URBAN PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE – MINUTES – 350th meeting / Monday, November 25, 2024 at 5:34 p.m.

Zoning Bylaw – Modify boundaries of zone Ha-16-059 and authorize a new residential zone

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CONSIDERING THAT a request to modify Règlement de zonage numéro 532-2020, aiming to modify the boundaries of residential zone Ha-16-059 and create a new residential zone allowing buildings with a maximum of one dwelling per building, has been formulated;

CONSIDERING THAT residential zone Ha-16-059 originates from a grouping of zones that authorized a maximum of one dwelling per building under the repealed Règlement de zonage numéro 502-2005 following the concordance exercise carried out in 2020;

CONSIDERING THAT residential zone Ha-16-059 is located in a transit-oriented urban structure zone (ZATC);

CONSIDERING THAT the Plan d’urbanisme 530-2020 and the Schéma d’aménagement et de développement 2050-2016 aim for growth within urban structure hubs under planning priority 1;

CONSIDERING THAT residential zone Ha-16-059 is located in a planning priority 1 sector aiming for an urban structure composed, among others, of transit-oriented zones (ZATC);

CONSIDERING THAT the former grouped zones were modified during the concordance exercise to allow for an increase in the number of dwellings per building, with the goal of reaching desired density targets in a transit-oriented zone (ZATC) as provided for in Plan d’urbanisme numéro 530-2020 and the Schéma d’aménagement et de développement 2050-2016;

CONSIDERING THAT during the creation of zone Ha-16-059, the number of stories and the number of dwellings were increased to promote neighborhood densification, all in support of densification visions in transit-oriented zones (ZATC);

CONSIDERING THAT the modification requested by the applicant to the zoning bylaw is consistent with the residential designation of the sector, but does not allow for achieving a medium density of land occupation as provided for in Plan d’urbanisme numéro 530-2020 and Schéma d’aménagement et de développement numéro 2050-2016;

CONSIDERING THAT the applicant's request is not consistent with the orientations and objectives of Plan d’urbanisme numéro 530-2020 and Schéma d’aménagement et de développement numéro 2050-2016;

CONSIDERING THAT the Service de l’urbanisme et du développement durable (SUDD) deems it appropriate to propose a regulatory modification that is consistent with the orientations and objectives of Plan d’urbanisme numéro 530-2020 and Schéma d’aménagement et de développement numéro 2050-2016 while still addressing the main concerns of the neighborhood in the zones affected by these modifications;

CONSEQUENTLY, this Committee recommends that Council NOT approve a modification to Règlement de zonage numéro 532-2020, as filed by the applicant, aiming to:

• Modify the boundaries of zone Ha-16-059 by inserting a new residential zone;
• Authorize in this new residential zone buildings with a maximum height of two stories containing a maximum of one dwelling per building.

CONSEQUENTLY, this Committee instead recommends that Council approve a modification to Règlement de zonage numéro 532-2020, aiming to:

• Modify the boundaries of zone Ha-16-059 by inserting a new residential zone;
• Authorize in this new residential zone buildings with a maximum height of three stories containing a maximum of three dwellings per building, all as presented in this project analysis.

UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED

PPCMOI – Construct a 5-story multi-family dwelling with 33 affordable housing units – 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché

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CONSIDERING THAT a request to construct an isolated five-story multi-family dwelling containing 33 dwellings has been formulated for the property located at 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché;

CONSIDERING THAT the project will require the demolition of the existing building located at 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché, and that the demolition request, although approved by the Comité sur les demandes de démolition (CDD) at its meeting on April 25, 2023, will require new approval from the CDD since the preliminary program for the reuse of the cleared land has been modified;

CONSIDERING THAT the number of dwellings and the height in stories of the proposed new building do not comply with the maximum of four dwellings and three stories prescribed in the specifications grid of residential zone Ha-12-012;

CONSIDERING THAT a Projet particulier de construction, de modification ou d’occupation d’un immeuble (PPCMOI) must be approved, pursuant to Règlement relatif aux projets particuliers de construction, de modification ou d’occupation d’un immeuble numéro 507-2005, for the implementation of the proposed project;

CONSIDERING THAT Plan d’urbanisme numéro 530-2020 limits building height to six stories in this sector, but provides that an increase in height up to 10 stories may be authorized in the form of a special project satisfying the evaluation criteria of Règlement relatif aux projets particuliers de construction, de modification ou d’occupation d’un immeuble numéro 507-2005;

CONSIDERING THAT the shading impact study of the projected building on neighboring properties and the public domain shows little impact on the immediate surroundings, specifically on properties located to the west of the project, due to the reduction in height with the layout of the 4th-floor roof terrace and the setback of the building footprint relative to the minimum margin required in the zoning specifications grid;

CONSIDERING THAT a wind acceleration effect study has been filed and shows that there will be no impact generated by the construction on the comfort of pedestrians moving around the building and on that of residents using their balconies and the collective terrace proposed on the 4th floor;

CONSIDERING THAT the proposed project is located within 152 m of the classified heritage building located at 432, boulevard Alexandre-Taché, identified as Maison Riverview, and that it incorporates certain reminders regarding the color tone, roof shape, and fenestration rhythm of a section of the classified building;

