Environmental assessment - Caldwell-Carver Conservation Area - April 24 to 25 and 29 to 30
Councillor Rawlson King was pleased to introduce several motions to revise the draft new Official Plan at a special joint meeting of the Planning Committee and the Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee, held between October 14 and 18.
He prepared motions after detailed consultations with interested residents, community associations and several non-profit organizations focused on bringing greater urgency to climate and social justice issues:
- Gender & Racial Equity
- Interprovincial Truck Traffic
- Heritage Conservation Districts
- Beechwood-Hemlock-St-Laurent Secondary Plan
- Protecting Hydrologic Features
- Measuring & Monitoring Planning Progress
- Implement Visual and Numerical Modeling in Planning
- Commit to Local Development Planning
He is pleased to be able to report that several items he brought forward were carried unanimously by the committee, including a motion introduced with Bay Ward Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, Council Liaison for Women and Gender Equity, to specifically incorporate racial and social equity into Ottawa's new Official Plan.
He was also able to successfully introduce a Direction to Staff to initiate a Secondary Plan process for the Beechwood Avenue/Hemlock Road corridor and St. Laurent Boulevard North.
Other successful actions included the adoption of a Direction to City staff to create a measurement framework for planning objectives outlined in the new Plan, along with providing Council with annual reports concerning implementation progress of the Plan, as well as a motion that introduces the use of visual and numerical modelling when considering and evaluating proposed new developments.
In terms of the environment, he was happy to move a successful motion designed to protect, preserve, restore and enhance hydrologic resources (features and functions of surface water and groundwater) in areas especially vulnerable to intensification due to nearby development.
He also successfully moved a motion that directed staff to place emphasis on local planning approaches, including Secondary Plans and Community Design Plans, to promote community engagement.
While his motion focused on balancing concerns about intensification in heritage districts was defeated and another motion concerning a sixth interprovincial crossing was referred to Transportation Committee for consideration, he was pleased to observe the unanimous success for Councillor Brockington’s motions to cap the height of buildings along designated minor corridors to fours storeys, as well as Brockington's motion that directs staff to instigate neighbourhood-based, tree canopy measurement.
Because he is not a voting member of the Planning Committee, his motions were mainly introduced on his behalf at the joint meeting by Capital Ward Councillor Shawn Menard, who he would like to thank. The Official Plan will be officially considered by Council on October 27.
