Draft new Official Plan out for consultation

November 20 marked the release, for consultation, of the City’s draft new Official Plan. The Official Plan provides a vision for the future growth of the city and a policy framework to guide the city’s physical development. Action Sandy Hill will dedicate its January 25, 2021 virtual meeting to a community forum where City planners will present the draft Plan, in particular aspects pertinent to Sandy Hill, and residents will be able to ask questions – consult www.ash-acs.ca in January for details. To find the full draft plan online search for “City of Ottawa new official plan 2020”. This is a complex document. The first part has general policies for the whole city. Look for the “Downtown Transect” section for policies on the area that includes Sandy Hill; for specific policies go to the section called “Central & East Downtown Core Secondary Plan” (in Volume 2A: Urban Secondary Plans). Within this secondary plan, for example, you will see new boundaries for Sandy Hill have been specified; the area south of Mann Avenue is included in a separate area called Lees Station. Susan Young, President of ASH, suggests residents have a look at this Central & East Downtown Core Secondary Plan. If you do not see in it the neighbourhood that you would like to live in, she urges you to speak up. ASH will also review the draft plan “to see what has been lost and/or gained.” Comments on the plan must be in to the City planners by February 17. — John Cockburn