400 HUNT CLUB ROAD ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT AND SITE PLAN CONTROL APPLICATIONS
400 HUNT CLUB ROAD
Issue Opened: 2021-06-09
The City of Ottawa has received two Zoning By-Law Amendment and Site Plan Control applications to develop the site at 400 Hunt Club Road with a storage yard and parking lot in two phases. The proposal includes a total of 79 parking spaces and 377 storage spaces, which are to be used by Otto’s BMW Car dealership located at 600 Hunt Club Road.
APPLICATION DETAILS:
The actual application and all submitted plans, reports, surveys and accompanying documents can be found on the City’s Development Application Search Tool.
• https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applications/D02-02-21-0040/details
• https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applications/D07-12-21-0061/details
SUMMARY OF APPLICATION:
The proposed site is approximately 2.82 hectares of land located on the northeast corner of the property at 1000 Airport Parkway, which is the federally owned lands containing the Ottawa International Airport Authority. The site has approximately 137 meters of frontage along Hunt Club Road, and is immediately to the west of the Otto’s BMW Car Dealership site located at 600 Hunt Club. The majority of the site is forested with a red pine tree plantation, and a watercourse runs along the eastern limit of the property.
The purpose of the Site Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment applications are to permit the development of a parking lot and storage yard to support employee parking and outdoor vehicle storage for Otto’s BMW Dealership. The lands will be leased from the Airport Authority.
The development of the parking lot and storage is proposed in two phases. The first phase proposes 69 employee parking spaces and 259 storage spaces on approximately 1.25 hectares of land to be leased, and the second phase proposes 10 additional parking spaces and 118 additional storage spaces on a total of approximately 1.57 hectares of leased land.
The proposed access to the new parking area will accommodate both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and crosses a watercourse that runs along the east side of the Subject Property. The proposed parking lot will be gravel, and the proposal includes landscaping elements along the frontage of the site within a 13-metre landscaped setback along Hunt Club Road.
MEDIA REPORTS:
CBC.ca
June 17, 2021 - BMW dealership plans to pave a forest and put up a parking lot
WISTERIA PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION'S POSITION:
The Wisteria Park Community Association is advocating for the preservation of the Hunt Club forest as an urban forest to be enjoyed by generations of residents to come as it has been for the last half century. According to the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa maps (linked), approximately 75% of this forest is already designated as part of Canada's Capital Greenbelt, a conservation area featuring forests and wetlands. Over the decades, hikers, dog walkers, joggers and mountain bikers in this beloved area of the Greenbelt have expanded these trails into the adjoining red pine plantation, creating a place where residents can easily experience nature within an urban setting to recharge both physically and mentally. It is not an overstatement to say that this forest has evolved into a small piece of paradise along an otherwise bland and noisy Hunt Club Road. As such, the Wisteria Park Community Association advocates that the Greenbelt designation be expanded to include the red pine plantation, thereby encompassing the entire wooded area, boarded by Hunt Club Rd (north), Otto's BMW (east), De Niverville Private on the Uplands Base (south) and Billy Bishop Private / Lowe Martin (west).
The City of Ottawa declared a climate emergency. Cutting down healthy trees is in direct contradiction to fighting a climate emergency. In fact, these red pines are an excellent carbon sink and of direct benefit to the leaser of this land, the Airport Authority, who is facing mounting pressure to do more to reduce air pollution caused by their airplanes. Changing the current zoning of the red pine plantation from commercial to Greenbelt would not only put an end to the current proposal to replace the forest with a parking lot, it would also make it abundantly clear that cutting down these healthy, mature trees for any reason is unacceptable.
COUNCILLOR'S POSITION:
We have heard strong opposition from members of the community about this application. Residents are concerned about the environmental impact of removing trees, and the noise and disruption that an expanded parking lot and storage facility would bring. Both Councilor Brockington and I met with the owner of the BMW Dealership to discuss the application. The owner is open to finding an off-site location to meet their needs for car storage, and we are exploring some options for a suitable site. Should an alternative location be found, then the owner would need less land to expand parking.
While moving the car storage off-site would be a step in the right direction, I remain opposed to the application, and share the concerns that have been raised by residents regarding the adverse impacts that the proposed development would have on the environment and in the community.
Diane Deans, City Councillor, Gloucester South Gate Ward
GET INVOLVED:
The Wisteria Park Community Association strongly urges all concerned residents to get involved.
1. Join our Daily Protest Walks
at 8 a.m. Monday to Friday and at 4 p.m. on Saturdays along Hunt Club in front of Otto’s and the forest.
2. Send Feedback to the Planner
The Wisteria Park Community Association strongly urges all concerned residents to submit feedback to the City's Planning Department and Development Review Planner working on this file.
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department
City of Ottawa, 110 Laurier Avenue West, 4th Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1
Register for future notifications about this application or provide your comments by sending an e-mail to [email protected] with File No. D02-02-21-0040 and D07-12-21-0061 in the subject line.
3. Present Your Comments to the Planning Committee Meeting
This Zoning By-Law Amendment application will be considered by the City’s Planning Committee on August 26, 2021. You can submit comments in writing or register to speak remotely at the meeting by emailing [email protected]
4. Sign the Online Petition
Please consider signing the online petition and share this link with your neighbours and friends.
5. Social Media
Lots of local residents are gathering, discussing, organizing events and getting involved through various social media platforms.
