Recently, the Groupe Lépine proposed a development for 3490 and 3484 Innes Road. This project would bring a level of density to Innes Road that is unprecedented in the area and would be a significant change to the existing design of the neighborhood.
While I recognize that rental accommodations geared towards older adults are needed in our community, and this project would help ensure that many seniors are able to stay in the community, a large-scale development such as this would nonetheless put massive pressure on our already overburdened road infrastructure. While many neighborhoods have grown or been added along the Innes Road stretch, there has not been matching growth in substantial arterial roadways and alternate routes to support them.
A project of this magnitude requires a significant amount of community input and a chance for residents to share their thoughts and concerns.
Right now, the City is asking for public feedback on the developer’s request to rezone the land to allow for more density. City staff will take this initial round of comments and share it with the developer after August 13, 2019.
Based on those comments, the developer will be asked by the City to make changes to address the community’s concerns, and to come back with an updated plan.
Residents will then continue to be asked for comments well into the fall, as City staff prepare their report.
This is a significant development being suggested for our community. Although the City does not require the developer to hold any public meetings in addition to the online consultation, I ran on a platform of ensuring smart infrastructure planning becoming the norm, and communities having a greater say in how future developments will shape their neighborhood. With that in mind, I will be organizing a meeting in early September for our community to pose their questions directly to the developer. It is important that we as residents have the most accurate and up-to-date information as possible, in order to provide an informed and honest response to the developer and the city.
I will be sharing details about the public meeting as soon as I have them. In the meantime, I ask that residents continue to send comments, whether good or bad, to the city planner, at Michael.Boughton@ottawa.ca.
