In 2018, Domicile Developments applied to the City of Ottawa to rezone three addresses on Roosevelt Avenue from three to six storeys. The developer plans to demolish three single-family homes and build a six-storey mixed-use building with 35 condo units with retail businesses on the first two floors on the site. Domicile’s building plan would remove all of the existing trees and green space.
Despite objections from local residents, City Council’s Planning Committee approved a by-law amendment to permit a four-storey building. Ultimately, the issue went to full Council which approved six-storey zoning for the three addresses in question. Jeff Leiper, the member of Council for Kitchissippi Ward, and four other urban core members of Council voted against the by-law amendment, but suburban and rural councillors carried the day.
Frustrated residents from the western edge of Westboro formed the Westboro Residents Group, which now has more than 140 names on its mailing list. In September 2018, the group filed an appeal under the Ontario Planning Act with the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, a relatively new body that replaced the Ontario Municipal Board. The appellants are seeking to overturn the City’s by-law amendment decision.
The hearing will likely take place in December 2019 or in early 2020, with a decision expected in the first half of the new year.
Mike Olsen, member of the ?Westboro Residents Group