Construction workers continue to complete a Catherine Street building. The CDP allows for buildings up to 25 storeys, but the Centretown Citizens Community Association says that is still too high..
Centretown residents and community groups generally supported the new community design plan at a public meeting Wednesday, but also had questions and recommendations for those behind the plan.
The Centretown Citizens Community Association hosted the meeting at the McNabb Community Centre, attended by about 150 residents, so the public could ensure the plan reflected their vision for Centretown.
City staff, community leaders, Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes, and the CDP team leader, George Dark, also attended.
“The community association supports getting the community design plan approved by council,” said the CCCA’s Judy Forrest. “We want to get this plan completed and approved because we need a framework that is going to be respected going forward,” she said.
Forrest praised the plan’s “great vision statements” for the future look of Centretown. Still, she and the CCCA want to see some changes.
They still believe building heights are too tall in some areas. For example, in the plan’s designated apartment neighbourhood zone, some buildings reach as high as 27 storeys.
Another problem lies in what the association believes is too much emphasis placed on mixed-use, meaning commercial and residential space in the same area. For example, in the apartment neighbourhood zone, much of a building’s floor area could be used for non-residential purposes on the first few storeys, but the CCCA wants to see more residential use on these ground floors.
The Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation, an affordable housing provider, wants to see the city sign off on the plan as soon as possible, but the CDP should promote a neighbourhood where residents can live for life, from youth to retirement.
Heritage Ottawa said more attention should have been paid to less prominent but equally important Centretown heritage resources.
Echoing Forrest’s concerns, some Centretown residents were outraged that the old plan’s guidelines were not followed. Centretown is seeing many high-rise buildings that the original plan does not permit. Applications for new high-rise condos that do not respect the current plan are being approved by council.
“Making sure that the guidelines are followed is critical to where the city of Ottawa is going in the future,” said one resident to applause.
“The question asked tonight is: is this plan going to stick?” Holmes said in an interview after the meeting. “Is the city going to take it seriously and live by it?”
The new draft of the CDP will be revised over the summer and early fall, taking into account comments from the community and from developers. The plan will reach council sometime in the fall.
“We want to be satisfied with this when it goes,” said Richard Kilstrom, city manager for development and urban design, “because this is the biggest CDP that’s come forward in Ottawa yet.”