PLANNING APPLICATION INFORMATION NOW ONLINE

It is now possible to go to the City of Ottawa website and see what proposals for development have been made for your area. The information on the website includes the location, a brief description of what is proposed, what stage the application has reached and the name of the planner with her or his contact information. 

The information can be found at ottawa.ca/devapps.

Putting information about planning applications on line where people can easily see it responds to a long-standing request from residents and councillors. With the impact development can have on a neighbourhood, people want to know how planning applications will affect them. Now, when people see a sign announcing that a planning proposal has been made for a property in their neighbourhood, they can get details immediately.

People can search for applications by community (i.e. Kanata) or by street.

The website only includes applications submitted after February 1, 2008. This means older applications like the applications from Urbandale to build several hundred homes along Stonehaven will not be on the website.

CHANGES TO PARKING REQUIREMENTS RESPOND TO KANATA NEEDS

In shopping malls with a large number of restaurants, fitness clubs, or other high traffic uses, there is a shortage of parking. It is a problem for everyone except the mall owner. People using the businesses in the mall have trouble finding parking. Businesses suffer because customers cannot find a place to park. Nearby residents have overflow traffic parked on their street.

The proposed parking requirements in the new Comprehensive Zoning By-Law did not recognize the impact of high traffic uses on parking needs in shopping centres. After the problems we have had at a couple of locations in Kanata, this was not good enough. To address the problem I proposed an amendment at council that was adopted.

DEMENTIA NETWORK HELPS PEOPLE LOOKING AFTER RELATIVES WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS

Looking after a relative with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia is a challenge. With over 14,000 people with some form of dementia in Eastern Ontario, it is a challenge that a large number of people in our community face. To assist families looking after relatives with dementia, the Champlain Dementia Network has created a website to provide information about available resource. The website can be found at www.champlaindementianetwork.org. 

BRIDLEWOOD WOODED AREA UPDATE

In the Urban Natural Features Study, the wooded area beside Deevy Pines Park was found to have high environmental value and marked for preservation. The challenge we face is that, decades ago, the land was zoned as high density residential by the former City of Kanata. This means the City has to acquire the land to protect it.

I am pushing City staff to make sure the land is acquired. This is what is required by the City policy on Urban Natural Features.

WORKING FULL-TIME FOR KANATA SOUTH

I appreciate the chance to hear from you about issues affecting our community. You can reach me at 580-2752 (office), 580-2762 (fax), www.feltmateforkanata.com or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca