway. The Transportation Master Plan does not identify a need for any future widening of Stagecoach Road.

Traffic should be reduced at Bank Street and Parkway Drive because of the proposed shopping centre where youth will be working or shopping.

The matter has been reviewed recently by the Traffic, Safety & Mobility Unit (Public Works Department). They confirm the ideal speed limit for this section of Bank Street is 90 km/h with the lowest limit to be posted for safe operation, 80 km/h. An arbitrary reduction in the posted speed limit will not affect the speed of traffic, but may decrease safety as the length of any required turning lanes would be designed based on the lower posted limit, whereas the majority of drivers will still travel at or close to the previous design speed of the roadway (100 km/h). Also, traffic signal clearance intervals are adjusted based on the posted speed limit. A lower speed limit set at an arbitrary level will result in a yellow light that is too short for the actual speed of traffic. Accordingly, this could result in an increase in “red-light running.”

No further action is proposed to reduce the posted speed limit on this former Provincial highway at this time. The Public Works Department will, however, review vehicle speeds following completion of all development at this intersection and will give consideration to a different speed limit should one be recommended based on the criteria outlined in the City of Ottawa Speed Zoning Policy for Urban and Rural Roads.

Note: The intersection at Bank and Parkway will be modified to include turning lanes and street lights to accommodate traffic generated by the shopping centre.

Bank Street and Meadow Drive should have a lower speed limits streetlights, and bike lanes. There was a fatal bike accident with the young boy riding home after working at grocery store in 2010.

See note above regarding the speed limit on Bank Street. The unfortunate fatal collision involving the cyclist was alcohol-related and could not be addressed by changes to signs or the speed limit. The matter of bicycle lanes on City streets is addressed above under the Bicycle Lanes section of this document.

There are concerns about traffic at Parkway Drive and Stagecoach Road. Traffic lights are needed to slow traffic so residents living north of Parkway in west Greely can turn north on Stagecoach Road.

City staff are assessing the intersection at Parkway and Stagecoach. Residents will be notified of study results when they are available.

There needs to be an eastbound right turn lane off Mitch Owens Road onto Stagecoach Road. It is anticipated that there will be an accident because there is no turning lane.

For east bound traffic on Mitch Owens, a right turn lane onto Manotick Station is planned as one of the Development Charge projects. This project is recommended to be implemented within a few years.

There should be an east bound right-turn lane from Mitch Owens to Old Prescott.

There is no eastbound right-turn lane proposed at Mitch Owens and Old Prescott. Traffic volumes should be warranted before a right-turn lane is constructed. Staff will monitor the intersection to determine if the traffic volumes warrant a turning lane.

Truck Traffic

There is a concern about traffic on Old Prescott Road, especially truck traffic travelling at 80 km/hr. The suggestion is to move truck traffic onto Bank Street in light of new residential development and terrible road conditions of Old Prescott Road.

City staff are aware of the truck issues in Greely. See response to Road Improvements, Traffic, Connectivity.

What can be done about the truck traffic on Mitch Owens Road to and from Orga World?

Mitch Owens Road is a designated heavy truck route and has functioned this way for the past half century. Any change must be mandated by City Council.

Is it possible for trucks to use an old right-of-way to the south or is it possible for the road to be widened and resurfaced?

There is much to consider in converting or returning an existing un-used right-of-way into a travelled road. In order to consider using an existing road right-of-way (ROW), staff must review the specific site in question.  There needs to be an assessment as to how this ROW would fit into the existing road network, the adequacy of the ROW to accommodate trucks. According to the new 2012 budget the City has plans to resurface aging roads, and improve sidewalks and cycling infrastructure.

Trucks are driving and speeding through the Village. Old Prescott Road should be a “no truck zone” the way Stagecoach Road is now.

The matter of speeding trucks is a common complaint. Changing truck routes must be addressed by City Council and given the historical usage of the road by trucks, it is doubtful that the Public Works Department would recommend a change. Diverting truck traffic onto an adjacent truck route would simply increase the number of complaints from residents on that roadway.

Old Prescott Road

Old Prescott Road divides the community. There are hundreds of kids who have no effective way to get around the village

Comment noted. It is hoped that with future road resurfacing work on Parkway that a paved shoulder will be created, which will accommodate a cycling route along the only continuous east-west roadway in Greely.

Speeding

Speeds should be reduced on Stagecoach Road and Old Prescott Road. Vehicles travel at 80-90 km/hr.

The matter of vehicle speeds is addressed by the police. Accordingly, Sgt Mark Gatien has been notified of this concern by the Public Works Department. The Public Works Department notes that reducing speed limits to reduce speeding traffic is problematic. Drivers who choose to travel in an aggressive manner and at high speeds do so regardless of the posted speed limit.

There have been requests by a church and school for a 60 km/hr speed limit on Bank Street. The City responded that they could not lower the speed limit from 80 km/hr because it was a major road. It was noted, however, that Vernon has a 60 km/hr speed limit on Bank Street. Why is there this discrepancy?

The matter of the speed limit near the church was reviewed and approved by City Council to be maintained at the 80 km/r speed limit recommended by staff. The speed limit in the Village of Vernon was set by the Province of Ontario when this roadway was a Provincial highway and a subsequent speed zone review has confirmed that a 60 km/h or 70 km/h would be appropriate and safe for this portion of Bank Street. Other sections of Bank Street could be posted at either 90 km/h or 100 km/h in accordance with the roadway design, function and adjacent land development.

Parkway Drive should have a 40km/hr speed limit.

The Public Works Department has provided the following response to the suggested speed limit reduction:

The currently posted 50 km/h speed limit is the lowest limit to be posted based on the City of Ottawa Speed Zoning Policy. As a collector roadway, any reduction in the speed limit would not be adhered to by the majority of safe and prudent drivers regardless of the level of enforcement. Also, any action to reduce the speed limit to reduce the number of speeders would eliminate the effectiveness of the school speed zone. The roadway would simply become a speed trap requiring constant monitoring by staff and the police with no net improvement in safety.

Regarding speed limits in general – of note to all interested parties, statistics have proven conclusively that, as arterial or collector roadways, any reduction in a posted speed limit will not be adhered to by the majority of the driving public and the results of the most recent spot speed surveys confirm this fact.

Without doubt, safety is paramount in any speed review conducted by this Department. However, it is important to maintain consistent, uniform speed limits on any roadway to provide all users including pedestrians, cyclists, adjacent residents and motorists with a correct representation of the actual speed of traffic on that street. The provision of unreasonable speed limits, especially relating to roadway function, design and development, may result in enforcement difficulties and increases in traffic hazard as the majority of motorists continue to drive at speeds they find reasonable and prudent, having regard to the prevailing roadway conditions.

The resulting greater differences in relative speeds between these and the majority of motorists causes increased and undue risk – undue risk to all those motorists who, by their efforts in upholding an unreasonable speed limit put themselves and others at further risk by those who will seek to pass slower moving vehicles and by their action increase the risk of side-swipe, loss of control and worse, head-on collisions. So, as drivers are forced to expend extra effort in continually adjusting their speeds to comply with unreasonable speed limits, less driver attention is available for competing traffic elements such as other motorists, pedestrians, or cyclists.

Contrary to popular opinion, the provision of higher speed limits, when and where appropriate, results in safer traffic operation. It cannot be emphasized often or emphatically enough: there is no safety, inherent or otherwise, in faith being placed on a speed limit that is inconsistent with the speed actually travelled by traffic.

Other

Will the road network in the “lakes areas” be connected so residents will not have to drive along Parkway Drive?

Through the development application process, staff will ensure that connections are provided in new subdivisions. 

What is the City doing with collector roads in the vicinity of the Quinn farm development so congestion is not created on Old Prescott Road. What is the developer’s responsibility?

The Quinn Farm development has been designed with an internal collector road exiting east onto Old Prescott Road and north onto Parkway Drive. The developer will be paying 50% of the cost of a pedestrian- activated signal crossing which will connect the new development with Andy Shields Park. As part of the crossing, there will be a section of walkway along Old Prescott Road so that people can walk to the actual crossing – in the vicinity of the vehicle entrance to the park. The City is planning a sidewalk in the parking lot to line up with the crossing to guide pedestrians appropriately.

Some residents would like to see crossing lights at Manotick Station Road at Mitch Owens Road so that cyclists using the multi-use pathway to the east of the intersection can cross Mitch Owens Road safely. There appears to be a conflict between City traffic and cycling staff as to whether some kind of traffic light. Can this be clarified?

This community desire for a crossing is recognized by City staff. Residents’ comments have been sent to traffic staff to determine whether the warrant is met for a crossing at Manotick Station Road and Mitch Owens Road.

More east-west roads are needed besides Parkway Drive.

Comment noted. The City’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) identifies the higher order roads (arterials and collectors) in Greely, but does not identify any new proposed east-west collector roads. Much of the road system in Greely has already been established and it would be very difficult to create any new east-west roads.

It is difficult for vehicles to manoeuvre in the vicinity of the grocery store. There have been three minor accidents and delivery trucks are having trouble getting in and out of the parking lot. It is thought that cars using a commuter bus also park in this area. Is there an option for vehicles to park at the community centre?

See response to Road Improvements, Traffic, Connectivity.

Transit

Some residents would like to have peak hour bus service during the weekday and limited service on weekend for youth. At the same time, other residents do not want bus service because they do not want to lose the rural village character of their community.

Approximately ten years ago residents in Greely clearly told staff that they did not want bus service. This explains the absence of bus service in the community.

Funds should be diverted from transit to roads because residents pay for transit, but they do not have transit service.

Since Greely residents do not have bus service, they do not pay for bus service. However, it should be noted that all residents pay for ParaTranspo through their taxes.

There is concern that there is no parking area for users of the private bus that travels north on Bank Street and for those individuals carpooling. There are 15 cars parked on Meadow Drive, near the grocery store.

Concerns about parking infractions should be directed to 3-1-1.

Protected areas

There was support for plans for protected areas, however, it was noted that development is encroaching and deer no longer exist. There is a desire to protect what is left including the wetlands and woodlot. There was interest in the specific elements of the woodlot and having public access to it.

The woodlot located at the north-west corner of the Village will trigger the requirement for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be prepared when development is proposed within it or nearby. Staff aim for maximum tree retention in the case of development in a vegetated area. The wetland in the south-east corner of the Village is designated as a Significant Wetland, meaning no development is permitted within it and an EIS would be required for any development proposed nearby. The Shields Creek Subwatershed Study addressed the potential for public trails in the woodlot and wetlands, depending on the EIS results.

The “hole-in-the-donut” should be protected. Lands along the creek(s) should be protected and a pathway could also be created.

Official Plan Amendment 76 recommended that these lands (lot with scrap yard) be brought into the “Village” designation. This amendment is associated with one of the appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board. Any development proposal would be required to consider the policies of the Official Plan regarding watercourse setbacks as well as the findings of the Shields Creek Subwatershed Study. This Study identified areas of ecological significance including the creek corridors and provided for associated opportunities for public trails, depending on the results of an Environmental Impact Statement.

Consider keeping natural elements of the former pit located just north of Village Core as there are trees and a watercourse running through it. A trail system through the area would be good too. Keep as many trees as possible when development occurs.

The area located north of the Village Core to the west of Bank Street is designated for residential use. Official Plan policies will guide future redevelopment of the former pit.

Some residents would like to see development in the village and surrounding areas halted.

The City cannot arbitrarily halt development where lands have already been designated for development. The designated “Village” areas including Greely have been identified to be the focus for residential growth and commercial/community services in the rural area. There must be extraordinarily compelling reasons for development to be halted.

Someone is cutting down trees in the woodlot. Perhaps the City should buy the woodlot feature.

The City already owns a parcel of the woodlot, but does not have funds budgeted for acquisition of more land in this area. Tree cutting on private property is regulated in the urban area, but not in the rural area e.g. Greely.

Greenspaces

Residents want their existing greenspaces protected. They feel more parks and associated amenities, sports fields (soccer fields, baseball diamonds) and trees are needed in their parks.

Comments noted. They have been forwarded to parks planning staff in the Department.

Concerns were expressed over the cumulative loss of natural features and greenspaces as result of developments approved with no apparent consideration given to the surrounding area.

Comments noted.

Continue to keep the Village green and continue to maintain the beauty without jeopardizing what already exists. There should be more greenspace (higher parkland ratio) and money should be allocated to this. There is a need for a higher ratio for parks (e.g. more parkland per person).

Parkland is dedicated to the City as part of the development process as prescribed under the parkland dedication by-law. It is not possible to require more than is established in this by-law. Development charges are collected during the development process and a specific portion of these funds is apportioned to new park development. As for existing parks, there are limited funds to retrofit and improve existing parks and these requests must be evaluated in the face of other requests throughout the City.

Parks

There was a comment that there should be a parks master plan to look at the entire greenspace network (trails, pathways, parks and open space) holistically. In response, a comment was made that improvements are needed to make existing system better before looking too far into the future.

There is a “park development manual” that is in the process of being prepared in order to provide guidance, standards and procedures to the park planning process. This comment re: parks master plan has been forwarded to the park planner in Planning and Growth Management.

