City taking its time with LeBreton Flats file
Transit integration among key issues being considered for RendezVous site
The city is still reviewing the planning application for the historic redevelopment of LeBreton Flats after receiving the documents more than a month ago. The project is a partnership between the National Capital Commission and the RendezVous LeBreton Group, whose main investors are the Ottawa Senators and Trinity Developments. City hall has a huge role to play in the land-use planning approvals for the redevelopment, even if the project is on federal land. Planning approval is the one big power the municipality has to control the height of buildings, ensure adequate drinking water and sewer capacity and guard against potential transportation problems. With two LRT stations serving LeBreton Flats, the city will want to see a smart analysis on public transit integration in a new community. The planning documents should reveal more about RendezVous’ intentions for the land and how much the plan has changed, if at all, since the development consortium presented its original vision to the NCC in December 2015. In an emailed response relayed through city communications officer Carly Wolff, a top planning manager said the city continued to examine the application. “Official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment applications have been submitted to the city and are currently being reviewed to determine if they are complete,” according to Lee Ann Snedden, the city’s director of planning services. “Staff are also preparing the applications for technical and public circulations.” Among the things Mayor Jim Watson has wanted to avoid is creating municipal roadblocks or delays for the LeBreton Flats transformation, probably the city’s most important planning file. Senators chief operating officer Nicolas Ruszkowski deferred comment on the municipality’s review of the planning application. Any proposed development that would change municipal land-use rules for a parcel of land must have a zoning amendment application. The official plan is the masterplanning blueprint for the city and if the overarching vision would be affected by a development proposal, an official plan amendment application is required, too. Those major planning applications will eventually land on a council agenda after being reviewed by the planning committee. Council planning decisions can be appealed to the province’s Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. The NCC and RendezVous reached a preliminary agreement in January, but still haven’t signed a final redevelopment deal. There should be more LeBreton news this fall since NCC board members only meet one more time before the end of the year. As for what to expect in the coming months, the NCC on Friday referred to CEO Mark Kristmanson’s remarks after a September meeting, when he said the next board meeting in November would be “an important one” for the project. The agency and RendezVous have been working to answer questions in time for the board to make decisions for the winter and spring periods. The “milestone objectives” were being met, Kristmanson said. Different groups at the NCC are working on various parts of the project, including Indigenous community consultation, site decontamination, the master development agreement and other work required for a federal cabinet decision.