New updated content: 2023-07-31 12:25:48
A development application for two apartment towers at the corner of Parkdale and Carling Avenue, immediately adjacent to the Central Experimental Farm, has come to our attention. The shading they would produce would render unusable a large section of research fields on the Central Experimental Farm. The whole point of Protecting the Farm during the Ottawa Hospital siting controversy was to preserve the research fields, and thus the research mission of the CEF, which is the only long term guarantor of the preservation of the Farm, one of our most valuable urban green spaces. Approving these applications would undo all of this work.
It was agreed that we should mount a strong defense against this proposal as currently constituted by working with the heritage and scientific community through the Protect the Farm coalition and through POP and the broader environmental community. The application will be considered by Planning Committee on August 16th.
New updated content: 2023-09-06 12:31:57
The application for a development application for two apartment towers at the corner of Parkdale and Carling Avenue, came before Planning and Housing Committee on August 16. The GA appeared as a delegation and also made a written submission, focussing on the shading the towers would produce, which would render a large section of research fields on the Central Experimental Farm unusable. Other delegations included the heritage and scientific community, the Protect the Farm coalition, broader environmental community and local community associations. Notable for their absence was any representation from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the “owners” of the CEF. Planning Committee approved the application. However, we subsequently learned that an official notice of the proposed zoning bylaw amendment was not send to AAFC ahead of the meeting. As result, the item was not considered by Council as scheduled and was returned to Planning Committee, where it will be on the agenda of their September 20 meeting. It is expected that AAFC representatives will attend.
New updated content: 2023-10-16 12:37:15
Sadly, the application for two high rise towers at 1081 Carling was approved by Ottawa City Council. The only positive thing to come out of it is the staff direction by Councillor Brockington to strike a working group between the City, AAFC and the NCC to develop a protocol for building heights around the Farm for future applications. We need to keep an eye on this work to ensure it protects the Farm.
New updated content: 2023-12-18 13:00:57
A development project for three apartment towers across Baseline Road from the Central Experimental Farm is nearing approval stage. These proposed buildings would also cast long shadows on research fields. It was considered by Planning and Housing Committee but only one tower was approved, the one furthest from Baseline, which is set back far enough to avoid casting shadows. The file is supposed to return to PHC in February 2024 for a final determination. This was foreseen when the 1081 Carling proposal was approved and a working group involving the City, the Farm and the NCC was supposed to be struck to develop a protocol for building heights around the perimeter of the Farm. Members agreed that a follow up is required to determine the status of this working group. It was suggested that the outcome should be an Official Plan Amendment that codifies the protocol so that this shading issue is not revisited from scratch every time a development application is made around the Farm. It was also suggested that similar protocols should be investigated for greenspaces where shading from new construction could prove harmful. Natural Heritage features and other locations around the Greenbelt and adjacent to the urban boundary were identified as possible assets that could be so protected.
New updated content: 2024-01-15 15:19:40
Follow up on Baseline and Fisher apartment tower project
The zoning for this project was approved but the decision left considerable latitude for further design changes that would minimize the shadowing impact of the proposed towers. It is expected that such changes would be dealt with through Site Plan control. Members agreed that it was imperative to ensure further public engagement on the site plan. The decision also indicated that a promised working group on building heights on the periphery of the Farm was finalizing its Terms of Reference. Members agreed that we should press to ensure that there is participation by civil society in this working group, which at this point includes only City staff, AAFC personnel and representatives from the NCC.
Action: Paul to draft a letter to the Mayor, the Chair of the NCC and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and engage the Coalition to Protect the Farm to secure participation on the working group.
New updated content: 2024-02-26 15:30:36
Follow up on CEF shading
Paul reported on efforts to re-engage the Coalition to Protect the Farm to seek civil society participation on the working group being set up by the City with Agriculture and AgriFood Canada to develop a protocol on building heights on the perimeter of the Farm. Heritage Ottawa in on board and letters to the Mayor and to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food have been drafted. Potential additional signatories are being canvassed and the letters should be sent by early March.
New updated content: 2024-03-18 15:38:52
Update on CEF shading working group
The GA and Heritage Ottawa have reached out to members of the Coalition to Protect the Farm, a group that was formed during the controversy over the location of the new campus of the Ottawa Hospital, to seek to their support in obtaining a seat on the working group being established by the City to deal with the issue of building heights on the perimeter of the Experimental Farm. Seven members have agreed to co-sign a <letter to the Mayor> and local Councillors, drafted by the GA with Heritage Ottawa support. A parallel letter will be sent to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, drafted by Heritage Ottawa, with the GA’s support. As of the time of the meeting, only an acknowledgement from the Mayor’s office had been received. However, later that evening, Councillor Devine replied indicating that he would be following up, with Councillor Brockington, on our request.
New updated content: 2024-04-15 08:20:14
Protection of the Central Experimental Farm
Heritage Ottawa, along with other partners in the Coalition to Protect the Farm, which includes the GA, has sent a letter to the Minister of Agriculture calling on the department to engage with the City to develop a protocol to limit building heights on the perimeter of the CEF. As well, the letter requests representation from civil society on the working group.
New updated content: 2024-06-17 08:28:55
CEF building heights working group
We have received confirmation that this working group comprised of City, NCC and AAFC representatives has indeed been set up and is now working to develop a protocol for building heights on the perimeter of the Central Experimental Farm. We are glad to see it being set up but would appreciate some form of reporting and public engagement on its progress.
