MINUTES

 

GCA Board Meeting

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

 

Chair: Laura Smith, President

Secretary and timekeeper: Janet Mayhew

 

Board members present: Laura Smith, June Creelman, John Crump, Janet Mayhew, Ahmed Ibrahim, Angus McCabe, Della Wilkinson, William Price, Deborah Long, Elizabeth Ballard, Janna Rinaldi, Carmen Sanchez, Carolyn Mackenzie, Dan Chook Reid, Rochelle Handelman, Vaughn Guy, Colette Downie, Jide Afolabi, Christina Honeywell-Dobin, Andrew Marquis, Carol McLeod, Silvia Grandi, Judy Wilson

 

Others present: Jonathan McLeod, Liz McKeen, Bhagwant Sandhu, Bob Monaghan, Jay Miller, Jane Bower, Robert Bell

 

Welcome and approval of agenda and minutes:

 

Laura Smith opened the meeting with an Indigenous land acknowledgement.

 

The order of the agenda was revised to address the motion re: legal fees for the proposed Bronson development before the motion to approve the GCA budget.

 

The item re: review of the draft communications protocol was deferred to the November meeting due to time constraints.

 

Motion to approve the agenda was put forward by Dan and seconded by June.

 

Motion to approve the minutes from September was put forward by Della and seconded by Bill.

 

Report from the Councillor:

 

Jonathan McLeod from Councillor Shawn Menard’s office provided an update on the following items:

  • the City budget
  • Bronson and Carling development
  • crossing guards in the Glebe
  • ongoing work at Lansdowne
  • environmental work at Sylvia Holden park

 

Committee updates, motions, Q&A:

 

Motion 1: Motion regarding development and green space (Parks Committee/Angus)

 

WHEREAS the 2021 Official Plan (OP) rightly acknowledges the necessity of preserving, enhancing, and promoting additions to Ottawa’s “incredible parks and greenspaces,” duly recognizing parks as an essential “cross-cutting issue” to be considered as part of all development decisions; and

 

WHEREAS the Glebe is already considered a “parks-desert” with very little greenspace and significant urban “heat islands,” and the City needs to continue to look for ways to address the lack of access to city-managed green spaces in the inner urban and downtown core compared to other neighbourhoods, and maximize green space in new developments, not accept cash-in-lieu of park payments instead that will then be significantly redistributed outside of the Glebe rather than back into parks for this neighbourhood; and

 

WHEREAS new and existing parks need to be protected from the microclimatic impacts of new, adjacent high-rise development that threaten not only to detract from, but to destroy, the essential community benefits of parks and other greenspace, and while denser, small-scale, low-rise, affordable housing options are necessary, these need to be developed with nearby, equitable, inclusive access to safe, secure, well-lit, shaded, climate change-mitigating, flood-protecting, resilient parks in walkable neighborhoods; and

 

WHEREAS the OP acknowledges the principle that shadow from buildings on parks should be minimized, and that tree canopies (part of the 40% urban forest canopy objective by 2050) be protected, along with all other, biodiverse, natural aspects so central to our neighbourhood parks’ character, and to address this, the city could meet the need for more housing intensification as a solution to urban sprawl by designating areas other than those bordering new and existing parkland in inner urban and downtown core neighbourhoods for multi-story high rises; and should do so before allowing such structures to loom large over existing parks and neighborhoods, and thus detract from their natural, sunlit character, and from the existing neighbourhood’s character; and

 

WHEREAS in addition to the aforementioned concerns, air and noise pollution along major arteries has been identified by the city as a recognized public health hazard and high density developments along such arteries will  increase vehicular, traffic, and visual pollution; and

 

WHEREAS a proposal has been made for the development of a high-rise building consisting of 26-storeys with a nine storey podium along Bronson Avenue and extending west to Cambridge Street South, with a total of 328 units; and

 

WHEREAS this proposal incorporates no greenspace other than a few trees that are already on the property, a handful planted along the Bronson corridor and only concrete areas to congregate; and

 

WHEREAS the City’s target for new and expanding communities calls for 2 hectares of park land per 1000 persons, and the Planning Act calls for 1.2 hectares/1000 persons,  Ottawa’s ‘Inner Area’ as a whole has roughly 1 hectare of park land per 1000 persons, or about 50% of the City’s target; and with an estimated 1,000 new occupants for this project (roughly 3 occupants per unit) 2 hectares of parkland should be allocated, yet, only a handful of trees are proposed on this site; and

 

WHEREAS this proposed development would, for much of the day, cast significant shadows over the playing field of Glebe Collegiate Institute, an important neighbourhood park space; and

 

WHEREAS the GCA passed a motion in September 2021 opposing the Zoning By-Law Amendment Proposal and proposed development at 770-774 Bronson, and for the GCA to continue to work collaboratively with the City of Ottawa, the developer, and residents toward resolving any other outstanding issues relating to the proposal;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the GCA urges that the City, in its consideration of this project at 770 and 774 Bronson Avenue, and other like this, continue in good faith to work to ensure that new developments be approved that:

  • are consistent with the Official Plan’s vision of preserving, enhancing, and promoting additions to Ottawa’s parks and greenspaces; 
  • prevent more “parks deserts” and “heat islands” in our inner core;
  • maximize green space rather than cash-in-lieu of park payments;
  • protect existing parks and neighbourhoods from the microclimatic impacts of new, adjacent high-rise development; and 
  • if multi-storey in nature, occur in designated areas other than those bordering new and existing parkland in inner urban and downtown core neighbourhoods.

 

Angus presented the motion and Elizabeth seconded the motion. Motion carried.

 

Update from the Environment Committee:

 

Della provided an update on behalf of the Environment Committee regarding the Tree Canopy Regeneration Initiative. *Details were provided in the agenda.

 

Motion 2: to approve the GCA Budget

 

Be it resolved that the GCA adopt the 2021-22 budget as presented.

 

Motion was presented by Ahmed and seconded by June. Motion carried.

 

Motion 3: to approve the GCA Code of Conduct

Whereas:

The GCA aims to carry out its activities in ways that create an inclusive, neighbourly, and respectful environment for all;

It is good practice for organizations to articulate principles and expectations of members and participants

A code of conduct will equip the GCA to address inappropriate behaviour or discourse

Be it resolved:

That the GCA adopt the attached code of conduct and post it on the website.

Motion was presented by June and seconded by Angus. Motion carried.

 

Motion 4: City Budget

 

  • City budget motion 1: Affordable housing

 

Whereas Ottawa declared an affordable housing and homelessness emergency in January 2020;

 

Whereas the GCA advocated for $20 million to go towards affordable housing in the 2021 budget, above and beyond federal and provincial grants.

 

Whereas the GCA advocated for an inclusionary zoning by-law that makes 10% of new development affordable, with deeply affordable housing within 1 km of rapid transit stations (Feb 2019).

 

Whereas despite significant investments from the City in 2019, 2020 and 2021 budgets, there are still over 10,000 households on the Centralized Waiting List for affordable housing with wait lists up to five years;

 

Be it resolved that the GCA request that the City of Ottawa:

 

  1.   Commit at least $20 million in Budget 2022 of City funding, over and above federal and provincial grants, to build new affordable housing and reduce the Centralized Waiting List for affordable housing substantially;

 

  1.   Pass a strong citywide inclusionary zoning by-law that ensures 25% of new development is dedicated to affordable housing and places a special emphasis on deeply affordable housing within 1 km of rapid transit stations; 

 

  1.   Ensure that all available government-owned land developed for housing is allocated for deeply affordable, non-profit or co-op housing.

 

Motion was presented by Dan and seconded by Della. Motion carried.

 

  • City budget motion 2: Parks Maintenance

 

Whereas the GCA, in September 2020, adopted and approved the recommendations of the GCA Parks Committee’s Evergreen Glebe Parks Plan;

 

Whereas one of those recommendations was that the committee provide the City with an annual summary report enumerating maintenance issues it observes in Glebe parks as part of its annual fall clean-up efforts. 

