Residents should be aware that the City’s new Official Plan will change Ottawa neighbourhoods forever. The approval of this Official Plan is to occur on Oct. 27 and will supersede rewriting of zoning by-laws to encourage major intensification that will allow multiple-family buildings, larger footprints and reduced setbacks in communities like City View, that currently have R1 zoning for single residential homes.

It is crucial that you know that this plan will also drop an evolving overlay on all areas within 400m of the future Baseline bus transit line (BRT). This means that multi-story buildings (minimum 4 stories up to 40 stories) could be approved along Starwood, Chippewa and Granton. The Official Plan will allow the City to approve this type of development before the BRT even exists.

The CVCA had a motion brought forward at the City’s Official Plan meetings last week to have this removed until such time that the BRT is actually funded as the transit project may not happen for at least 15 years. This motion was shot down by all but one Councillor on the Planning committee which was very disheartening. Our Councillor is working with Councillors Brockington and Egli, whose wards are are also affected by this, to bring our motion back to Council on Oct. 27, when the final Official Plan will be approved by the City.  We are all trying to get this changed to protect our communities and those that fall into this area at least until the BRT is funded for implementation.

Before Oct. 27 we need your support and help to stop this. Please contact us ASAP at cityviewassociation@gmail.com  if you want your voice heard.

A special thank you to all the community members who participated in the Official Plan three-day meeting this October to help represent our community. Some of these individuals were even quoted in the media, helping City View concerns be heard!