Bank Street in the Glebe: Height and Character Study

Open House #2Preliminary Recommendations

June 20, 2019

2

Open House Event #2• Feedback to Date

• Determining Building Heights

• Heritage

• Urban Design Analysis

• Preliminary Recommendations– Building Heights– Transitions– Retail Size

• Next Steps

Feedback to Date• As We Heard It Report

- February 21 Open House Comment Sheets- Online survey responses (same questions as Comment Sheets)

• Glebe Community Association

• Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association

Bank St in the Glebe: Building Heights• Official Plan: Traditional Mainstreets are generally

a maximum of 6 storeys • Zoning along Bank St in the Glebe: mostly H(15),

or a maximum of 4 storeys• Recent approvals for 7 storeys (99 Fifth Ave) and

up to 9 storeys (890-900 Bank St)• Existing taller buildings:

– 14 storeys at Isabella/O’Connor– 12-13 storeys at Bank/Holmwood– 20 storeys at Lansdowne (Bank/Canal)

Determining Maximum Building Heights• “Rule of thumb”: ratio of building height to right-of-way

width on an urban mainstreet should be approximately 1:1 to provide spatial definition and sense of enclosure

• City of Ottawa Urban Design Guidelines for Traditional Mainstreets identifies a ratio of between 1:1 and 1:3

• Bank St right-of-way is typically about 18.5m – ratio of 15m/18.5m or 1:1.2, or 5 storeys for 1:1)

• Road right-of-way protection of 23m– ratio of 15m/23m or 1:1.5, or 7 storeys for 1:1)

Determining Maximum Building Heights• Appropriate building heights on Traditional Mainstreets should informed

by multiple factors, including:– Right-of-way width– Lot depth– Shadow and wind impacts– Transitions to abutting residential– Ground floor height– Practical technical considerations– Neighbourhood amenities– Existing context (including heritage)

Heritage• Proposed additions to the Heritage Register

– Non-designated listings recognized as having potential for heritage value

• Four properties in study area overlap with Phase II Clemow Estate Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Study– Will result in a heritage conservation district plan

with policies and guidelines for the conservation, protection and enhancement of the district’s special character

Heritage – Site Specific Policy600 Bank St (Ottawa Chinese Alliance Church)- Large property (approx. 48m x 44-48m) with

considerable redevelopment potential- Intention is to encourage adaptive re-use and

include additional height permission- Preliminary recommendation: increase height

permission up to 6 storeys with site-specific policies that requires the applicant to work with Heritage staff to find solutions that consider the heritage character

Heritage – Site Specific Policy680 Bank St (Kunstadt Sports)- Within Phase II Clemow Heritage

Conservation District (HCD) Study- Large property (approx. 34m x 35m)

with redevelopment potential- Preliminary recommendation: Zoning

up to 6 storeys and site-specific policies requiring design compatibility with existing and proposed HCDs

CompatibilityProposed Policy:

“The architectural style of new buildings or additions to existing buildings fronting onto Bank Street in the Glebe should either match, be consistent with, or be visibly referential to, the styles of the established buildings that define the architectural character of the street. This includes facade elements, materials, patterns of fenestration and features of ornamentation.”

Preliminary Recommendations for Maximum Building Heights

• Feedback (ImagineGlebe and Open House #1) indicated a strong preference for maximum building heights of 4 storeys, especially in core of the Glebe

• Between First Ave and Holmwood Ave:– Shallow lot depths– Abutting residential lots are perpendicular, resulting in limited opportunities for lot consolidation– Pedestrian-oriented mainstreet with desire for sunlight on sidewalks and minimized wind impacts

• It is proposed that zoning remains unchanged (TM (15) – up to 4 storeys) in the core of the Glebe between First Ave and Holmwood Ave

Urban Design Analysis and Preliminary Recommendations for Maximum Building Heights

• 3D SketchUp model to test various scenarios• Images illustrate:

– Existing buildings (light grey)– Proposed maximum building heights in

translucent boxes: yellow 3 storeys; orange 4 storeys; red 5-9 storeys; purple >9 storeys

– Approximate maximum building massing within those translucent boxes (white)

