December 2, 2010: WVCA Hosts Community Forum on Intensification.

WVCA Hosts Community Forum on Intensification.
By Jason Thomson, Wellington Village Community Association.

Sixty local residents attended a Community  Forum on Intensification at Elmdale Public  School on November 23. The event, hosted by  the Wellington Village Community Association,  featured a number of speakers from the City of  Ottawa Planning Department.
WVCA board member Katie Paris opened  the evening with an overview of the issue, including  the ecological impact of intensification  and the specific form which it is taking in our  neighbourhood. City planner Trevor Illingsworth  followed with a “Planning Basics” presentation  which defined essential concepts (zoning), compared  the legal status of key planning documents  (the Official Plan versus Secondary Plans and  Community Design Guidelines) and explained the  functions of planning-related bodies (City of  Ottawa Committee of Adjustment, Ontario  Municipal Board).
The highlight of the evening was Selma  Hassan’s image-filled presentation of a 2010 City  planning study which documented the general  impact of intensification on established and rapidly- changing central Ottawa neighbourhoods,  including Wellington Village. Hassan’s findings  included: the loss of mature urban trees creating  gaps in previously green residential neighbourhoods;  the elimination of front doors; and, a  prevalence of ground-level garages located below  the residential portion of infill properties as opposed  to stand-alone garages or backyard parking  spaces. These findings will be presented to the  City Planning Committee in 2011 once the new  council is up and running.
If you missed the forum but would like to  view Hassan’s presentation, a copy will be circulated  at the December 13 WVCA meeting at  Fisher Park School, 7:30 pm.