 

Be it resolved that the GCA request the following initiatives be included in the upcoming City of Ottawa municipal budget and shared with Councillor Menard and his office:

  1. a) Chamberlain Park Tennis Courts – repair, level, and resurface the court; and provide court squeegee
  2. b) Central Park East – at the steps leading down from Bank St., remove the existing dying junipers and replant with historically appropriate plantings.
  3. c) Central Park West – at the steps leading down from Bank St., remove the existing dying junipers and replant with historically appropriate plantings.
  4. d) Exploration Garden – replace the log rounds of different heights for climbing, walking and balancing on; repair or replace the blackboard that has been defaced by graffiti; and replace degraded mulch and pea stone materials
  5. e) Sylvia Holden Park and Dog Run – address holes that need to be filled around the trees and add a fresh layer of the gravel ground cover.

 

Be it further resolved that, as these are the issues observed during the fall clean up and that there may be other items that require attention in Glebe parks, the GCA request that the City provide sufficient resources for ongoing park maintenance and upkeep in general.

 

Motion was presented by Angus and seconded by Elizabeth. Motion carried.

 

Motion 5: Proposed development at 770-774 Bronson Ave and 557 Cambridge Street South

Be it resolved that the GCA match the financial commitment ($5000) of the DLRA in this development proposal in consideration of the fact that the proposed development will have a direct and permanent impact on the Glebe, Dow’s Lake and Glebe Annex areas.

This proposal warrants the contribution of GCA funding for the following reasons:

  • The lawyer, Kristi Ross, has a uniquely positive working relationship with Shawn Menard and has extensive experience with Steve Gauthier
  • The DLRA is taking these legal steps at a uniquely propitious time: there is still ample opportunity to effect significant changes before this proposal gets to the Planning Committee. Taking advantage of this opportunity is especially cost effective because we can affect real change without the procedurally cumbersome and expensive mechanisms of the appeal process. 
  • The quality and utility of Kristi Ross’ work and participation is self evident from her 26 page submissions to Steve Gauthier (available on request) 
  • There is significant media attention that should strengthen our legal and bargaining position against the developer. The opposition from the community has been featured on the front pages of the Ottawa Sun and the Ottawa Citizen as well as on CFRA. On October 14, Graham Richardson featured this matter on the CJOH 6 o’clock news. 
  • There have been some concerns raised about the developer, including their care for seniors at their long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that the building will not meet LEEDS standards.
  • The tower will shadow all of Glebe High School in the late afternoon. 
  • The development impacts the GCA, the DLRA and GACA and accordingly has uniquely widespread implications for the entirety of the GCA membership. 
  • The UDRP has expressed serious concerns with the design and massing of the building.
  • There is a lot of work to be done in the immediate term. There will be a walk-through of the site that Kristi Ross will attend to emphasize the technical statutory and regulatory bases upon which we object to the application.
  • There will be much more dialogue with the City and the Developer in the near term. 
  • The re-zoning application grossly ignores current zoning, the existing area and establishes a precedent for future development that will irrevocably, permanently, and dramatically change the dynamic of the Glebe, Dow’s Lake, and Glebe Annex neighbourhoods.
  • The construction of a high rise building at the corner of Bronson and Carling will set a precedent for further high rise construction through the area generally referred as the “Glebe” which would create deleterious effects associated with the massive increase in density including but not limited to building height, traffic, lack of supporting infrastructure, shadow impacts throughout the area including the Glebe High School field, and a lack of amenities which support the principles of walkability and livability in Ottawa’s Official Plan.
  • It is supportive of the Dows’ Lake Residents’ Association whose members are also Glebe Community Association members.

A presentation was delivered by Robert Bell with regard to the proposed development and the request for the GCA to make a financial contribution towards legal fees.

Discussion:

  • Board members had questions regarding the need for a policy to ensure equity and fairness in the financial support of this type of initiative.
  • Laura asked Carolyn if the Planning Committee could look at developing a policy on funding and Carolyn agreed to begin drafting this.

Motion was presented by Carmen and seconded by John. Motion carried.

President’s Report:

Laura provided updates on the following topics:

  • A ward meeting that took place recently
  • She thanked the Health, Housing and Social Services Committee for their work in leading the Bottleworks initiative. This effort was a great success in raising funds for Operation Come Home.

Issues from the Community:

  • Vaughan expressed his support for the development of a policy on how GCA funds are spent. Carolyn agreed to take this back to the Planning Committee.

Adjournment: Laura adjourned the meeting.