It’s about intensification, not parking

Re: Battle over downtown parking hits the streets, Aug. 13.

The issue about the development on James Street is not about parking. It’s about intensification and the conversion of a century home, currently housing two tenants, into a 15-unit apartment building on a quiet residential street consisting primarily of single-family homes.

When neighbours began replying to the city’s cash-in-lieu application notice for 186 James, City of Ottawa planning staff insisted they would not accept comments about the infill project and possible demolition of the 100-year-old house. They were only collecting feedback about cash-in-lieu of parking in exchange for building 15 units on that site.

They had no interest in learning more about the character of the street, the folks who call James Street home, nor the effect such a building would have on daily lives.

At the Aug. 14 community information meeting, neighbours finally saw the developer’s plan — submitted to planning staff the same day — to reduce the building’s units from 15 to 10, therefore, requiring cash-in-lieu of parking for only two spots instead. Hurrah. Parking problem solved. Since the meeting was the first time the plans were made public, city planning staff graciously agreed to extend the comments deadline by another two weeks, leaving James Street residents wondering what exactly they should comment about: the 10-unit intensification project, or just parking?

HEATHER WILCOX, Ottawa