Ample lands in Ottawa for residential growth, Committee hears

The Planning and Housing Committee today received a land-survey report showing Ottawa has ample lands to support the growth projections of the Official Plan. The Planning and Housing Committee today received a land-survey report showing Ottawa has ample lands to support the growth projections of the City’s Official Plan, as well as direction outlined by the Government of Ontario in the Provincial Policy Statement. The Official Plan categorizes Ottawa’s urban area as either built-up area or greenfield area, which are urban lands that have not been developed previously. The Greenfield Residential Land Survey monitors the residential land supply within that greenfield area. The report received today indicates that Ottawa has enough supply to allow for more than 15 years of development. The new Official Plan that came into effect in 2022 also introduced additional lands to Ottawa’s urban area. With those lands, Ottawa can accommodate growth well beyond the 15-year horizon required by the Province. The Committee also approved Official Plan and zoning amendments to establish land-use policy for siting Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Ottawa. BESS are an emerging battery technology that can help make the electricity system more reliable by drawing and storing energy from the grid during off-peak hours, when demand is low, and discharging it back to the grid when needed. Battery storage is increasingly vital for personal and professional uses, and the current dominant energy storage technology is lithium-ion batteries, which are commonly used in mobile phones and electric cars. While the Province is the regulator and owner of electricity generation supplies, municipalities have siting authority over new proposed renewable energy generation and storage projects. The amendments approved today would set policy direction for siting BESS within Ottawa’s rural and urban areas, including maximum size limits, minimum setbacks, and screening requirements. The Committee directed staff to bring forward a zoning amendment to permit shelter use in all urban zones, consistent with the proposal put forth in the draft comprehensive Zoning By-law. Amending the current by-law would ensure the City is better placed to take advantage of potential federal and provincial funding that might be offered in 2025 to address the housing and homelessness emergency. This could include funding to acquire existing housing to be converted to emergency and transitional shelter, or funding to build new shelters. The more permissive zoning would also ensure more efficient use of City resources in reviewing potential shelter projects. Recommendations from today’s meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, February 12.