1,500-unit development with no residential parking under city review

City of Ottawa staff are reviewing a proposal for a five-building, 1,500-unit development in Orléans that would have no residential parking spots available. 

Ottawa's planning and housing committee approved a motion this week to refer the project for additional review after Orléans Coun. Matthew Luloff raised concern over the lack of parking space. 

"I do not believe the proposal is ready to move forward in its current form," he said during a committee meeting Wednesday. 

The Orléans development would include 136 visitor parking spots, but none for residents. It would be located less than a kilometre from the new Place d'Orléans transit station, which is due to open along with rest of the eastern LRT extension.

The extension is substantially built and is currently being prepared for testing.

Luloff said the applicant is willing to work with the city to find a solution.

Forum Asset Management proposed constructing its development with limited parking space because it's near a future stop on Ottawa's Line 1 LRT extension.

Development could 'fundamentally change' area

Earlier this year, council passed new zoning rules that eliminated minimum parking requirements for new developments. 

Still, Luloff says the project, which features five buildings from nine to 40 storeys on Brisebois Crescent and Centrum Boulevard, could "fundamentally change the landscape" of the east end community.

"My primary concern is whether a development of this scale, in the current context of Orléans, can function without any identified resident parking,” he told committee members during Wednesday's meeting.

"We need to make sure that the proposal works with the infrastructure that we have today, while appropriately planning for what may come in the future."

City staff are now expected to work with the developer to find a solution and resubmit the application.