Victoria Maybee, Centretown News
New zoning proposals will help small businesses such as Roma Confectionary stay in business.The City of Ottawa’s review of zoning regulations in residential areas to increase commercialization and promote small business growth has generated a polarized reaction from business owners and community members in Centretown.
Six inner-city wards, including Somerset ward, are considering rezoning approximately 300 existing residential homes to allow micro-businesses, such as small restaurants or convenience stores, to operate in current residential areas.
Andrew McCreight, a city planner and lead official on the proposal, says the goal of the zoning review is to look at the big picture of Ottawa’s economic development and to promote commercial opportunities in certain neighbourhoods that are continuing to grow.
A public consultation on the proposal was held Jan. 21 to gauge reaction to the proposed zoning change.
Dalhousie Community Association president Mike Powell is in favour of keeping small existing corner stores but says he has reservations about the broader encroachment of commercial activity into residential areas.
“Everyone realized the old rules regarding corner stores were sort of silly,” says Powell.
Currently, if the owner of a corner store dies, it’s difficult to keep the shop running as it is automatically rezoned as residential. The proposal would permanently rezone all currently operating corner stores for commercial use.
However, Powell adds that “we are worried about taking it too far.”
The concern is the proposal would allow for the opening of too many new disruptive micro-businesses in residential areas.
Powell is concerned the city may be creating a situation with unintended consequences such as loud restaurants opening up in the middle of a residential area, or grocery stores requiring noisy transport trucks to deliver inventory.
Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney echoes Powell’s concern. “I want to see corner stores protected . . . but we need to be aware of future outcomes.”
Somerset Chinatown BIA chair Peter So sees the proposal differently.
“I am quite happy (with the proposal),” he says. “Employment is really hard to get these days and micro-business will help . . . the whole country is supported by small business.”
He says the city currently makes it too hard on small businesses with the number of bylaws in place. He says the proposal should give more people the chance to open their own business.
However, So does believe the proposal should have some limitations such as preventing loud bars and clubs from opening in residential areas.
Roma Confectionary is a small grocery store in Little Italy, just east of Preston Street at the corner of Balsam and Rochester streets. The owner’s son and employee, Stephano Nasrallah, welcomes the proposal as a way to combat big box stores.
“I think it would be great. You just don’t find too many small businesses anymore,” Nasrallah says. “The more people making more money is great.”
Nasrallah sees the zoning proposal as the next step in the ongoing residential intensification of neighbourhoods. “They’re already building condos and apartments so it just makes sense for businesses to be allowed too.”
He acknowledges increased traffic could be a problem in some cases, but says properly placed stop signs and lights should alleviate any safety issues.
The zoning proposal appears to have generated a divide between residents aiming to maintain the serenity of their quiet neighbourhoods and business owners hoping to foster areas for economic development.
The main points of dispute are “concerns with music and loud noise,” as well as “parking and traffic concerns,” says McCreight.
The city planners received a lot of feedback at the public consultation on Jan. 21, says McCreight, who expects the proposal to reach the, city’s planning committee in April and then full city council after that. However, McKenney expects that date to be pushed back.