The recent dismissal of Ottawa’s chief urban designer is a “big hit” to the city planning office, says Robert Dekker, vice-president of the Centretown Citizens Community Association.
Designer Richard Kilstrom worked for 28 years in municipal government, dealing with some of Ottawa’s trickiest city planning issues. His job included mediating disputes between developers and communities, ensuring new developments bolster the existing feel of neighbourhoods, and providing input on Ottawa’s overall design strategy, including on major projects, such as the LRT. The city refused to comment on why he was dismissed.
Kilstrom’s replacement, Lee Ann Snedden was the manager of the “neighbourhood sustainability office.” She has no prior city planning experience. Dekker, however, speculates she was brought in for another purpose.
“She will be able to direct and push through pending applications and moving files along,” Dekker says. “I believe the city is waiting to see and is going to take a long, hard look for another city planner. Losing Richard was a big hit, but we're confident the city will find someone in due course.”
Kilstrom’s dismissal comes just weeks prior to the release of the CCCA’s Community Development Plan, set to be presented to the council in December, says Dekker. What to expect, however, is not certain, he said.
“We met with Coun. Peter Hume to get an idea of how the plan is progressing and what to expect,” Dekker says. “We’re really just playing the waiting game, though”
The Centretown CDP is a comprehensive plan aimed at providing a plan for development and intensification of the area for the next 20 years. It summarizes and digests information and advice from public consultations, dialogues with developers and a consulting firm, Urban Designers, according to city planner Robert Spicer.
Spicer says the new plan will not be about sweeping alterations, but rather minor additions. The plan will take particular interest in property use designation, streetscaping and park beautification, he said.
The lack of change may upset some players, however, including CCCA president Jordan Charbonneau.
“The main thing we want is respect for residential character of our neighbourhood,” Charbonneau said via email. “We are not a dumping ground for buildings the rest of the city doesn’t want, nor are we willing to see the area become a primarily commercial district, devoid of life after 5 p.m.”
Dekker added he wants councillors to take the new plan seriously, and not merely pass it off as a suggestion.
“Several properties with big square footage, extending every square inch of the property doesn’t work. That’s why we’re protesting 96 Nepean St.,” says Dekker, referring to a controversial proposed development approved by council in July. “The building is too big for the lot size, will sit right next to the property line and does not follow design guidelines.”
The development plan is created in accordance with the city’s overall design plan, which is a binding legal document. Hence, councillors are required to grant approvals based on the existing rules or make amendments to allow clearance for new developments, said Spicer.
Whatever appears in the plan, Charbonnneau has his own 20-year vision for Centretown.
“It will be denser, more highly populated and taller,” Charbonneau said. “But we fervently hope that it will also be more dynamic, greener and well serviced than it is now. We just have to fight to ensure that this happens!”