Planning and Housing Committee Meeting: 65th Session

The Planning and Housing Committee held its 65th meeting and considered planning, transportation, urban expansion, development-charge, and sign-bylaw items. Members discussed a zoning amendment at 6041 Fernbank Road, approved a front-ending agreement tied to safety works at March Road, recommended refusal of an urban boundary expansion application in Stittsville South, received reports on 2025 growth-related revenues and development charges, and approved a sign bylaw variance for 50 Beach Street.

Topics Discussed

1. 6041 Fernbank Road zoning amendment

The committee held a public meeting on a proposed official plan and zoning bylaw amendment affecting part of 6041 Fernbank Road. The change would allow townhomes alongside single-detached and semi-detached homes on the interior portion of the property.

Vice-Chair Gower said, "This is about changing the zoning permissions to allow townhomes alongside singles and semis on the interior part of this property." He also described the file as long-running and contentious, saying it had involved "tree removal and blasting and design of the linear pathway."

Residents who made oral or written submissions before adoption were advised they may appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

2. March Road front-ending agreement and intersection safety

The committee approved a front-ending agreement with developers Elizabeth Murphy and Minto for works affecting March Road.

Councillor Curry said the issue was safety for residents leaving nearby subdivisions and entering March Road, describing "the danger for residents to come out of these two big subdivisions and onto March Road at 80 km an hour." After the vote, Curry said, "I would have said thank God and hallelujah."

3. Stittsville South urban boundary expansion application

The committee discussed an application to expand the urban boundary on land at the northwestern corner of Flewellyn and Shea roads. Staff recommended refusal.

Staff said, "So, in summary, staff recommend that the planning and housing committee recommend council to refuse the official plan amendment application to bring the subject line into the urban boundary and to direct staff to defend the city's position before the Ontario Land Tribunal."

General Manager Wallace said the city believes it has enough land to accommodate growth within the current official plan: "We are working very hard to unlock the lands that were included but not yet built on in the last growth management strategy and that's why we believe we have lands to accommodate the growth in our official plan." He added that considering another round of expansion would come later, but "at this point we're taking a consistent approach on all of these coming forward that this is premature and that we believe there's enough land at this time."

Councillor Brockington supported staff's position, saying, "This is an issue that has generational implications and I'm glad that the city of Ottawa staff are looking out after the long-term future of this city even if the province isn't doing so."

The official plan amendment application is under appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, with hearings beginning June 1 and additional dates expected later in the year and into January. A final decision is expected in 2027.

4. Development charges and 2025 growth-related revenues

The committee received reports on 2025 growth-related revenues and development charges. Staff reported $247.7 million in development-charge revenue in 2025, $23.1 million in interest, $141.1 million transferred to growth-related capital projects, a negative estimated closing balance of $911 million, and $1.1 billion in future authorized debentures.

Staff also reported that statutory exemptions transferred an estimated $47.2 million in growth-related infrastructure costs to the city. One staff presentation stated: "In 2025, the imposition of statutory exemptions alone transferred an estimated 47.2 million in costs required for funding of growth related infrastructure to the city."

Councillor Kits said, "All these measures negatively impact collections, cash flow, and annual interest revenue needed to fund growth related infrastructure. Any funding gap must be offset by the city." Councillor Tyrrell added, "It's a large amount of money $47.2 million. It's wild." He said if senior governments want municipalities to absorb growth costs, "we need to be made whole."

Councillor Tierney said municipalities cannot absorb the added burden, stating, "We as municipalities can't afford to take on this debt load."

5. Sign variance for 50 Beach Street

The committee approved a motion to allow an internally illuminated projecting sign at 50 Beach Street for Almanac Green, including relief from the permanent signs bylaw in an R4 residential zone. The sign projects less than 300 millimetres into the public right-of-way and is to be regularized after the new zoning bylaw takes effect.

During debate, Councillor Johnson said, "Last PHC we dealt with a sign that was three stories high and today we're dealing with a story that is uh, you know, um, a sign that is 300 millimeters."

Motions

• Zoning Bylaw Amendment for part of 6041 Fernbank Road — Considered by committee as a public meeting item.
• Front-ending agreement for works related to March Road / Invention Boulevard area — Carried.
• Official Plan Amendment / urban boundary expansion application, Stittsville South (Flewellyn and Shea roads) — Committee recommendation carried 9-3.
• Item 51: Shirley's Brook Storm Water Development Charges Amendment — Approved.
• Item 52: Treasurer's Report on 2025 Growth Related Revenues — Received.
• Item 8.1: Councillor Troster's motion for sign variance at 50 Beach Street (Almanac Green) — Carried.

Attendees

Councillors identified in the provided notes as present or participating: - Gower (Vice-Chair) - Curry - Kavanagh - Brockington - Tierney - Kits - Troster - Johnson - Tyrrell

Other officials identified: - Wallace, General Manager - Elizabeth Murphy - Minto