Brendan McCoy's presentation to the Planning and Environment Committee, November 19, 2010
OSCA, the Old Ottawa South Community Association, has been clear throughout the recent process to rezone the Lansdowne site that while we support, and indeed welcome a redesign and reuse of the site, the proposed design represents poor planning and is not acceptable. We do not believe the area was rezoned properly and have filed an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board. We will not provide detailed comments on the site plan at this time as we feel it is premature as the zoning is not yet settled. Without prejudicing our objections to the zoning we do feel compelled to make some general comments.
Most importantly the transportation infrastructure, both roads and transit, does not support the proposed uses. There is too much retail space, and it is poorly sited, mostly off the mainstreet. The height of the buildings in the new zoning is completely out of scale with the neighbouring communities and the main street they are on. The Horticulture building, one of only two heritage structures on the site, should be respected where it is and not moved. Finally, the Lansdowne development should not be exempted from the City's signage by-laws, but should conform to them as with any other business or development.
There has been an election and this is likely the last time I will speak to this Council. All members of Council deserve our thanks for their hard work, and I have seen how hard members of Council work, in a very difficult and very demanding job. In particular those 11 members who will not serve on the next council should be thanked for their service to the people of this City, as they hand over to the newly elected council. But with only 13 of 24 members re-elected, there are serious legal questions as to whether this Council has the right to make decisions on such a large and expensive project as Lansdowne Park. Therefore this decision should be deferred to the next Council.
Thank you,
Brendan McCoy
OSWatch Co-Chair for the Old Ottawa South Community Association (OSCA)
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