#SaveHuntClubForest
Issue Opened: 2021-06-09
The City of Ottawa has received two Zoning By-Law Amendment and Site Plan Control applications to develop the site at 400 Hunt Club Road with a storage yard and parking lot in two phases. The proposal includes a total of 79 parking spaces and 377 storage spaces, which are to be used by Otto’s BMW Car dealership located at 600 Hunt Club Road.
APPLICATION DETAILS:
The actual application and all submitted plans, reports, surveys and accompanying documents can be found on the City’s Development Application Search Tool.
• https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applications/D02-02-21-0040/details
• https://devapps.ottawa.ca/en/applications/D07-12-21-0061/details
SUMMARY OF APPLICATION:
The proposed site is approximately 2.82 hectares of land located on the northeast corner of the property at 1000 Airport Parkway, which is the federally owned lands containing the Ottawa International Airport Authority. The site has approximately 137 meters of frontage along Hunt Club Road, and is immediately to the west of the Otto’s BMW Car Dealership site located at 600 Hunt Club. The majority of the site is forested with a red pine tree plantation, and a watercourse runs along the eastern limit of the property.
The purpose of the Site Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment applications are to permit the development of a parking lot and storage yard to support employee parking and outdoor vehicle storage for Otto’s BMW Dealership. The lands will be leased from the Airport Authority.
The development of the parking lot and storage is proposed in two phases. The first phase proposes 69 employee parking spaces and 259 storage spaces on approximately 1.25 hectares of land to be leased, and the second phase proposes 10 additional parking spaces and 118 additional storage spaces on a total of approximately 1.57 hectares of leased land.
The proposed access to the new parking area will accommodate both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and crosses a watercourse that runs along the east side of the Subject Property. The proposed parking lot will be gravel, and the proposal includes landscaping elements along the frontage of the site within a 13-metre landscaped setback along Hunt Club Road.
MEDIA REPORTS:
CBC.ca
June 17, 2021 - BMW dealership plans to pave a forest and put up a parking lot
WISTERIA PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION'S POSITION:
The Wisteria Park Community Association is advocating for the preservation of the Hunt Club forest as an urban forest to be enjoyed by generations of residents to come as it has been for the last half century. According to the National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa maps (linked), approximately 75% of this forest is already designated as part of Canada's Capital Greenbelt, a conservation area featuring forests and wetlands. Over the decades, hikers, dog walkers, joggers and mountain bikers in this beloved area of the Greenbelt have expanded these trails into the adjoining red pine plantation, creating a place where residents can easily experience nature within an urban setting to recharge both physically and mentally. It is not an overstatement to say that this forest has evolved into a small piece of paradise along an otherwise bland and noisy Hunt Club Road. As such, the Wisteria Park Community Association advocates that the Greenbelt designation be expanded to include the red pine plantation, thereby encompassing the entire wooded area, boarded by Hunt Club Rd (north), Otto's BMW (east), De Niverville Private on the Uplands Base (south) and Billy Bishop Private / Lowe Martin (west).
The City of Ottawa declared a climate emergency. Cutting down healthy trees is in direct contradiction to fighting a climate emergency. In fact, these red pines are an excellent carbon sink and of direct benefit to the leaser of this land, the Airport Authority, who is facing mounting pressure to do more to reduce air pollution caused by their airplanes. Changing the current zoning of the red pine plantation from commercial to Greenbelt would not only put an end to the current proposal to replace the forest with a parking lot, it would also make it abundantly clear that cutting down these healthy, mature trees for any reason is unacceptable.
COUNCILLOR'S POSITION:
We have heard strong opposition from members of the community about this application. Residents are concerned about the environmental impact of removing trees, and the noise and disruption that an expanded parking lot and storage facility would bring. Both Councilor Brockington and I met with the owner of the BMW Dealership to discuss the application. The owner is open to finding an off-site location to meet their needs for car storage, and we are exploring some options for a suitable site. Should an alternative location be found, then the owner would need less land to expand parking.
While moving the car storage off-site would be a step in the right direction, I remain opposed to the application, and share the concerns that have been raised by residents regarding the adverse impacts that the proposed development would have on the environment and in the community.
Diane Deans, City Councillor, Gloucester South Gate Ward
GET INVOLVED:
The Wisteria Park Community Association strongly urges all concerned residents to get involved.
1. Join our Daily Protest Walks
at 8 a.m. Monday to Friday and at 4 p.m. on Saturdays along Hunt Club in front of Otto’s and the forest.
2. Send Feedback to the Planner
The Wisteria Park Community Association strongly urges all concerned residents to submit feedback to the City's Planning Department and Development Review Planner working on this file.
- Submit Feedback using Planning Department Online Form
- Contact the Development Review Planner
Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department
City of Ottawa, 110 Laurier Avenue West, 4th Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1
Register for future notifications about this application or provide your comments by sending an e-mail to [email protected] with File No. D02-02-21-0040 and D07-12-21-0061 in the subject line.
3. Present Your Comments to the Planning Committee Meeting
This Zoning By-Law Amendment application will be considered by the City’s Planning Committee on August 26, 2021. You can submit comments in writing or register to speak remotely at the meeting by emailing [email protected]
4. Sign the Online Petition
Please consider signing the online petition and share this link with your neighbours and friends.
5. Social Media
Lots of local residents are gathering, discussing, organizing events and getting involved through various social media platforms.
#SaveHuntClubForest
- Save Hunt Club Forest Facebook Group
- Nextdoor News Feed
- Twitter @SaveHuntClubForest
- Twitter @SaveHCForest