COMPREHENSIVE ZONING BY-LAW AFFECTS ALL OF US

While “Comprehensive Zoning By-law” may not be one of those phrases that grab our attention, what it contains does. Included in zoning by-laws are things like the rules for how tall buildings can be in each of our neighbourhoods and how far buildings must be from the edge of the property.

Currently there are 36 different zoning by-laws in place. This is the number of zoning by-laws the City inherited at the time of amalgamation.

Even for planning, staff 36 separate by-laws can be a problem. When I have been following up on questions from residents, it has sometimes required digging in order to be certain which by-law applies and what provisions were in that by-law. For many members of the public, going through zoning by-laws can be like wading through a swamp.

This is why one harmonized by-law that will apply across the city is being created.

However, as with any other attempt to harmonize standards from different municipalities, there will be issues. As an example, while the same zoning designation may exist in several different by-laws, the requirements for things like minimum lot size can vary from by-law to by-law.

As part of the harmonization process, one of the existing requirements has been picked to serve as the requirement for the entire city for that particular type of zoning. This means that the requirements for the zoning for your area could change.

Among the types of requirements that zoning by-laws set out are:
• Minimum lot width
• Minimum lot size
• Maximum building height
• Minimum and maximum setbacks

Differences between the existing Kanata zoning by-laws include things like a height increase of half a metre for some zones. There are a number of ways you can get more information.

Throughout June, Open Houses will be held on the proposed comprehensive zoning by-law. The Open House in Kanata will be:

Thursday, June 22nd
5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
John G. Mlacak Centre, Hall C
2500 Campeau Drive

If you are not able to make it to the public consultation, a copy of the by-law can be viewed or obtained on cd-rom at 580 Terry Fox Drive or any other City of Ottawa Client Service Centre. It is also available on the City website.

People have until December 1 to submit comments and comments submitted before September 15 will appear in the interim report to Planning and Environment Committee or Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee in October. Planning and Environment Committee and Council will not be debating the comprehensive zoning by-law until the Spring of 2007.

Taking a year between the release of a draft by-law and adopting a new by-law is unusual. However, given the detailed nature of zoning by-laws it was felt to be important to provide the time for people to go through the changes and provide comments.

If you do have questions about the draft comprehensive zoning by-law and are having trouble getting the answers, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.

ROTARY CLUB CLEANS UP CASTLEFRANK

Thanks are due to members of the Kanata Sunrise Rotary for their work on Castlefrank. The club “adopted” Castlefrank and were out cleaning it up on May 27th. All of us can see the result.

WORKING FULL-TIME FOR KANATA

I appreciate the chance to hear from you about issues affecting our community. You can reach me at 580-2474 (office), 580-2514 (fax), or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca