At its meeting Thursday, the city of Ottawa’s planning committee said no to staff recommendations that the Thai Embassy on Island Park Drive be re-zoned in order to build an office space.
The controversial proposal would have the Thai government tear down the home on the property and replace it with an office building which includes underground parking.
Major resident concerns include not only the fact that this sets precedent for future proposals, where homes can be replaced with office buildings, but also that this property will no longer be sold as a home in the future.
While currently zoned for residential or “R1,” the house at 180 Island Park Drive has been used as a consular office since 1987, when the Thai government purchased the home.
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According to the city’s planning bylaws, the purpose of the R1- Residential First Density Zone is to:
- Restrict the building form to detached dwellings in areas designated as General Urban Area in the Official Plan
- Allow a number of other residential uses to provide additional housing choices within detached dwelling residential areas
- Permit ancillary uses to the principal residential use to allow residents to work at home
- Regulate development in a manner that is compatible with existing land use patterns so that the detached dwelling, residential character of a neighbourhood is maintained or enhanced
- Permit different development standards, identified in the Z subzone, primarily for areas designated as Developing Communities, which promote efficient land use and compact form while showcasing newer design approaches.
While city staff did add stipulations to the proposal in order to limit the extent of change, including limiting the building to two storeys and less than 7,000 square feet, delegates and planning committee councillors thought that wasn’t enough.
“I don’t believe expediency is a good planning ground upon which to allow something that’s going to diminish the integrity of our R1’s across the city,” said Coun. Jeff Leiper, whose ward includes the property in question.
“All of us are responsive to the homeowners in R1s who want to preserve the character of their communities, and I think we would be sending them the wrong message by approving this application.”
While the proposal was defeated, the embassy still has the right to tear down the home on the property, city staff say, and apply for a right to expand to the committee of adjustment.
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