As of today, no date has been set for the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) hearing into the Groupe Lépine proposed rezoning and development of 3484 and 3490 Innes Road (the former Golflands site).
However, last month Groupe Lépine opted to submit its proposed development to the Urban Design Review Panel (UDRP). The UDRP is an independent advisory panel, which operates at an arm’s length from the City and is comprised of architects and urban designs experts that reviews development applications to Ottawa. The UDRP does not receive delegations nor public submissions, as it only provides recommendations to development proposals based on best practice guidelines; it does not provide binding decisions.
As part of their submission, City staff did advise the Panel that “does not support this Project as proposed” and that it had “fundamental issues” with the proposed design of the site.
In their findings, the Urban Design Review Panel agreed. A few of the issues cited by the Panel was the development’s lack of porosity; that internalizing the commercial spaces does not contribute to the public domain; that vehicular circulation conflicts with pedestrian flow; and that the height of the proposed buildings need to transition better with the existing height of the surrounding community.
The Panel’s findings echo my concerns and those of our community. Although, Groupe Lépine has not indicated it will halt its appeal to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, the provincial tribunal that hears cases related to land-use matters across Ontario, I remain hopeful that the developer will come to the table, and work with the community and City to address our concerns.
I will continue to provide updates as they become available. For more information on the development application that was submitted to the city, visit https://bit.ly/36Iv1Qj.