2. Zone B: Powell Ave to First Ave3. Zone C: First Ave to Fifth Ave4. Zone D: Fifth Ave to Holmwood Ave5. Zone E: Holmwood Ave to Wilton Cres

Five Zones

1. Zone A: North Gateway

2. Zone B: Powell Ave to First Ave1. Zone A: North Gateway

3. Zone C: First Ave to Fifth Ave4. Zone D: Fifth Ave to Holmwood Ave5. Zone E: Holmwood Ave to Wilton Cres

Five Zones

3. Zone C: First Ave to Fifth Ave

1. Zone A: North Gateway2. Zone B: Powell Ave to First Ave

4. Zone D: Fifth Ave to Holmwood Ave5. Zone E: Holmwood Ave to Wilton Cres

Five Zones

4. Zone D: Fifth Ave to Holmwood Ave

1. Zone A: North Gateway2. Zone B: Powell Ave to First Ave3. Zone C: First Ave to Fifth Ave

5. Zone E: Holmwood Ave to Wilton Cres

Five Zones

5. Zone E: Holmwood Ave to Wilton Cres

1. Zone A: North Gateway2. Zone B: Powell Ave to First Ave3. Zone C: First Ave to Fifth Ave4. Zone D: Fifth Ave to Holmwood Ave

Five Zones

:

Zone A – Four, Six, Nine and Sixteen Storeys(Isabella St to Patterson Ave)

4 storeys• East side of Bank St between Patterson

Ave and Pretoria Ave• 1 Roseberry and 580 Bank St

6 storeys• 612 Bank St (Ambassador Court)• 600 Bank St (Chinese Alliance Church)• 575 Bank St (Clocktower)• 211 Pretoria Ave• 14-52 Chamberlain Ave

9 storeys• Bank St at Chamberlain Ave• 178-200 Isabella St• Northern part of 460 O’Connor St

16 storeys: 210 Isabella St

View North

Zone A – Four, Six, Nine and Sixteen Storeys(Isabella St to Patterson Ave)

4 storeys:• East side of Bank St between Patterson

Ave and Pretoria Ave• 1 Roseberry and 580 Bank St

6 storeys• 612 Bank St (Ambassador Court)• 600 Bank St (Chinese Alliance Church)• 575 Bank St (Clocktower)• 211 Pretoria Ave• 14-52 Chamberlain Ave

9 storeys• Bank St at Chamberlain Ave• 178-200 Isabella St• Northern part of 460 O’Connor St

16 storeys: 210 Isabella St

View Southeast

View Southwest

Zone A – Four, Six, Nine and Sixteen Storeys4 storeys:

• East side of Bank St between Patterson Ave and Pretoria Ave

• 1 Roseberry and 580 Bank St

6 storeys• 612 Bank St (Ambassador Court)• 600 Bank St (Chinese Alliance Church)• 575 Bank St (Clocktower)• 211 Pretoria Ave• 14-52 Chamberlain Ave

9 storeys• Bank St at Chamberlain Ave• 178-200 Isabella St• Northern part of 460 O’Connor St

16 storeys: 210 Isabella St

(Isabella St to Patterson Ave)

:

Zone B – Four and Six Storeys(Powell Ave to First Ave)

4 storeys• 729 Bank St (St. Giles)• 722 Bank St (Goldart)• 685 Bank St (LaStrada)• 683 Bank St (Banditos)• 667 Bank St (under appeal)

6 storeys• 701 Bank St (Chambers)• 700 Bank St (Shoppers)• 690 Bank St (Poppeye’s)• 680 Bank St (Kunstadt)• 640 Bank St (Boston Pizza)

View Northwest

Zone B – Four and Six StoreysView South(Powell Ave to First Ave)

4 storeys:• 729 Bank St (St. Giles)• 722 Bank St (Goldart)• 685 Bank St (LaStrada)• 683 Bank St (Banditos)• 667 Bank St (under appeal)

6 storeys• 701 Bank St (Chambers)• 700 Bank St (Shoppers)• 690 Bank St (Poppeye’s)• 680 Bank St (Kunstadt)• 640 Bank St (Boston Pizza)

Zone C & D – No Change(First Ave to Holmwood Ave) View North

Zone E – Three, Four, Six, Nine and Twelve Storeys(Holmwood Ave to Wilton Cres)

