High-rise proposal near Experimental Farm approved by city of Ottawa committee

A city of Ottawa committee has voted to approve a controversial plan to build high-rises near the Central Experimental Farm.

The planning and housing committee was considering zoning bylaw changes at 1081 Carling Ave to allow the two towers. Planning committee voted 8 to 2 to approve the towers.

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Voting in favour were councillors Cathy Curry, Theresa Kavanagh, Catherine Kitts, Wilson Lo, Tim Tierney, Ariel Troster, Glen Gower, and Jeff Leiper. Voting against were councillors Riley Brockington and Clarke Kelly. Councillors Laura Dudas and Laine Johnson were absent.

The development near Carling and Parkdale avenues would see an existing building and parking lots turn into two towers, one 16 storeys tall, the other, 27. It would include more than 350 residential apartments.

Brockington moved a motion to cut the height of the 27-storey tower to 16, but it failed by a vote of 7 nays to 2 yeas, with Brockington and Kelly voting in favour. Curry's vote was not recorded.

Eighteen speakers signed up to address the committee ahead of the vote.

The proposal faced opposition from community groups and a federal government department.

In a letter to city planners, shared with the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association, officials with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) say the proposed development, "presents serious concerns related to the shadowing impact to our land created by the height of the towers. The shadowing is a significant risk for AAFC as it impacts our research fields and jeopardizes our agricultural science integrity. AAFC has done an internal assessment of the proposed towers development and the impacts/risks to the [Central Experimental Farm]."

A representative from AAFC was not present at the meeting Wednesday.

"The concerns from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have not been addressed yet and need to be," said Karen Wright, president of the Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association. "It still has to be ratified at council, so we will talk to them and if they approve it, we still have the opportunity to go to the Ontario Land Tribunal to again make our case."

The developer, Taggart Realty Management, says the proposal met all guidelines.

"The proposed development at 1081 Carling Ave. has successfully completed all necessary studies and complies with the City of Ottawa's Official Plan (OP) and the Provincial Policy Statement. The design ensures that shadowing impacts are limited and meet the OP's guidelines," a statement said.

In an open letter on his website, area Coun. Jeff Leiper says he doesn't like the development, but can't disagree with planning staff.

"To date, Planning Staff have provided indications that the proposal in its current form meets the policies and guidelines that are supposed to guide development in Ontario and Ottawa," Leiper wrote. "I expect that when this file lands on a Planning and Housing Committee agenda, it will be with a recommendation to the committee and Council to approve the sought-after re-zoning."

Heritage Ottawa called on the committee to defer approval of the project until city staff meet with Agriculture and Rural Affairs Canada to discuss possible impacts to the farm from the high-rise buildings.

"This national historic site is one of those unique places where heritage values align very closely with social and cultural and environmental values," Leslie Maitland of Heritage Ottawa told the committee.

Heritage Ottawa also recommends the Official Plan be amended to identify the research value of the Central Experimental Farm, "as an important element that must be protected from any development in its vicinity moving forward," Maitland said.

A motion by Brockington to defer the vote on this proposal until October to give staff time to meet with AAFC was defeated by a vote of 3 yeas to 7 nays. Brockington, Kelly and Troster voted in favour. Curry, Kavanagh, Kitts, Lo, Tierney, Gower and Leiper voted no. 

Leiper, however, moved a motion to amend the tower proposal to ensure that an updated Cultural Heritage Impact Statement is provided to the satisfaction of Program Manager, Heritage Planning, that assesses the shadowing impacts and any recommendations or mitigation shall be incorporated into the Site Plan Control application as appropriate.

"I think the committee made the wrong decision today," Brockington said.

The proposal will rise to full council for a vote Aug. 23.

--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Peter Szperling, Jackie Perez, and Josh Pringle.