Action Sandy Hill asks: Did you know about the new zoning bylaw?

Catherine Major

If you are one who cares and sometimes worries about the size, density and look of buildings along our lovely streets, read on.

The City of Ottawa is developing a new comprehensive zoning bylaw for approval by Council in 2025. The bylaw will implement the policies and directions in the new Official Plan approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on Nov. 4, 2022. Once approved, the new zoning bylaw will replace the current zoning bylaw (Bylaw 2008-250).

Last March, the City released seven discussion papers and corresponding surveys that are residents’ latest and best opportunity to have their say about the future of zoning in the city of Ottawa. The papers focus on key policy directions in the official plan that must be implemented in the zoning bylaw.

Intensification, a constant topic of interest to Sandy Hill, is covered in the directions and surveys.

The City’s seven key policy directions include:

• Climate change resiliency and public health
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion
• How zoning can regulate trees
• Land use strategies
• Neighbourhood zoning
• Neighbourhood character
• Rural zoning issues

The City and the ASH Planning and Heritage Committee encourage members of the public to review the discussion papers and share their thoughts and ideas, as their input will play a critical role in shaping the future of our city. You might want to start at the Engage webpage (address below) by looking through the Neighbourhood Zones and Neighbourhood Character discussion papers.

The more people who complete the surveys the more likely we will be presented with a Zoning Bylaw we can all live with.

All of the discussion papers and the Official Plan can be found on the City of Ottawa website at  https://engage.ottawa.ca/. The surveys close Friday, July 28.

Please contact the ASH Planning and Heritage Committee at actionsandyhill@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Catherine Major prepared this text on behalf of the ASH Planning and Heritage Committee.