3 storeys• 9-11 Wilton Cres

4 storeys• 950 Bank St

(Abbottsford House)

6 storeys• 1014 Bank St (condo)

9 storeys• 77 Monk St (The Glebe

Centre Long-Term Care)

12 storeys• 920 Bank St (Chartwell

Retirement)

View Northwest

Zone E – Three, Four, Six and Nine StoreysView South(Holmwood Ave to Wilton Cres)

3 storeys• 9-11 Wilton Cres

4 storeys• 950 Bank St

(Abbottsford House)

6 storeys• 1014 Bank St (condo)

9 storeys• 77 Monk St (The Glebe

Centre Long-Term Care)

12 storeys• 920 Bank St (Chartwell

Retirement)

Preliminary Recommendations for Maximum Building Heights

Building Height Transitions• Traditional Mainstreet (TM) zoning requires:

• 2m stepback at the front and corner side yard above 15m or 4th storey

• 7.5m rear yard seback and 45 degree angular plane starting above 4th storey

• Intended for rear yard to rear yard condition

• Glebe has very few of these – generally TM lots are oriented east-west and abutting residential lots are oriented north-south

• Instead of rear yard to rear yard, the result is usually the corner side yard of a TM lot meeting the interior side yard of a residential lot

Building Height Transitions• Example of one of the few rear yard

(TM zone) to rear yard (residential zone) conditions in the Glebe (red)

• Examples of more common corner side yard to interior side yard condition (blue), which appears as buildings side-to-side as opposed to front-to-back or front-to-side

Building Height Transitions• Bank St at Strathcona Ave: example

of corner side yard to interior side yard condition, which appears as buildings side-to-side as opposed to front-to-back or front-to-side

Building Height Transitions• Bank St at Second Ave: example of

corner side yard to interior side yard condition, which appears as buildings side-to-side as opposed to front-to-back or front-to-side

Building Height Transitions• Bank St at Fifth Ave: example of

corner side yard to interior side yard condition, which appears as buildings side-to-side as opposed to front-to-back or front-to-side

Building Height Transitions• Desire for corner buildings to “turn the corner” with

an urban frontage facing the side street• Results in side yard to side yard condition that

does not require 7.5m setback, provided the 45 degree angular plane is in place

• Interior (non-corner) buildings on Bank St or those with large lots that align with rear yards of abutting residential are different and need a greater setback in addition to 45 degree angular plane to reduce shadowing on rear yards

• Example of approved Minto building at 99 Fifth Ave

Proposed Building Height Transitions• Front and Corner Side Yard:

– 2m stepback above 2nd, 3rd, or 4th

storey depending on context

• Rear Yard: – 3m rear yard setback between street

and “rear yard massing alignment” of abutting residential, then increases to 6m

– 45 degree angular plane (stepbacks) starting above 4th storey

Rear Yard Massing Alignment

3m Rear Yard Setback

6m Rear Yard Setback

Retail Size• Character of Bank St in the Glebe is in part created by the

rhythm of relatively narrow retail storefronts.

• Residents have expressed a desire to maintain and protect this character element, particularly in the core of the Glebe.

• Given the shallow lot depths in the core of the Glebe and the need for flexibility in storefront widths, it is preferable to set a maximum size of retail store as opposed to establishing a maximum width.

Retail Size• Average retail size in study area (Highway 417 to Canal): 183m2

• Median retail size in study area (Highway 417 to Canal): 132m2

• Average retail size in core of the Glebe between First Ave and Holmwood Ave: 167m2

• Median retail size in core of the Glebe between First Ave and Holmwood Ave: 125m2

• In order to maintain the character of the Glebe, with its relatively small retail storefronts, it is proposed to limit the size of new retail spaces between First Ave and Holmwood Ave to a maximum gross floor area of 200m2.

Next Steps• Please fill out Comment Sheets• Comment sheet questions to be posted on study website:

Ottawa.ca/bankstreetstudy• Additional comments to peter.giles@ottawa.ca

• Revisions, As We Heard It Report• Open House event #3 with draft recommendations in September• Revisions, As We Heard It Report• Staff report and presentation• Planning Committee and City Council in November-December