Following tabling of the Auditor General’s report on the Carp River studies on April 23, the matter was referred to three Standing Committees of Council. The Carp River Coalition appeared before all three to offer its comments.
Comments to Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee, 6 May 2008
Comments to Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee, 8 May 2008
Comments to Planning and Environment Committee, 13 May 2008
Other interventions:
Ted Cooper at CSEDC, at ARAC and at PEC.
Darlene Conway and John Almstedt at PEC.
At PEC, reference was made to memos by Planning Director John Moser on interim development (PDF, 550 KB).
Council, on May 14, made some decisions, among them that a 3rd-party review based on the Auditor General’s findings will be undertaken and that the public will have an opportunity to comment on the Terms of Reference for this review. This is to go to PEC on June 24. Council’s Disposition is here. At the top it shows that it accepted the AG’s report and then refers to the reports from CSEDC and PEC but you have to scroll down about two-thirds to find more meat. (Note that CSDEC’s report also contains directions to staff and that PEC’s report contains the draft Minutes of ARAC’s meeting of May 8.).
Other decisions include:
# on interim development: That the Council of the City of Ottawa endorse the following with respect to applications for further development in Kanata West:
+ That any application for approval for development for lands within the floodplain not be brought forward to Committee and Council for approval, or not be approved pursuant to delegated authority, until such time as the Carp Restoration Environmental Assessment has been approved by the Minster of the Environment;
+ That in addition to other requirements of the Planning Act, any application for development approval within Kanata West, for lands outside the floodplain only be brought forward to Committee and Council for approval, or approved under delegated authority if:
1) The Carp Restoration Environmental Assessment has been approved by the Minister of the Environment; or
2) The Council Directed Review of the Carp Audit has been completed and reviewed by Council with Council being satisfied that development can proceed; or
3) The applicant, either alone or in concert with other developers, has provided a comprehensive analysis for all development in Kanata West, satisfactory to City of Ottawa, that addresses the question of stormwater, whether or not the Carp Restoration Environmental Assessment is approved.
(A motion by Clr. Cullen, seconded by Clr. Holmes.)
# on expanding the audit, a motion by the same Councillors,
That the Auditor General’s Audit of the Carp River Watershed Study and Related Projects be expanded to include a review of the Kanata West Lands project management and process.
was, on a motion by Clr. Wilkinson, seconded by Clr. Qadri, referred to Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee.
Media coverage:
Ottawa Citizen of May 7, 2008, by Patrick Dare – “Council moves to end Kanata West conflict – Staff to study creation of independent land-development company after auditor raises red flag about practices” (p. C1)
Ottawa Citizen of May 14, 2008, by Mohammed Adam – “City wants do-over on Carp River Study” (p. C3)
CBC TV News at Six on May 13 and May 14; also on CBC Radio news.
The Kanata West Owners Group Inc. also responded to the audit report, as did Dennis Jacobs, the former City manager who was responsible for this file. Mr. Jacobs sent comments he had written for The Citizen to Council, saying the newspaper would only allow a letter to the editor. His letter [no longer online] appeared on May 16.