CONSIDERING THAT the property targeted by this project is located in the Parc urban village and that the project fits with planning orientation 1.1, provided for in the Plan d’urbanisme, favoring gradual residential densification in urban village cores and their immediate vicinity, particularly along high-level service axes and near stations of the transit system;

CONSIDERING THAT the property targeted by this project is located in front of a high-level service transit axis and less than 300 m from access to the transit network, and that the maximum height map set in the Plan d’urbanisme thus allows for a height excess within the framework of a densification project submitted for the approval of a PPCMOI;

CONSIDERING THAT a non-profit organization has filed a letter of interest to acquire the land and the building once constructed, and that it must file an application with the Société d’habitation du Québec to obtain project financing under the Programme d’habitation abordable du Québec;

CONSEQUENTLY, this Committee recommends that Council approve, pursuant to Règlement relatif aux projets particuliers de construction, de modification ou d’occupation d’un immeuble numéro 507-2005, a project at 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché, to construct a multi-family residential building with the following characteristics:

• 33 affordable housing units spread over five stories;
• A minimum front setback of 3.10 m;
• A minimum right side setback of 1.5 m;
• A maximum ground coverage coefficient of 0.50;
• A minimum of 19 parking spaces;
• An access driveway located 0 m from the building wall and a property line, not delimited by a 0.15 m high concrete curb;
• A minimum amenity area of approximately 420 m².

All as illustrated in the project analysis in the documents:

• Proposed site plan – Rossmann Architecture – 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché – June 11, 2024, and annotated by the Service de l’urbanisme et du développement durable (SUDD);
• Proposed elevations – Rossmann Architecture – 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché – June 11, 2024.

And in the additional documents filed in support of the request:

• Response letter to the citizen meeting of September 12, 2024 – Charles Lepoutre – 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché – September 18, 2024;
• Modified elevations and perspective – Rossmann Architecture and Charles Lepoutre – 404, boulevard Alexandre-Taché – September 18, 2024.

In the event that the municipal council approves the project, it is understood that it remains conditional upon:

1. The applicant filing a service plan to be approved by the Service des infrastructures et des projets;
2. The installation of "no parking" signs on both sides of the access to the land from rue Saint-François, required by the Service de sécurité incendie de la Ville de Gatineau, and ensuring the snow removal and maintenance of this emergency driveway throughout the year to allow for emergency interventions;
3. A new authorization from the Comité sur les demandes de démolition (CDD) aiming for the demolition of the existing building on the property targeted by this project;
4. The filing, at the building permit stage, of an official agreement between the beneficiary organization, the developer, and the landowner regarding the transfer of the land and building for the purposes of constructing this affordable housing project;
5. Confirmation of financing from the SHQ and the contribution of the Ville de Gatineau to this project, pursuant to the parameters of the Programme habitation abordable du Québec (PHAQ), or pursuant to any other provincial affordable housing financing program.

UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED

Minor Variance – Authorize a digital billboard sign – 350, boulevard de la Gappe – Touraine electoral district – Tiffany-Lee Norris Parent

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CONSIDERING THAT a request to authorize the installation of a digital billboard has been submitted for the property located at 350, boulevard de la Gappe;

CONSIDERING THAT the land for the proposed project is located in the residential zone Ha-05-005 along two structural axes of the city, namely boulevard de la Gappe and the Corridor du Rapibus;

CONSIDERING THAT this project was favorably recommended by the council in July 2024 within the framework of a PPCMOI (Specific Construction, Modification or Occupancy Proposal) and a PIIA (Site Planning and Architectural Integration Program) concerning billboards;

CONSIDERING THAT the final adoption of the PPCMOI was ratified by the council on September 24, 2024, and that this PPCMOI is now in effect;

CONSIDERING THAT the 45° angle provided between the two faces of the digital display panels requires, by regulation, a calculation of each of these faces in the total display area;

CONSIDERING THAT an administrative error occurred during the analysis of the submitted project, omitting to aggregate the surface area of the two panels due to the angle being greater than 30° between the two panels;

CONSIDERING THAT the project approved by the council, apart from the display area calculated erroneously by the administration, is the same as the one submitted for this request;

CONSIDERING THAT all documents initially submitted by the applicant in support of its analysis are exactly the same as those submitted for the certificate of authorization request aimed at the implementation of this project;

CONSEQUENTLY, this Committee recommends that the council grant a minor variance to Règlement de zonage numéro 532-2020, for a project aimed at the installation of a digital billboard sign at 350, boulevard de la Gappe in order to increase from 30° to 45° the angle between the two faces of a detached, digital billboard sign, with the goal of being able to calculate the surface area of only one of its faces, i.e., a maximum of 18 m2 fixed by the PPCMOI currently in effect. All as demonstrated in the following documents:

• Location of the proposed billboard and identification of the minor variance - Mathieu Fournier - Land Surveyor - April 3, 2023 – Annotated by the Service de l’urbanisme et du développement durable (SUDD) - 350, boulevard de la Gappe;
• Details of the proposed two-sided digital billboard sign - Prepared by Kahil Habashy - October 10, 2023 – 350, boulevard de la Gappe.

RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY