Homebuilders cool their heels as city deals with dog's breakfast of bylaws.
September 22, 2005 - A city plan to build upwards and not outwards seems to be having a deflating effect on its own housing development community.
Mandated by the city's own official plan, Ottawa homebuilders have since 2003 been obligated to build more population-dense projects within city limits – a strategy known as 'intensification', meant to combat urban sprawl. Trouble is, according to local developers, the city's current housing bylaws don't allow for it and are not being revamped quickly enough.
"We applied for a rezoning to medium density townhouses," says Robert Greenberg, Minto Developments' executive vice-president, about a development in the east end. "Our proposal was supported by some city staff, so we were shocked about being turned down. And the most shocking thing about it was that (our plan) was in keeping with the city's policy of intensification."
Minto has appealed the decision and expects a response in a few months.
City staff and industry moguls have, since the spring, been deep in consultation to unify the city's 36 development bylaws with a view to achieving intensification. The city last January approved a housing bylaw consultation plan that implemented three advisory groups – public urban, public rural, and technical advisory. Representatives from the city, development and design companies, and environmental groups sit on all three and have met repeatedly since last winter.
Both sides say they've made progress, but developers say the rezoning process isn't keeping up with the plan.
"All the politicians talk about is the use of current infrastructure, and not expanding current boundaries, and we're doing everything that's appropriate," says Mr. Greenberg. "But it's getting shut down anyway. It's unbelievably frustrating for us, in a variety of ways, and we're hoping when it gets to council that saner heads will prevail."
Ottawa's manager for zoning studies and area planning, Francoise Jessop, says the city has moved as quickly as possible given the vast amount of properties within city limits, and the wide array of housing bylaws currently in effect. The city is reviewing 250,000 properties governed by 36 different bylaws.
She says just because the city's official policy calls for intensification doesn't mean all properties are affected.
"We're moving on that, but the official plan speaks more to the main growth areas along the main streets," she says, adding that properties in Bayview, Greenfield, Barrhaven and Beechwood Avenue have been upzoned. "The plan does anticipate some minor upzoning, but not in every single residential area."
She says she doesn't expect city staff to hammer out a first draft of the new bylaw before next spring, and regardless of its content, developers will still have to heed local communities' wishes.
"The way growth will be managed will be through community involvement," she says, meaning growth other than within specifically designated areas will be managed via community design plans – essentially, by the consent of the community.
But she insists the city is acting when it can. "We've just permitted secondary dwelling units in every residential zone in the city," she says. "This is something that wasn't permitted before."
The other method of rezoning available to developers, she says, is through site-specific requests like Minto's appeal. Other than that, the city remains focused on redrawing its bylaw map and dealing with rezoning issues on a more piecemeal basis.
"I know that the homebuilders would prefer this to move immediately. But the mandate first and foremost is to harmonize the bylaws," she said.
It's a problem that's irritated more than just Minto Developments. John Herbert, executive officer of the Ottawa Carleton Home Builders' Association, says the city's policy have left homebuilders unsure, frustrated and in a state of limbo.
"On one hand, (the city) has adopted an intensification strategy. But if they're going to do that, they have to put the zoning in place to achieve it," he says, noting many of his organizations' members have been left befuddled by the city's policy.
"Every time one of our members goes forward with a rezoning application, they have to duke it out with the local people because it's circulated within the community," he continues. "This adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars and years in unnecessary costs, which is counterproductive when the city says it does want intensification."
But Ms Jessop, who is shepherding four city planners and two designers in the effort, says patience is required before they get the strategy right. "In the spring we'll be going out to the general public, and the homebuilders will be able review the maps and text," she says "A formal review the planning and environment committee will be complete by next June or so."
Whether that's too long to wait for the city's major developers, however, remains to be seen.
© Copyright Ottawa Business Journal 2005