7/28/2019 DCA "Icon" (505 Preston St) Planning Committee Comments

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DALHOUSIE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION755 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6R1Mr. Peter Hume

Chair, Planning Committee

110 Laurier Avenue West

Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 1J1

April 8th

, 2013Dear Mr. Hume:

Re: 505 Preston St.

Please find below comments from the Dalhousie Community Association (DCA) concerning the proposed

development and 505 Preston St., the Icon by Claridge. We have a number of concerns about this

development and the proposed distribution of section 37 benefits.

The DCA is happy to see that the sidewalk is effectively being widened around the building. This will help

improve the pedestrian experience at the southern end of Preston St. The presence of mature trees will

also reinforce this, providing shade and providing natural traffic calming. Care should be taken to make

sure that they can survive and thrive. This includes protections at street level to prevent damage from

snowplows and sufficient space below ground for an effective root structure to develop. We thus

suggest that any basement or parking garage below the sidewalk be sufficiently deep to allow for this.

We are concerned about the massing of the buildings tower. It should be reduced to come into line

with the citys urban design review guidelines. The absence of an off-street residential loading zone for

moving into and out of the building is a major concern for the community association. There are also

insufficient provisions at the front of the building handling pickups and deliveries. These must be

addressed, preferably in the zoning, but alternately in the site plan.

The DCA is concerned about the apportioning of Section 37 benefits from this project. The Hickory

Street pedestrian bridge will be an important addition to the pedestrian infrastructure of the

neighbourhood, and we support that up to 40% of the funds from this project will be used to offset the

costs of this project. However, we strongly believe that it is inappropriate to dedicate most of the

remainder of public benefit funds from this project to park space and other amenities on the west side

of the O-Train tracks and along Champagne Ave.

Remaining funds should be used to purchase lands associated with the federal government complex at

1010 Somerset St. to expand Plouffe Park. While a multi-use path on the west side of the O-train is

desirable in the long term, the city already owns this right of way. The sale of 1010 Somerset represents

7/28/2019 DCA "Icon" (505 Preston St) Planning Committee Comments

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a unique opportunity to add additional park space in a neighbourhood that is underserved. It cannot be

missed.

We would also note that Section 37 benefits from developments west of the O-Train have, up to now,

not been assigned to the eastern portion. There are a substantial number of developments anticipated

along Champagne Ave. in the immediate vicinity of the proposed MUP, streetscape improvements andpark expansion. Funds from these projects should be more than adequate to finance these projects.

Finally, this development reinforces the urgent need for a detailed public realm plan for Little Italy. This

neighbourhood is already at the epicentre of Ottawas condo boom, and the draft direction for Preston-

Carling will only intensify this. This community needs a public realm plan to prioritize allocation of

section 37 funds and provide a sense of how to accommodate an influx of new residents. Without a

plan, the city will miss opportunities to bolster public amenities. As an example, property to the south of

Ev Tremblay Park could have allowed for an easy expansion of the park; instead it was sold to

developers.

Work on this plan should start as soon as possible. Section 37 funds, from 505 Preston or elsewhere,

should not be used for drafting the plan, to both avoid conflicts of interest and preserve limited funds

for their intended purpose. A public advisory committee, consulted early and regularly, should be an

integral part of this process. The plan should include a realistic means of funding its implementation.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Michael Powell

President, Dalhousie Community Association

Cc: Planning Committee

Ms. Diane Holmes

Mr. Christopher Zwierzchowski