17 Posted Apr 12, 2017, 11:21 PM rocketphish Planet Ottawa and beyond Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Ottawa Posts: 7,940 Proposed 22-storey tower on Scott Street worries councillor



Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen

Published on: April 12, 2017 | Last Updated: April 12, 2017 4:32 PM EDT







Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper made a last-ditch appeal to council Wednesday to reject a spot-rezoning proposal for a 22-storey tower at 1960 Scott St., which will replace the iconic timber building formerly home to Trailhead Paddle Shack.



The site is currently zoned for a maximum of six storeys. Approving such a large leap in height left Leiper worried the city is “setting a new planning context for the entire area without an honest and transparent discussion with residents about their neighbourhood is likely to change.”



But Mayor Jim Watson scoffed at the councillor’s concerns, and added he was disappointed some members of council who are “great advocates for transit-oriented development, cycling and pedestrian-friendly cities voted against a project that is right across a street from a transit station of the LRT.”



“If we’re not going to have density right across the street from a transit station, where are we going to have it?” the mayor said.



Proximity to rapid transit is part of what sold city planners on the request for additional height, which is why providing more commercial and residential parking spaces than required in four levels of underground parking rubs Leiper and others the wrong way.



“You’re not going to have everyone taking the train,” Watson said. “But if we can encourage more people to leave their car at home or not even buy a car in the first place, and they walk literally a couple of metres across the street to an LRT station, that’s better for the environment, it’s better for transportation, it’s better for the economy.”



In addition to Leiper, councillors Riley Brockington, David Chernushenko, Diane Deans, Mathieu Fleury, Catherine McKenney and Tobi Nussbaum voted against the proposal.



Council also approved the following development applications:

Westgate Shopping Centre redevelopment: Five mixed-use towers between Carling Avenue and Highway 417, ranging in height from 24 to 36 storeys.

Embassy West: This site at 1400 Carling Ave. currently has a five-storey retirement home, originally built as a hotel. The applicant wants to add two new towers, 10 storeys and 12 storeys; the 12-storey tower would feature an amenity room above the 12th storey.

125 Marketplace Dr. and 101A Lindenshade Dr.: Minto wants to build a retirement home complex consisting of two buildings — eight storeys and nine storeys — on the vacant site located within the South Nepean Town Centre.

47 Havelock St.: Surface Developments wants to build a new four-storey condo building with 23 units.

mpearson@postmedia.com

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http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...ies-councillor Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper made a last-ditch appeal to council Wednesday to reject a spot-rezoning proposal for a 22-storey tower at 1960 Scott St., which will replace the iconic timber building formerly home to Trailhead Paddle Shack.The site is currently zoned for a maximum of six storeys. Approving such a large leap in height left Leiper worried the city is “setting a new planning context for the entire area without an honest and transparent discussion with residents about their neighbourhood is likely to change.”But Mayor Jim Watson scoffed at the councillor’s concerns, and added he was disappointed some members of council who are “great advocates for transit-oriented development, cycling and pedestrian-friendly cities voted against a project that is right across a street from a transit station of the LRT.”“If we’re not going to have density right across the street from a transit station, where are we going to have it?” the mayor said.Proximity to rapid transit is part of what sold city planners on the request for additional height, which is why providing more commercial and residential parking spaces than required in four levels of underground parking rubs Leiper and others the wrong way.“You’re not going to have everyone taking the train,” Watson said. “But if we can encourage more people to leave their car at home or not even buy a car in the first place, and they walk literally a couple of metres across the street to an LRT station, that’s better for the environment, it’s better for transportation, it’s better for the economy.”In addition to Leiper, councillors Riley Brockington, David Chernushenko, Diane Deans, Mathieu Fleury, Catherine McKenney and Tobi Nussbaum voted against the proposal.Council also approved the following development applications:twitter.com/mpearson78