Add a park in the new community east of Bank Street.

A higher level community park and an adjacent neighbourhood park are planned for the lands east of Bank Street.

Sports fields are only located in large parks and are often too far from many neighbourhoods. They are also not very well connected to surrounding neighbourhoods. Perhaps these should be located in a variety of locations so people do not have to drive.

Sports fields are typically located in community parks because they require a large amount of parkland and neighbourhood parks do not always provide sufficient space. There will eventually be three community parks in the Village: the existing Andy Shields Park, a community park located west of Old Prescott Road and another community park located east of Bank Street.

There is a need for an outdoor hockey rink in each neighbourhood.

There is a process for establishing an outdoor rink in both existing and new parks. For existing parks, a volunteer group would make a request to the City and it would have to be evaluated in terms of location of existing rinks and budget availability. To establish a rink in a new park, a winterized water source is also needed and would have to be done as part of the park development process. For further information contact Luc Lavictoire of Arenas and Outdoor Rinks (City of Ottawa).

Most city parks don’t have many facilities that are usable such as tennis courts, or a BMX park.

This comment has been forwarded to Recreation Planning & Facility Development Unit of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department.

Parks with lighting have less vandalism—more should be lit.

Comment noted and forwarded to Recreation Planning & Facility Development Unit of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department.

Some existing and future subdivisions do not have parks and there is no place for kids to go. More parks should be provided in all areas.

Comment noted. It is difficult to create parks in established subdivisions, however, efforts are being made to ensure parkland is made available in new subdivisions in Greely.

Parks need to be developed at the same time as subdivisions so they are ready when new residents move in.

The Planning and Growth Management Department is changing the way that parks are developed and they are being tracked and developed earlier.

Up-to-Date Info

• Need up-to-date information about parks and parks facilities. The current GIS information is not accurate or complete. The information needs to be verified in the field.
• Area 3 South West is there another park not showing on plan?

Residents can access the City’s inventory of parks and park facilities online. They can zoom into the area of their choice and then search by theme e.g. “Parks and Recreation”. It is acknowledged that the City’s parks inventory has not been updated for several years. This has resulted in the lack of current information on parks and associated facilities. A technology renewal project is now underway to produce a system that will result in more accurate and timely mapping information. In the meantime, residents can alert staff to inconsistencies by calling 3-1-1 with the specific mapping concerns.

Youth and Parks

Some people do not want new parks since there are issues with youth using them. There were others who thought it was important to ask youth about their needs since older residents do not use or need parks.

Parks planning staff involve community associations in their park development consultations. It would be helpful if community associations are able to solicit input from local youth as part of this process.

Resident Info/Involvement

• Signage and notices should be used to denote future park locations so residents know what to expect.
• Residents want to know and be involved in the process when decisions about parks are made, such as location, and whether cash-in-lieu of parkland is taken.

As a condition of the City’s standard agreement the Developer is required to post a sign denoting future parkland.

Andy Shields Park

The community centre at Andy Shields should be more like the Greenboro Community Centre which has many facilities and services.

When the Greenboro Community Centre was developed, it was a more basic facility. However, over the years there were additions to the building and programs offered. The Recreation and Cultural Services Department will monitor changes in Greely and will identify when building improvements and additional services to the existing facility are required.

Quinn Farm

Quinn Farm area should have a small park

A higher level community park is planned for the residential development on the Quinn Farm lands.

Private Parks

• Private parks are better than public parks—better facilities and better maintenance.
• This is exclusionary and does not contribute to community building. This should not be allowed.

Comments noted. The City is involved in the provision of public parks and this land is required to be provided in accordance with the Parkland Dedication By-law as part of the development application process. The provision of private parks is at the discretion of the developer.

Pathways

Linkages (sidewalks and pathways) for non-motorized vehicles are needed and vitally important between parks, facilities, commercial areas, and residences within Greely. It must be made easier to cross major streets. These connections need to be shown clearly on plans.

This will be considered as part of the recommended Village-wide transportation needs study to be undertaken in Greely.

Why are there no linkages or pathways and a lack of linkages to the larger rural pathway system including connection to the Osgoode pathway and Leitrim pathway systems?

Staff have encountered difficulties when new connections are proposed between existing neighbourhoods and new development. This has resulted in the creation of isolated communities. This deficiency is recognized by planning staff assigned to Greely and will be an important consideration in their review of development applications in the future.

Through the development review process planning staff try to ensure that pedestrian and pathway linkages are created between new development and existing pathways.

General

No concerns over current water supply or septic systems.

Comment noted.

There was a comment that water and sewerage rates are expensive. In addition, sewerage is even charged on water used to water the lawn, which is not fair.

The majority of dwellings and businesses are privately serviced. This means that the majority of landowners in Greely do not pay for public water and wastewater services. The Shadow Ridge development located at the south end of the village is the only location where communal water and communal wastewater systems are provided and it is the responsibility of each landowner to pay for that service.

Concerns about Impact of Development

• There is concern over sustainability of septic systems on ½ acre lots and smaller lots. .
• The City should require developers to undertake studies to prove zero impact from development on existing dwellings.
• How does the City assess cumulative impact of development on capacity of the aquifer, surface and groundwater quality and quantity?
• There is concern that the understanding of groundwater hydrology may be disconnected from the amount of development happening in and around Greely. Will the City take responsibility if water quality/quantity is affected by new development?
• Are communal wells more sustainable?

Any development that is proposed in areas where there is private water and wastewater servicing, such as Greely, and requires an official plan amendment, zoning amendment, subdivision application, site plan control or condominium application, developers must demonstrate that:

• there is sufficient quantity of groundwater on-site to serve the development;
• a well can be constructed on the proposed lot(s) without being impacted by identified potential sources of groundwater contamination;
• the quality of groundwater meets or exceeds the Ontario Drinking Water Standards, Objectives and Guidelines;
• operation of the on-site wastewater system will not adversely impact a well to be constructed on the proposed lot(s) and on wells of adjacent properties.

Private Well Water

Is the water quality good?

The quality of the groundwater in Greely is generally good.

Are there any concerns with nitrates?

With privately serviced developments there is often the possibility of nitrate impact. There is no immediate concern, as nitrate levels in Greely do not currently exceed the Ontario Drinking Water Standards.

Does the City know the extent of the aquifers that supply Greely? What are their capacities? If not development should be slowed until the capacity of the aquifer is understood.

Through many hydrogeological reports and modeling work the City has a very good understanding of the aquifers in the Village of Greely.

Well water within the village should be consistently monitored by the City, and reported back to residents.

Aquifers in Greely have good capacity. There is no indication of aquifer mining (e.g. that water levels are decreasing over time). The City performed extensive sampling of private wells in 2002, and will continue to monitor water quality over time, both through monitoring wells and more private well sampling.

Concern over the impact that the communal system will have – over time – on the quality and quantity of water for existing and future private systems.

The only public communal well in the Village is in the Shadow Ridge subdivision, located at the south part of Greely. The communal well is an overburden well, which means that it is not tapping into the bedrock aquifers which are the sources of groundwater for most of the village residents. An engineering report was prepared for the municipal communal well. It should have little impact on the bedrock aquifers.

There is concern over the depth of the well – should have been deeper.

The communal well was drilled prior to the Clean Water Act (CWA). Through the Source Water Protection efforts under the CWA the vulnerability of the area within the capture zone of the well has been established. The areas with high vulnerability around the municipal well Shadow Ridge might have been reduced if the well had been completed in the deep bedrock formation(s), but since the well is already in place and meets all the Ministry of the Environment requirements the subdivision was allowed to proceed.

There was also concern about the potential adverse impact that surrounding golf courses and sod farms may have on the Village’s groundwater supplies.

There have been a number of tests performed for herbicides and pesticides in the Greely area, with some locations adjacent to golf courses, and impact from these chemicals have generally not been identified.

What is the impact of the man-made lakes on groundwater/drinking water? Is it being monitored?

There has been a substantial amount of sampling in Greely, including in the vicinity of manmade lakes, through village-wide sampling and consultant reports, and no concerns with the lakes have been identified.

The City’s water is being provided to Russell. Water service should be provided to Greely also.

Will the water being piped to Russell also serve Greely?

The infrastructure that has been brought to Russell was fully paid for by that municipality. Greely is not a Public Service Area (PSA), and in accordance with the Official Plan for non-PSA areas, it must be privately serviced.

The water piped to Russell will not serve Greely (see above).

Septic Systems

The communal septic field has never been tested. It only works in theory; what if something goes wrong?

The type of sewage system constructed to serve the Shadow Ridge subdivision has a fairly long track record (peat has been used for sewage treatment for more than 20 years in Ontario). The Certificate of Approval, issued by the Ministry of the Environment, has requirements for on-going monitoring. Should the system not perform as intended, further development will not take place, and remedial actions will be required for the existing system.

How does the City ensure that old septic systems get checked and upgraded?

Septic systems are under the jurisdiction of the Ottawa Septic System Office (OSSO). OSSO staff state that septic systems are typically checked at the time of a home renovation through plan review or if a homeowner suspects that there are problems. It was noted that there is no inspection system in place to check the condition of existing septic system.

Does the City notify neighbours when a landowner’s septic system causes contamination of ground water?

According to Ottawa Septic System Office (OSSO) staff, it is typically neighbours who notice that there is an issue with someone else’s septic system. Usually they contact the OSSO, which then follows-up with the owner of the septic system to rectify the situation. The OSSO does not specifically notify abutting neighbours about septic system issues. It should be noted that complaints are usually associated with a commercial operation or a farm.

Artificial Lakes

New construction should not adversely affect water quality and levels in existing surface water ponds (artificial lakes).

Any new development is required to manage stormwater so as to minimize impact from runoff.

One resident worried that someday the lakes, which were created by a developer might be developed for more houses.

Most of the lakes are amenity features and zoned as open space. Some of the recent developments incorporate the lakes as stormwater management ponds. It should be noted that many of these lakes do not have road frontage - this factor is critical in land development.

Rain Barrels

The City should partner with the Community Association to sponsor rain barrels so they are accessible to village residents at a reduced price.

This comment has been forwarded to the Greely Community Association for their consideration.

Existing Wrecking Yard

There was concern expressed about the impact of the wrecking yard, on the quality of the ground water supply.

This concern has been forwarded to the South Nation Conservation Authority and acknowledged by their staff. They note that the Source Water Protection Committee may consider looking at this site addressing low and moderate threat policies. It is noted that a scrap yard is not a significant drinking water threat, but there could be the storage of fuel oil and perhaps waste. It is also noted that the general concern of the site polluting neighbouring wells would fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).

Education

The City should provide information/ education to new residents on the use, care and maintenance of wells and septic systems.

The City hosts an annual Well & Septic Workshop, and also provides some basic information to residents through its website.

The Ottawa Septic System Office is responsible for the approval of septic systems in Ottawa. Homeowners with “Tertiary Treatment Units” have specific responsibilities including having a copy of a service report by a manufacturer trained service provider within last 6 months. Further information is provided on the OSSO website.

Interest in City Services

There was interest in whether City services are planned for Greely in the next 20 years. Residents want to know so they will not replace their existing private septic system when municipal services are already planned.

There are no plans to bring public water and public wastewater systems to Greely.

What would cause City water to come to Greely?

Greely is not part of the City’s Public Service Area and, as such, it will continue to be privately serviced. Should there be a threat to human health then consideration would be given to alternate servicing, including the possibility of extending the City’s water distribution system into Greely. However, there have been no human health threats identified in Greely.

Shadow Ridge and Communal Systems

• What is the guarantee that the Shadow Ridge development will not have an adverse impact on existing wells?
• The type of high density development that this type of system allows is not what people in Greely want. Townhouses do not fit with the existing, quiet and peaceful “suburban” lifestyle.

The municipal well servicing the Shadow Ridge subdivision is completed in the overburden sand aquifer; whereas most private wells are completed in the (deeper) bedrock aquifer(s). The engineer’s report for the communal well does not indicate undue impacts to private wells.

The Greely CDP anticipates that the majority of residential dwellings will preserve the low density character of the Village e.g. detached dwellings. However, the CDP also states that two-unit (semi-detached dwellings and duplexes) and ground oriented multi-unit dwellings (townhouses) will be considered on a limited basis. In addition, the CDP provides locational criteria for these multi dwellings e.g. not concentrated in one portion of the Village with the exception of Shadow Ridge and not located in the interior of a subdivision unless planned from the outset.

How did the City change from 2 acre lots to ½ acre lots in Shadow Ridge?

Typically, residential lots located in the rural area average two acres in size. In villages a smaller lot size is acceptable, provided it can be demonstrated that the impact from the smaller lots is acceptable.

Communal Systems

Are other communal systems planned in the village?

Other than the Shadow Ridge development, which may be expanded to accommodate development of the nearby “Cadieux” lands, City staff are not aware of any other communal systems planned in Greely.

Can people on the communal system dig their own wells?

Residents in Greely with an existing communal well system will also have a communal wastewater system, both of which will be operated by the City. The Shadow Ridge subdivision is therefore a Public Service Area and people will not be allowed to drill private drinking wells.